The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival
First, dragon boat race.
There are several versions of the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, and the one we are most familiar with is to commemorate Qu Yuan. Legend has it that after Qu Yuan jumped into the Miluo River on the fifth day of May, the local people immediately rowed over to rescue him, and all the way to Dongting Lake, but Qu Yuan's body was not found. It was raining that day, and the boats on the lake gathered beside the pavilion on the shore. After others knew it, they all came in the rain and rowed to Dongting Lake. In order to express everyone's grief for Qu Yuan, it gradually developed into a dragon boat race.
Second, eat zongzi.
The festival food of Dragon Boat Festival is Zongzi. The legend of eating zongzi, like dragon boat racing, is to commemorate Qu Yuan. Legend has it that Qu Yuan was trapped in the water by the dragon after he threw himself into the Miluo River on the fifth day of May. People feel sorry for Qu Yuan. On this day, they threw colorful zongzi into the river to drive away the dragon. Later, Zongzi became the most popular Dragon Boat Festival food.
Third, hang branches of wormwood, calamus and banyan to pray for peace.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, there is also the custom of hanging branches of wormwood, calamus and Ficus carica at the door. Everyone is familiar with wormwood, which is a kind of herbal medicine that can cure diseases. Moxibustion in acupuncture is mainly composed of wormwood, which can be placed on acupoints to treat diseases and inserted at the door, which can also make the body healthy; Acorus calamus, regarded by ordinary people as the spirit of all yang, can be inserted at the door to ward off evil spirits; The moral of hanging banyan branches at the door is to make your body strong and healthy. There are also places where pomegranate, garlic and Shandan are hung, all of which are entrusted with people's good wishes for peace and health.
Fourth, wear long life and bless well-being.
Another important custom of the Dragon Boat Festival is to wear longevity thread, also known as longevity thread, longevity thread and longevity thread. Longevity thread is usually twisted into five-color colored rope or made into small ornaments of various shapes. It is said that Dragon Boat Festival can be hung on children's wrists, ankles or necks, which can avoid disasters, keep healthy and prolong life.
The beautiful meaning of Dragon Boat Festival
1, pray for peace: since ancient times, the Dragon Boat Festival has the connotation of praying for peace. On this day, the ancients would collectively hold a luncheon, wear long life wisps, paint their foreheads, wash herbal water and so on, in order to pray for the safety of their families and themselves. Therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival is a very grand festival. Until today, our attention to the Dragon Boat Festival has not decreased, and it has even been established as a legal holiday.
2, exorcise evil spirits and eliminate disasters: Dragon Boat Festival has an important significance, that is, avoid five poisons to exorcise evil spirits and eliminate disasters. Therefore, whenever the Dragon Boat Festival comes, it is necessary to hang wormwood, calamus, noon symbols, bind white locks, drink at noon, light moxa sticks, wear Atractylodes macrocephala, dry ginger, hang kudzu vine, wear sachets, tie colored ropes, wear damselflies, put up a map of five poisons, hang portraits of Zhong Kui and drink realgar wine, etc., so as to resolve disasters and disperse insects and ants.