How do people celebrate Dragon Boat Festival in China? As one of the oldest and grandest traditional festivals in China, Dragon Boat Festival has many customs and traditions, and the most popular activities usually come from dragon boat racing, eating Zongzi, wearing perfume pouches, tying five-color silk threads and hanging mugwort leaves and calamus.
Eating Zongzi
Concerning the Dragon Boat Festival traditions, the first thing came into Chinese people’s mind should be the festival food, Zongzi, glutinous rice wrapped by bamboo or reed leaves. Eating Zongzi is one of the oldest traditions of the festival.
Dragon Boat Racing
The dragon boat racing event is held annually in different places of China. The activity enjoys higher popularity in southern China. At present, dragon boat racing is not only a celebration but also an international sport event.
Drinking Realgar Wine
In ancient China, realgar was regarded as insecticide and antidote in traditional Chinese medicine, which could wipe out viper, scorpion and centipede. People put the realgar into the making process of wine, which is believed can drive out the virus and evil spirits on their bodies.
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, people will drink the realgar wine to prevent against skin disease, and they even rub the wine on kids’ forehead to avoid disease. Based on modern medicine, realgar is a bit poisonous, so people should not over drink it.
Wearing Perfume Pouches
The perfumed pouches is usually a small cloth bag stuffed with vanilla, herbs, realgar and flower petals, and people from south China may carry it in belts or pockets. With favorable fragrance, the perfume pouch does not function like the perfume we use in present days, but has its special medical use. As the festival occurs on Chinese summer when the germs spread easily, so people use perfume pouches to sterilize themselves and prevent diseases.