Dragon Boat Racing, Eating Zongzi, Hanging Ai Ye, Drinking Xionghuang Wine, Tying Colorful Ropes, Putting Paper Kites, Dipping in the Water of the Dragon Boat, Hiding from the Dragon Boat Festival and so on.

1, Dragon Boat Racing

Dragon Boat Racing is a major custom of the Dragon Boat Festival, according to legend, after the injustice of Qu Yuan threw himself into the river, the people of Chu were very sad, they believe that Qu Yuan is a loyal and wise minister, they rowed to save Qu Yuan, however, when they fought to reach the dongtin lake, but there was no trace of Qu Yuan, and they were worried about the fish in the lake. Later on, dragon boat races were held every year during the Dragon Boat Festival. The custom of dragon boat racing prevailed in the three countries of Wu, Chu and Yue at that time, and later people also prayed for good weather by racing dragon boats in the Dragon Boat Festival.

2, eat zongzi

Duanwu eat zongzi is also an important custom, zongzi is also known as "tube zongzi" "corn", every year at the Dragon Boat Festival, families will dip glutinous rice, wash zongzi leaves, zongzi. Each local flavor and filling of the zongzi is different, zongzi initially in order to worship ancestors and gods, but Qu Yuan cast the river that day is also the fifth of May, people can not bear the river fish and shrimp nibble Qu Yuan's body, they put into the river zongzi.

3, hanging Ai leaves

Folk proverb says "Qingming willow, Dragon Boat Festival plug Ai", Ai leaves is a medicinal plant, its leaves contain volatile sesame oil, can drive away mosquitoes, refreshing the mind. On the day of Dragon Boat Festival, people will clean their homes and put the leaves on the lintel. Mugwort leaves represent inviting a hundred blessings, which can make the body healthy and play a role in preventing and controlling diseases. The north and south have the Dragon Boat Festival hanging moxa leaves to drive away evil spirits and diseases, while the north carries out the expulsion of poison to ward off evil spirits.

4, drink xionghuang wine

Duanwu Festival before and after the hot climate and rain, fly infestation and epidemics. Xionghuang wine, white or yellow wine concocted from ground up powdered Xionghuang, in the sun from the first of May to the fifth. As a traditional Chinese medicine, andrographis can be used as an antidote and insecticide, and was used by the ancients to restrain snakes, scorpions and other hundred insects.

5, tie colorful rope

Colorful rope, also known as the five-color silk, colorful silk, ancient China revered the five colors, five-color rope of the five colors on behalf of the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire and earth, each other, implying good luck and good fortune, it is said that children wearing colorful rope can be eliminated to protect against disasters and prevent the harm of snakes and insects.

6, flying paper kites

Paper kites, that is, kites. In the bamboo gabions and other skeleton glued with paper or silk, pulling the long line tied to the top, taking advantage of the wind to release into the sky, is a kind of pure use of aerodynamic flying machine. In the southern part of China, children flying paper kites on the Dragon Boat Festival are called "putting calamities".

7, dip dragon boat water

Dragon boat water, occurring in the period from Xiaoman to the summer solstice. In traditional Chinese culture, rain and dragons are linked together, the dragon is not only auspicious, but also the master of the rain and wind, the dragon flying in the sky, traveling clouds and rain. In mid-summer around the Dragon Boat Festival, southern China's warm and humid air flow is active, and from the north of the cold air southward in southern China, there is often a sustained widespread heavy precipitation. When the strong precipitation comes at the Dragon Boat Festival, the water level of the rivers rises rapidly, providing good conditions for picking up dragon boats. Dip dragon boat water is popular in southern China's traditional customs, because the dragon boat water means good luck, the dragon boat water and the dragon boat slipped through the water people are considered to be "big auspicious water", according to the traditional saying dip dragon boat water means good luck, everything goes well.

8, hide the Dragon Boat Festival

Hide the Dragon Boat Festival, referred to as "hide the noon", also known as "hide the end of the five", the local folklore, is the old times circulated in the Central Plains of Northern China Dragon Boat Festival customs. In ancient times, the northern custom to May, May 5 for the evil month, the evil day, all things need to be avoided, because there are pick up the female home to avoid the custom of the Dragon Boat Festival. Jiajing Longqing Zhi" also recorded cloud: "married women called back to the festival". And, "Luanzhou Zhi": "women's new marriage, so the month of the club welcome to return, called 'hide Dragon Boat Festival'.

Reference: Guizhou Provincial Prison Administration - Dragon Boat Festival customs

Baidu Encyclopedia - Dragon Boat Festival