1. The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival

There are many opinions about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. For example: the theory of commemorating Qu Yuan; the theory of commemorating Wu Zixu; the theory of commemorating Cao E; the theory of the Summer Solstice Festival starting from the Three Dynasties; the theory of repelling evil moons and evil days, the theory of Wu Yue National Totem Sacrifice, etc.

2. Customs of the Dragon Boat Festival

(1) Children wear sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival. Legend has it that they are meant to ward off evil spirits and repel plague. They are actually used to decorate their lapels. The sachet contains cinnabar, realgar, and fragrant medicine, and is wrapped with silk cloth, which overflows with fragrance. Five-color silk strings are then tied into ropes and made into various shapes to form a string. They are colorful, small and cute.

(2) Hanging mugwort, the folk proverb says: "Putting willows during the Qingming Festival, and planting mugwort at the Dragon Boat Festival." During the Dragon Boat Festival, people regard planting mugwort and calamus as one of the important contents. The Dragon Boat Festival is also a "health festival" passed down from ancient times. On this day, people sweep the courtyard, hang mugwort branches, hanging calamus, sprinkle realgar water, and drink realgar wine to stimulate turbidity, remove decay, and kill bacteria and prevent diseases. These activities also reflect the fine traditions of the Chinese nation.

(3) Drink realgar wine. Realgar is also a medicinal material and is said to be able to kill hundreds of poisons. Therefore, during the Dragon Boat Festival, people in Shaanxi will soak realgar in wine and smear realgar wine on children’s ears, noses, foreheads, wrists, ankles, etc. It is said that this method can repel mosquitoes, snakes, scorpions, centipedes, Geckos and spiders can't wait to catch you.