Preface
Time flies quickly, and in a blink of an eye, it is the Dragon Boat Festival again. This year's Dragon Boat Festival is on June 10, which is less than a month away. This Dragon Boat Festival has a long history and rich cultural connotations. The Dragon Boat Festival originated in ancient China, the earliest can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and has a history of more than 2,000 years. Originally commemorating the great patriotic poet Qu Yuan, the festival has evolved into a celebration of health, warding off evil spirits and pestilences, and praying for peace.
dragon boat festival
There are many theories about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, the most well-known of which is to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was a minister of Chu during the Warring States Period, and was ostracized because of his loyalty and outspokenness, and finally committed suicide by throwing himself into the Miluo River after Chu was destroyed by Qin. It is rumored that the day Qu Yuan threw himself into the river was the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and the local people rowed dragon boats on this day to salvage his body in order to commemorate him, and threw zongzi into the river to prevent fish and shrimp from invading his body, and these behaviors gradually evolved into the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival.
In addition to commemorating Qu Yuan, the Dragon Boat Festival also has other origin legends. One theory is that the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the ancient summer solstice festival, which was a ritual held by the ancients to pray for a good harvest and ward off diseases. There is also a theory that the Dragon Boat Festival is related to the ancient "evil moon" or "poison moon", and May is considered to be the time of the year when yang energy is at its peak and diseases are frequent, so people will take various measures to ward off evil spirits and avoid diseases.
The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival
The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival are very rich, mainly including the following aspects:
Dragon Boat Racing: One of the most representative customs of the Dragon Boat Festival is dragon boat racing. Legend has it that after Qu Yuan committed suicide by throwing himself into the river, people rowed boats to save him, which later evolved into a dragon boat race. Today, dragon boat racing is widely popular not only in China, but also among Chinese communities around the world.
Eat zongzi: Zongzi is a traditional food of the Dragon Boat Festival, where glutinous rice and other ingredients are wrapped in bamboo leaves and then steamed. The shape and filling of zongzi vary from region to region, ranging from sweet to salty, with a variety of flavors.
Hanging wormwood and calamus: During the Dragon Boat Festival, people will hang wormwood and calamus on the door to ward off evil spirits and avoid pestilence. Both wormwood and calamus have a special aroma that is believed to purify the air and prevent disease.
Wear sachets: The sachets are filled with spices, such as wormwood, calamus, angelica, etc., which are worn on the body and also have the effect of driving away evil and avoiding plague.
Drinking realgar wine: In some areas, there is also the custom of drinking realgar wine during the Dragon Boat Festival. Realgar is a mineral that has the effect of disinfection and sterilization.
Five-color silk thread: During the Dragon Boat Festival, people will use five colors of silk thread to weave into bracelets or ankle rings, which are worn on the body, symbolizing health and good luck.
The agricultural proverb of the Dragon Boat Festival
During the Dragon Boat Festival, the climate is hot, and agricultural activities have also entered a critical period. In rural China, there are many agricultural proverbs related to the Dragon Boat Festival, which not only reflect farmers' observations of weather changes, but also contain a wealth of agricultural wisdom. Common agricultural proverbs are as follows:
1. "If you don't plant rice during the Dragon Boat Festival, there is no hope of planting again" This sentence means that the Dragon Boat Festival is the deadline for rice planting. If the transplanting is not completed before this point in time, even if the rice is replanted later, the growing period of the crop will be greatly shortened due to the late season, which will affect the harvest. This underscores the time-sensitive nature of agricultural activities and reminds farmers to hurry up and complete their farm work.
2. "Rain in the Dragon Boat Festival is a good year" This agricultural proverb expresses the farmers' expectation of rain during the Dragon Boat Festival. The Dragon Boat Festival is usually in the critical period of rice growth, and the right amount of rain is essential for the growth of crops. If there is rain during the Dragon Boat Festival, it usually indicates that there may be a good harvest year that year.
3. The phrase "the Dragon Boat Festival is planted early, the millet is full" emphasizes the importance of rice planting time. Transplanting rice before the Dragon Boat Festival can ensure that the rice has a longer growth period, which can increase yields. It is also an encouragement to farmers to work hard, reminding them to seize the time and not miss the agricultural time.
4. The agricultural proverb "When the Dragon Boat Festival arrives, the wheat is yellow" describes the ripening of wheat during the Dragon Boat Festival. In northern China, the Dragon Boat Festival coincides with the wheat harvest season, and farmers need to hurry up to harvest ripe wheat to avoid weather changes that affect the harvest.
"The Dragon Boat Festival is here, and the five poisons come out"
Of course, there is a very special agricultural proverb, "When the Dragon Boat Festival arrives, the five poisons come out", what do the five poisons refer to?
In traditional Chinese culture, the Dragon Boat Festival is not only a celebration festival, but also a day to ward off evil spirits and avoid plagues. The saying that "when the Dragon Boat Festival arrives, the five poisons come out" comes from ancient people's observation of natural phenomena and their concerns about health threats. The five poisons refer to five species of animals that are considered to be highly poisonous. They are especially active during the Dragon Boat Festival and are believed to bring illness and misfortune to people. The five animals are:
- Centipede: A multi-legged arthropod whose sting can cause severe pain.
- Scorpions: venomous glands on the tail, which can poison people after stinging.
- Snakes: Many snakes have venom glands that can cause severe poisoning reactions after biting.
- Geckos: While most geckos are non-venomous, they are also sometimes seen as poisonous in traditional cultures.
- Toads: Some toads secrete venom that can cause irritation if it comes into contact with a person's skin.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, as the weather gets hotter, these animals become active, and it is believed that they carry diseases and bad luck.
In order to deal with the threat of the five poisons, there are many corresponding customs and activities during the Dragon Boat Festival, such as:
- Wear sachets: Sachets contain a variety of herbs, such as wormwood, calamus, etc., which have the effect of repelling insects and warding off evil spirits.
- Hang wormwood and calamus: Hang wormwood and calamus on the door and use their special aroma to ward off evil spirits.
- Drink realgar wine: Realgar wine is believed to have a disinfecting and sterilizing effect and can prevent diseases.
- Herbal bath: bath with herbal decoction water to cleanse the body and ward off diseases.
These customs not only reflect the importance that people attach to health, but also reflect the reverence of the natural world and the fear of the unknown in ancient times. But these customs continue to this day, and there are actually some changes. With the improvement of people's awareness, some of the animals in the five poisons are not a threat to us, but only a few will pose a threat to our health, and people regard them more as ominous things, so they are more taboo to encounter, and once encountered, they will also avoid.
Among them, poisonous snakes and scorpions, these two are more feared, but there are no poisonous scorpions in rural areas, only poisonous snakes. However, with the expansion of human activities in recent years, venomous snakes are gradually decreasing, and the threat to humans is gradually decreasing.
The old man said: More than five poisons?
Anyone who has watched the news recently must know that the threat to our health is no longer the five poisons that everyone is familiar with, but an invasive alien species, which is invading all parts of the continent and poses a serious threat to human daily activities. An ant called the red fire ant has come into our lives and is very scary.
The red fire ant (scientific name: Solenopsis invicta) is an ant native to South America that gets its name from its red body color and the burning sensation caused by its bite. Red fire ants are highly aggressive species that have a significant impact on the ecological environment and human activities. It belongs to a type of ant, but compared to ordinary ants, it is not simple at all.
The hazards of red fire ants are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
- Harm to humans: Red fire ant stings can cause severe pain and redness, blister formation in severe cases, and even allergic reactions. It has been reported on the news that many people have been bitten by red fire ants, redness, swelling, allergies and other phenomena, experts say that if they are bitten by red fire ants many times, it may cause suffocation or death in serious cases. It shows that this kind of red fire ant must be poisonous and terrifying. And this small animal often appears inadvertently when we are bitten, and we don't know that we are bitten until we feel hot pain, otherwise we don't notice it at all.
- Impact on agriculture: They can damage crops and affect agricultural production. In addition to biting our skin, red fire ants can wreak havoc on agricultural production.
- Damage to ecosystems: Red fire ants crowd out native species and upset the ecological balance. Red fire ants are an alien species, but now they appear in many places on the mainland, and it is obvious that they will cause serious ecological damage.
What should we do if we are in the wild and accidentally get bitten by red fire ants? See what the experts have to say to us. After being bitten by a red fire ant, the following symptoms usually occur:
- Sharp pain and burning sensation: Sharp pain and heat sensation will be felt immediately at the site of the sting.
- Redness and itching: The sting area will be rapidly red and swollen with itching.
- Blisters and pustules: In severe cases, blisters and even pustules can form at the site of the sting.
- Allergic reactions: People who are allergic to red fire ant venom may experience anaphylaxis, such as difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, syncope, etc., and need to seek immediate medical attention.
After understanding the red fire ants, is the Dragon Boat Festival to change the anti-five poisons to the anti-six poisons? Anyway, this summer, everyone should try to sit in the grass as little as possible, and if necessary, be sure to wear long pants and long sleeves to avoid being bitten by some insects.
Say it at the end
This Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon, and this ancient festival has taken on new vitality and meaning in modern society. It is not only a commemoration of Qu Yuan's spirit, but also an emphasis on health, environmental protection, community and cultural heritage. When you spend the Dragon Boat Festival in good health, you also need to pay attention to the changes in climate, the hot weather will make a lot of insects active, poisonous snakes, scorpions, red fire ants, etc. are very dangerous animals, when you are outdoors, do not be naked outside, let alone sit on the grass casually, it is best to apply a little anti-mosquito perfume when you go out.
In addition, when it is time to remind, the Dragon Boat Festival is hot, you must take care of the children at home, do not go to the river and other waters to play, this season is the peak period of drowning, please parents must pay attention.