"Willows are inserted during the Qingming Festival, and wormwood is inserted during the Dragon Boat Festival", which is an old tradition handed down from ancient times. The Dragon Boat Festival coincides with the fifth month of the lunar calendar, when all things grow to the extreme, and the sun's energy also reaches its peak, and the natural environment at this time is considered to be toxic, so May is also known as the "poisonous month".
The fifth day of the fifth month of May is regarded as a day of "poison on poison", and the Dragon Boat Festival is therefore given the nickname of "Poison Day", and is even listed as the first of the "Nine Poison Days".
To ward off this "poison day", wormwood is an herb chosen because it reaches its peak of maturity and volatility in May. The use of wormwood can not only dispel plagues and poisonous insects, but also bring peace and health to the family, and at the same time imply the good wishes of blessing and auspiciousness. Through this traditional custom, people use the fragrance and power of wormwood to protect the happiness and well-being of their families on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival.
But in the Chinese tradition, everything has rules, the Dragon Boat Festival wormwood is not allowed to pick and hang indiscriminately, there are certain rules and exquisite, this "2 do not pick, 1 do not hang, 4 exquisite", many people do not know, together to understand and then hang wormwood.
1. 2 do not pick
Short and thin
Wormwood has been a mysterious power among the people since ancient times. Its plants are dense and straight, but they give off a strong aroma that comes from the wormwood oil contained in wormwood. Wormwood oil can not only repel mosquitoes, but also keep snakes away, so the ancients believed that wormwood has the effect of repelling poison and evil spirits.
In the early morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, people will go to pick wormwood, but not all wormwood is worth picking. Dwarf and thin wormwood, due to the environment and conditions of its growth, contains less wormwood oil, volatile is naturally not strong, and the effect on repelling insect pests is not as good as that of large wormwood. Therefore, when picking wormwood, you should try to choose those tall, robust plants.
Dry and wilted
In addition to the dwarf, thin wormwood should not be picked, and the dry and wilted wormwood should not be picked. The vitality of these wormwoods is weakening, and most of the wormwood oil contained in the plants has already been volatilized, which not only cannot repel insect pests, but also means that wormwood is coming to an end of its life, and it cannot help dispel evil spirits, which is a bad meaning.
The standard for picking wormwood is: the length of wormwood is more than three feet, there is no damage and traces of insect bites, the plant should be straight and strong, the wormwood leaves grow more densely, and the old leaves should have less dead leaves. This kind of wormwood is healthier and the most vigorous, the volatile aroma of wormwood oil will be stronger, and the effect of inserting it on the outer door to repel insects and pests is better.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, people stick the picked wormwood on the door to drive away bad luck and protect the safety and health of their families. The aroma of wormwood not only repells mosquitoes, but also brings a peaceful and peaceful atmosphere. On this day, wormwood is planted in front of every house and multicolored ropes are tied to ensure safety, disease, and disaster.
Nowadays, most people go to the market to buy wormwood, and in order to make the wormwood grow and harvest repeatedly, the sellers in the market usually do not uproot the wormwood at the time of harvest, but leave the wormwood roots to continue to grow until the next year. However, according to the old tradition, the wormwood hanging at the door of the house is best to be a complete wormwood with roots, which means that the family is complete and happy, and if there is a condition, the whole wormwood should be preferred.
2. 1 Do not hang: Do not hang if there are pregnant women or babies at home.
Wormwood is known for its unique aroma and medicinal properties. The strong smell of wormwood oil, although it has a significant effect on repelling insects and purifying the air, is also irritating. Therefore, if there is a pregnant woman or baby in the house, wormwood should not be hung.
The pregnant woman's body is at a very sensitive and fragile stage, and the pungent smell of wormwood may have adverse effects on the pregnant woman and the fetus. Some of the ingredients in wormwood oil may cause discomfort in pregnant women, such as nausea, vomiting and other reactions, and may even affect the normal development of the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid exposure to Chinese herbs such as wormwood and wormwood leaves, especially during the first trimester.
Similarly, for infants, their body organs are not yet fully developed and they are less adaptable to the environment. The strong smell of wormwood may interfere with the baby's normal rest and may even cause respiratory discomfort such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms. Therefore, for the sake of the baby's health, wormwood should be avoided in the home, especially in the baby's room.
In addition, for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis, the pungent smell of wormwood may also cause discomfort or aggravate the condition. Therefore, such people should also be extra careful when using wormwood, you can take a small amount of wormwood and smell it, and then hang it without any uncomfortable reaction.
3. 4 pay attention
- Pay attention to the time of insertion
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the picking and use of wormwood has specific customs and exquisiteness. According to tradition, the time of harvest and use of wormwood is critical to ensure that its effects are maximized.
First of all, the picking time of wormwood is usually chosen in the early morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, because the temperature in the early morning is low, and the dew on the wormwood has not yet evaporated, and the wormwood at this time is the freshest, and its medicinal value and aroma are also the strongest. Wormwood should not be picked too late, no later than 9 a.m., because once the sun rises, the sunlight will accelerate the evaporation of wormwood oil in wormwood, thus reducing the medicinal effect of wormwood.
Secondly, the use of wormwood is also particular. Wormwood should not be used overnight, because the aroma of wormwood overnight will volatilize, and the medicinal effect will be greatly reduced. If wormwood is picked or purchased a day in advance, the aroma and medicinal value of wormwood will decrease over time. Therefore, wormwood is best picked or purchased early in the morning on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival and used as soon as possible.
When buying wormwood in the market, you should also choose those that are freshly picked and have a moisture stag. Wormwood should be inserted on the door or by the window as soon as it is taken home to preserve its aroma and medicinal properties. In this way, the fragrance of wormwood is the strongest, and the effect of driving away evil spirits and pests is also the best.
2. The amount of wormwood is particular
During the Dragon Boat Festival, the custom of inserting wormwood is not only to repel insects and ward off evil spirits, but also contains rich cultural significance and symbolism. According to traditional customs, the number of wormwood is usually chosen as an even number, because in traditional Chinese culture, the double number is regarded as a symbol of good luck, representing harmony and perfection.
A combination of four, seven, or three long and two short is considered unlucky, especially three long and two short, as the idiom is often used to describe unexpected or unfortunate situations, so this combination is avoided when planting wormwood.
When choosing the amount of wormwood, families can decide according to their actual situation, but it is generally recommended not to be too little, so as not to have a poor insect repellent effect; At the same time, it should not be too much, so as not to smell too strong and affect the comfort of the family.
It is best to choose a consistent length of wormwood, the longer the better, because long wormwood usually means stronger medicinal properties and a stronger aroma. When inserting wormwood, the long wormwood should not be broken in order to match the short wormwood, because "folding" is homophonic with "folded love", which has a bad meaning and may bring an unlucky impact.
3. The method of inserting mugwort is exquisite
During the Dragon Boat Festival, the even-numbered wormwood of the same length is tied together with red string, which is not only a beautiful decoration, but also contains deep cultural significance. Since ancient times, the red rope has been believed to have the effect of warding off evil spirits, symbolizing red fire and good luck. Therefore, the wormwood tied with red rope is not only more festive visually, but also more auspicious in meaning, enhancing the effect of wormwood in driving away poison and warding off evil spirits.
When the bundled wormwood is hung, the roots should be facing up and hung on both sides of the door. This upside-down method is conducive to the better volatilization of the fragrance of wormwood, which is more effective in repelling mosquitoes. In addition, the custom of hanging wormwood upside down is also similar to the tradition of sticking the word "Fu" during the Chinese New Year, which symbolizes the arrival of blessings and the happiness and health of the family. In folklore, wormwood hanging upside down is believed to attract "good fortune" and bring good luck and health to the family.
4. Wormwood is particular after it is suspended
Wormwood continues to hang after the Dragon Boat Festival and can continue to exert its insect repellent effect, although the aroma and medicinal effects of wormwood will gradually diminish over time. When the water in wormwood evaporates, it is less effective at repelling insects than when it was fresh, but it still provides a degree of protection.
In about half a month, the wormwood will dry up completely. At this time, the aroma of wormwood is already very weak, and the insect repellent effect is not as good as before. At this point, the wormwood can be removed, but there is no need to rush to throw it away. Dried wormwood still has other uses:
1. Medicinal value: Wormwood has the effects of warming menstruation and dissipating cold, invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, reducing inflammation and relieving pain. In traditional Chinese medicine, wormwood is often used to treat symptoms such as rheumatism, joint pain, menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
2. Moxibustion Therapy: Moxibustion is a treatment method in Chinese medicine that uses the ignition of moxa (a powder made from the dried leaves of wormwood) to warm specific acupuncture points or body parts for the purpose of treating diseases. Moxibustion is believed to promote blood circulation, boost immunity, and relieve pain.
3. Insect repellent and disease prevention: The strong aroma of wormwood has the effect of insect repellent and disease prevention. During the Dragon Boat Festival, people hang wormwood on doors or windows to ward off mosquitoes and prevent diseases.
4. Soak your feet and take a bath: Wormwood can be used to soak your feet or take a bath to help relieve fatigue, improve blood circulation, expel moisture from your body, and also help improve sleep quality.
5. Purify the air: The smoke produced when wormwood is burned has the effect of purifying the air, which can remove odors, and the smoke released has a certain disinfecting effect.
6. Making moxa: After wormwood is dried, it can be made into moxa wool for moxibustion therapy. Moxa wool can also be used to make moxibustion supplies such as moxa sticks and moxa pillars.
7. Make sachets and pillows: Wormwood can be filled into sachets along with other herbs for insect repellent and pick-me-ups. Wormwood can also be filled into pillows and used to improve sleep quality.
Usually when it comes to wormwood, it seems that it is only associated with the Dragon Boat Festival, and it will only be remembered when it comes to the Dragon Boat Festival, but it is not. Wormwood is everywhere in our lives, and it is even integrated into food.
Take the Qingming Festival just after last month, for example, the green glutinous rice skin of the Qingtuan eaten during the Qingming Festival is dyed with wormwood.
Puree the fresh tender wormwood through a wall breaker or food processor, filter it slightly, then add the beaten wormwood juice to the glutinous rice flour and stir it into a yogurt-like batter, then steam it in a pot for 20 minutes, steam it into a sticky glutinous rice ball, add butter and knead well, so that the skin will not harden after cooling.
After kneading it completely, pick up a piece by hand, slightly sort out the shape, and fill it with fillings, which can be rose bean paste, osmanthus bean paste, egg yolk meat floss, salt and pepper perilla, black sesame seeds, chocolate and other fillings. The finished Qingtuan soft and glutinous Q bomb is particularly delicious, and if you put it in the refrigerator for a little refrigeration, the taste will be more elastic.
When it comes to the Dragon Boat Festival, the Dong and Miao people in the mainland will also use wormwood to steam wormwood zongzi. This kind of wormwood zongzi is not quite the same as the zongzi we usually eat, its shape is flattened, and it can be made into a square or triangle.
First, the glutinous rice and mugwort leaves are steamed together, and after steaming, they are beaten with a wooden hammer to make them tough, and then wrapped in the dumpling leaves, wrapped and steamed again. Although there is no filling in it, it is a fusion of the taste of wormwood and zongzi leaves, fragrant and delicious, after steaming, peel off the leaves and dip them directly in sugar, soft and glutinous fragrance, and have a unique charm.
If this kind of zongzi is cooled, it can also be directly roasted on the charcoal fire, after baking, both sides are browned, and the middle is soft and glutinous, this kind of outside is charred and glutinous inside, and it is more delicious than the zongzi in other places. Break open the crispy shell with your hands and sprinkle some brown sugar on the inside of the zongzi, which tastes both the fragrance of the zongzi and the taste of brown sugar glutinous rice dumplings, which is really super delicious.
Today's little common sense about the Dragon Boat Festival and wormwood is shared with you, like my article, don't forget to like the collection and pay attention, thank you for reading, we'll see you next time.