Fragrant zongzi leaves, bustling dragon boats—did you know it’s also the "Millennium Health Festival"? In ancient times, people not only expressed grief and raced for glory but also embedded wisdom for dispelling dampness, preventing disease, and nurturing health into these customs, passing them down through generations.
Herbs Ward Off Filth, Nature Fights Epidemics
During the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather is hot and humid, and pests thrive. The ancients had their ways to cope:
Hanging Mugwort on Doors: Its unique fragrance repels insects, sterilizes, and purifies the air. Hanging it on doors and windows disinfects and prevents illness.
Wearing Scented Sachets: Filling sachets with mugwort, eupatorium, calamus, and angelica to wear or place by the pillow wards off wind-cold and foul odors. An old saying goes, "With a sachet in hand, five pests won’t stand." (Pregnant women and those with allergies should use caution.)
Orchid Herb Baths: Following the ancient practice of "bathing in orchid soup," boiling mugwort, calamus, and other herbs for a medicinal bath can prevent summer dermatitis, eczema, and other skin conditions. (Children should limit time and water temperature; those with allergies should exercise caution.)
Fragrant Zongzi as Food, Medicine in Every Bite
The humble zongzi is actually a medicinal delicacy:
The Magic of Zongzi Leaves: Northern reed leaves clear heat and promote fluid production, southern bamboo leaves induce diuresis and detoxify, while lotus leaves harmonize the stomach and calm the mind.
Glutinous Rice Strengthens the Spleen: It warms and nourishes the spleen, stomach, and lungs. Paired with red dates, adzuki beans, or mung beans, it enhances calming and detoxifying effects. (The elderly, children, and diabetics should consume in moderation.)
Seasonal Drinks to Cool the Heart: In the scorching heat, drinking sour plum soup clears summer heat and stimulates appetite, while bitter melon and other fresh fruits relieve restlessness and heat.
Routine for Living, Movement to Nourish Yang
Midsummer health revolves around aligning with nature:
Adjusting Sleep Patterns: Sleep slightly later and rise early to bask in morning light for energy. Cultivate a napping habit to relieve fatigue and balance mood.
Moderate Exercise: Traditional dragon boat racing is a classic example of fitness through movement. Daily activities like brisk walking, jogging, or tai chi promote circulation, strengthen the spleen and stomach, but avoid excessive sweating that depletes yang energy.
Moxibustion on the 'Nine Poison Days': The Dragon Boat Festival marks the first of the "Nine Poison Days." Moxibustion on acupoints like Zusanli , Shenque, and Guanyuan replenishes primal yang, dispels cold-dampness, and lays the groundwork for treating winter ailments in summer.
Dragon Boat Festival Wellness Tea Recipes
Rose and Mint Tea: Soothes liver qi, relieves chest tightness and stagnation.
Digestive Tea: Charred hawthorn, roasted barley, and red ginseng aid digestion and strengthen the spleen.
Heat-Clearing Summer Tea: Sour plum, honeysuckle, lotus leaf, and hawthorn promote fluid production, quench thirst, and dispel summer heat.
Fire-Reducing Eye-Brightening Tea: Goji berries and chrysanthemum clear liver fire and nourish the eyes.
The Dragon Boat Festival, passed down for millennia, is not just about the rich aroma of zongzi but also the health wisdom of our ancestors. Hang a bunch of mugwort, wear a scented sachet, and embrace wellness through tradition—this is how to truly honor the season of fragrant zongzi leaves.
Where dragon boats break the waves, a millennium of customs condenses,
As mugwort brushes the door, summer’s heat clears from the world.
With zongzi’s rich sentiment lingering long,
May you enjoy health and peace all year strong.
