Dragon Boat festival fell on Saturday, May 31st, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, this year. The holiday was observed with various customs and traditions, including staging dragon boat races; eating pyramid-shaped, sticky rice dumplings stuffed with fillings, wrapped in leaves and tied with thread; remembering Qu Yuan, an ancient statesman and poet; eliminating evil influences; and, hanging or wearing bundles of herbal medicines for protection.
Some of the plants and substances considered to be particularly powerful for cultivating health around this time of year include calamus, pomegranate, artemisia and garlic. Specifically, calamus (sweet flag) gives off a pungent smell and hence is believed to be effective against mosquitoes that could carry diseases. The leaves can be affixed to doorways or windows and inside homes, and can also be used for cleansing and bathing.
Similarly, fresh sprigs of artemisia (mugwort) are highly aromatic and its compounds are proven to be effective against malaria. The bundles can be hung loose to dry, burned, boiled as an extract or processed as an essential oil and are used for detoxification and circulation.
With the onset of the hot season, medicinal herbs can help protect people from the torment of biting insects and counterbalance excessive heat. While it is often difficult to claim their legitimacy using a strictly biomedical model, they nevertheless remain a cornerstone of well-being through the heat and humidity of summer.