Chinese Festival 端午节 、2014年6月2号

端午节快乐！

Duan Wu Jie (Dragon Boat Festival) is to wish for health　

Celebrating Duan Wu Jie (端午節 May Festival) on May 5th of the lunar calendar started in ancient China.  Duan (端) means beginning.  The Wu month(午月) is the fifth month of the year.  五(numeral 5) is also pronounced "wu".  五月初五 became May Festival.  The summer begins from the fifth month of the year which is end of May or beginning of June of Gregorian calendar.   When Summer solstice occur, the day time is the longest of the year.  This is extreme Yang(太陽)  as day(brightness) relates to Yang and night(darkness) relates to Ying.  Extreme is out of balance.  The temperature and humidity raises high.  It's very hot and unpleasant.  More dehydration and food poison occur during hot season.  Immune system becomes weaker and easy to get infectious disease and may cause epidemics.

Ancient Chinese people thought May is the wicked month.  To get rid of toxins and prevent bad fortune(disease) , people started the ritual on May 5th.  People ate herbal medicines such as calamus and mugwort for maintaining health.  Drank realgar wine(雄黄酒) to get rid of toxin and prevent inflammation.  Let children wear a small bag of fragrance as an amulet to protect them and prevent disease.

We made a video of the carps because May fifth(of Gregorian calendar) is Children's Day in Japan and people put up carp shaped streamer(鯉のぼり) for centuries.  Also, decorate "Yoroi and Kabuto (鎧兜 armor)" to celebrate and wish health and longevity for children.