The meaning and symbol of hanging gourds on Dragon Boat Festival Why do we hang gourds on Dragon Boat Festival?

The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is the traditional Chinese folk festival - the Dragon Boat Festival, which is one of the ancient traditional festivals of the Chinese nation. So, what is the meaning and symbol of hanging gourds during the Dragon Boat Festival?

The meaning and symbol of hanging gourds during the Dragon Boat Festival

The gourd means "blessings and fortune" and has the function of collecting blessings. During the Dragon Boat Festival, people have the custom of using gourds to ward off disease and evil spirits. Therefore, you can hang a peach wood Bagua gourd at home or wear it on your body, which can play a role in warding off evil spirits, driving away plagues and bringing good luck.

Why do we hang gourds during the Dragon Boat Festival?

In ancient times, our ancestors believed that May was the "evil month" or the "poisonous month". The weather in the south in May is already very hot, with a lot of rain and sudden but unpredictable flash floods. In order to survive, people used gourds found in nature and tied them to their bodies to stay alive in danger. At this time, the gourd was called a "waist boat". Because of the special function of the gourd, which can save lives in critical moments, people have begun to worship the gourd. Later it evolved into a custom of hanging gourds on the doors of every household during the Dragon Boat Festival. In the north, if there is no gourd at home, people will cut a gourd out of paper and stick it on the door. Beijingers like gourds because gourd is a homonym for “Fu Lu” (blessings and fortune). Red rough paper is cut into gourds with the "Five Poisonous Creatures" pattern inside, which is called "gourd flowers". Street vendors have been selling them since the end of April in the lunar calendar. It is said that gourd flowers can ward off the "five poisons". They are posted on May 1st and picked and thrown away at noon on May 5th, which is called "throwing away disasters".

The legend of hanging gourds on Dragon Boat Festival

Legend 1:

There is also an ancient legend about hanging gourds on the door. It is said that in ancient times there was an old man selling oil who went from village to village selling oil. He shouted, "One gourd is four taels, four gourds are half a catty" (Note: in the past one catty was sixteen taels, and half a catty was eight taels). So, many people bought four gourds to get a bargain. At this time, only a village boy only hit one gourd. The old man asked him why he didn't hit four gourds. The village boy told the reason. The old man selling oil thought that the child was honest, so he told him that there would be a great disaster on May 5th, and if he hung a gourd on his door, he could avoid the disaster. The village boy went home and told his mother what the old oil seller had said, and he did as his mother asked. Sure enough, a disaster was avoided on May 5th. From then on, the custom of hanging gourds on the door during the Dragon Boat Festival in May was formed among the people.

Legend 2:

According to mythology, Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals, transformed himself into an oil seller and went to a mountain village to sell oil. After the price of the oil was marked, people paid for it according to how much oil they bought. As a result, many people take more oil and pay less money. There was a young man who followed the others' example and took more oil and paid less. After returning home, the boy told his mother truthfully about everyone's purchase of oil and his own purchase of oil. His mother severely criticized her son and ordered him to return the extra oil immediately and apologize to the oil seller. Lü Dongbin was deeply moved by his honesty, so he told the young man that a catastrophe would befall the world on the first day of May, and that hanging a gourd at the door would ensure peace and avoid disaster.

The kind-hearted mother hurriedly told the news to her neighbors, and every household who heard the news hung gourds on their door lintels. Sure enough, within a few days, a severe mountain flood swept away the families who did not hang gourds, while the families who hung gourds were safe and sound. From then on, the custom of hanging gourds a few days before the Dragon Boat Festival was left behind.

Legend three:

There is also a folk legend that says that on the first day of May of a certain year, the King of Medicine came down to earth and saw poisonous insects rampant and plague everywhere in the world. He hung his gourd containing magical medicine on the door of a house to kill the insects and plague, and save all living beings, leaving behind this custom.