In some regions of our country, people often wear certain items on children's bodies on the Dragon Boat Festival. In some places, they wear five-color silk threads, while in others, they wear "Wudu Dou" (five-venom pouches). What auspicious items do children wear during the Dragon Boat Festival, and what are the related beliefs and customs? Let's take a look together!

 

Tiger Head Cap

In the Haining area, during the Dragon Boat Festival, apart from activities such as dragon boat racing and making zongzi, there is an important task for grandmothers and uncles: preparing tiger head caps and tiger clothes for their new-born nephews. The grandmother delivers these items to her daughter's house before the Dragon Boat Festival.
During the days of the Dragon Boat Festival, every family puts tiger head caps and tiger clothes on their children. People felt powerless in front of natural forces and phenomena, and did not understand diseases, believing that they were caused by demons and ghosts. To drive away evil spirits and ward off misfortune, they used the tiger on the tiger head cap and tiger clothes to resist invisible evils.

Five-Color Silk Threads

On the Dragon Boat Festival, children wear five-color silk threads around their wrists and ankles to ward off evil spirits. According to traditional customs, thick colored silk threads made of red, green, yellow, white, and black are twisted into colorful ropes and tied around children's arms or necks. These are tied on May 5th and remain until the birthday of "Qiniangma" (the Seven Mothers) on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, when they are removed and burned along with gold paper. Another belief is that on the first rainy day after the Dragon Boat Festival, the five-color threads should be cut and thrown into the rain, symbolizing that the river will wash away plagues and diseases, thus driving away evil spirits and disasters, bringing good luck throughout the year.

Wudu Dou (Five-Venom Pouch)

Meaning: Wudu Dou refers to a baby's diaper with embroidered patterns of five venomous creatures: snakes, scorpions, centipedes, geckos, and toads. It is usually made of solid red cotton fabric and hand-stitched with colorful embroidery threads, representing the idea of "five venomous creatures cannot invade," ensuring health and safety. On the Dragon Boat Festival, children wear the Wudu Dou, which has embroidered images of the five venomous creatures, symbolizing "using poison to fight poison," ensuring good health.