1. On the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, adults tie the Dragon Boat rope around the children's wrists, ankles, and neck while they are still asleep. In some places, the five-color rope can be worn the night before.
2. When tying the five-color rope, the child must not speak. Also, once tied, the child must not arbitrarily break or discard the five-color rope.
3. It should be removed only on the day of "Qiniangma" (the birthday of the Seven Mothers) and burned together with incense paper. In some places, it is removed after the first rain following the Dragon Boat Festival and then thrown into a river so that it is carried away by the rainwater.
4. It is said that children who wear the five-color rope can avoid harm from venomous insects such as snakes and scorpions. Throwing it into the river symbolizes letting the river carry away epidemics and diseases, ensuring the children's health and safety.
5. In addition to the traditional five-color silk ropes, they are often paired with silver locks and wrapped around the children's arms. In the past, every family would hang a five-color rope on their door during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Which Hand Should the Five-Color Rope Be Worn On?
The five-color rope should be worn on the left hand for boys and the right hand for girls. In addition, the rope can also be tied around the neck or ankles. Generally, the five-color rope should be worn before sunrise on the Dragon Boat Festival. Therefore, the first thing adults do in the morning is to tie the five-color rope around the child's wrist, ankle, or neck.
Traditionally, the custom uses thick threads of red, green, yellow, white, and black to braid a colorful rope, which is tied around the child's arm or neck. It is tied on May 5th and removed on the birthday of "Qiniangma" (the Seven Mothers), where it is burned together with gold paper. Another belief is that on the first rainy day after the Dragon Boat Festival, cutting the five-color rope and throwing it into the rain will bring good luck for the whole year. It should be noted that the colors must be red, green, yellow, white, and black.
1. Do not break it arbitrarily
Generally, the five-color rope is worn by children or women, with children being the main group. The five-color rope has good meanings, and every family hopes that their children will be safe and healthy. In ancient times, the five-color rope was believed to have the meaning of avoiding misfortune.
2. Do not throw it away随意
If you want to take off the five-color rope, you must not throw it away carelessly. Instead, wait until the first rain after the Dragon Boat Festival, then remove the rope and throw it into the water so that it is carried away by the rainwater.
3. Do not wear it on the wrong hand
Many people have their own habits when wearing jewelry, but when wearing the five-color rope, you cannot wear it randomly. You need to distinguish between boys and girls. Elders have always emphasized that men wear it on the left and women on the right. This tradition is related to the ancient myth of the sun and moon gods. According to legend, after Pangu created the world, his left eye became the sun god, and his right eye became the moon god. The sun god corresponds to Fuxi, and the moon god represents Nuwa, hence the saying "men on the left, women on the right."
