Hanging up the Calamus on the Dragon Boat Festival
By admin on 2015-01-07

During the dragon boat festival, it is a custom to hang up mugworts, calami (their leaves), guavas or garlic cloves on doors. It is not without reason to do so. Mugworts, banyan branches and calamus are often tied into a bundle with a red paper band and attached to or hung on doors. This is because the calamus is the no. 1 of all five plants believed to keep away disease and evil.  It is also a symbol of evil driving sword, hence the saying of "fighting evil spirits with a calamus sword".