Mugwort is hung on the door of a resident's home during Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. [Photo provided to China Daily]

During the Dragon Boat Festival, the ancients used mugwort in several ways to prevent disease.

Hanging: They hung mugwort branches and leaves on the door. The strong aroma of mugwort can repel mosquitoes, flies and other insects, reducing the chance of diseases spread by them.

Bathing: Mugwort was boiled to make water for bathing, which gave it antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Bathing in mugwort water was believed to help clean the skin, remove toxins from the body and prevent skin diseases, especially during the hot and humid season around the festival.

Burning: The burning of mugwort produces a distinctive-smelling smoke. In ancient times, people often burned mugwort leaves to purify the air and prevent the spread of epidemics.

来源：中国日报网

Source: chinadaily.com.cn

校对：唐婷玉

Proofread by: Tang Tingyu

编辑：黄乔珺

Edited by: Huang Qiaojun

复审：占妍

Reviewed by: Zhan Yan

终审：陈俊绮

Final Reviewed by: Chen Junqi