Healthy traditions

In some parts of China, on the morning of Dragon Boat Festival, it's a tradition to tie bands, made of strings in five colors, around children's wrists, ankles or neck when they're still asleep. And when the first rain comes after the festival, parents cut off the bands and throw them into the water, to exorcise evil spirits.

Li learned of the custom from her university roommate from North China. Now she does it as an annual routine for her children.

For the elderly like Yu Defen, Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn festivals are very important.

The 85-year-old says it's because these traditional festivals have been observed by Chinese people for thousands of years.

"Whether rich or poor, living in rural areas or cities, all Chinese attach great importance to Dragon Boat Festival," says Yu, who lives in Harbin.

"In the old days, we ate zongzi, fried rice cake and boiled eggs during the festival. But as our standards of living have been boosted greatly, we're able to afford more delicacies."

Yu, who grew up in a small county in Liaoning province, says she learned from her mother how to make festive door ornaments for Dragon Boat Festival as a teenager.

She recalls that before sunrise on the day of the festival, she would gather mugwort from the mountain that would also be hung on the door.

Today, she still makes the ornaments as gifts. And it takes her over half a day to make a set.

She also makes colorful zongzi from cardboard, small brooms from plants and bamenhou－a tiny stuffed monkey doll－for the door.

Yu says these things were common in Northeast China. But as more migrants from other parts of the country have settled down in Harbin, there is now a mix of northern and southern customs.

Yu's granddaughter-in-law Zhang Bo says receiving these ornaments makes the festival more memorable.

Now, Zhang hangs them in her car and her 4-year-old son learns how to make them from his great-grandmother.