I hope you are enjoying this year’s 端午 Duan Wu festival. There are many fun traditional activities such as the dragon boat race, making 粽子 Zongzi — glutinous rice cakes with various tasty stuffing, drinking realgar wine with family and friends, taking bath infused with orchids, hanging bundles of mugwort plant on the door, wearing aromatic pouches and evodia branches, and posting talismans with the phrase 風煙 “Wind and Fog“ or 滑 “Gliding Through“ on the windowsills, etc. Why are there so many Duan Wu activities that involve expelling the toxic pathogens? And why is this year even more toxic than the previous years? Here is why —
The Chinese medicine bible 黃帝内經 Huangdi Neijing, Chapter 16, it states that “During the 5th and 6th lunar months of the year, the Heavenly Qi is abundant, and the Earthly Qi is high. In humans, Qi tends to gather in the head.“ —【素問·診要經終論】
In Chapter 49, it states that “Yangming Qi is in the position of 午 Wu. The 5th lunar month conveys the Yin within extreme Yang. Yang is abundant and Yin is added upon it……(the pathologies associated with this time of the year) is due to the Yin within the abundant Yang. Yang begins to decline in May, and Yin ascends from underneath, and begins to fight against Yang,“ which causes diseases to happen.
The 5th lunar month is consider the “toxic month“ because the pathological Yin tends to sneak into our body when our Yang (vital life force) has been exhausted and on its declination. In the agricultural calendar book 【夏小正】Xia Xiaozheng it states that “collect medicinals on this day (of Duan Wu) to expel toxic Qi (from the body).“ In the book 【大戴禮記】Dadai Liji it states that “on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, collect orchids to make a medicinal bath.“
The 五運六氣 Wuyun Liuqi (the Five Movements and the Six Qi Phases) of this year is quite wild.
The Heavenly Ministerial Fire Qi governs the first half of the year, and now we are in the first quarter of the 3rd Qi phase, in which the Host Qi is Ministerial Fire, and the Guest Qi is also Ministerial Fire.
Triple Ministerial Fire energies until July 22, 2022! This is going to be intense health wise for a lot of people because either too much Yang Qi or Yin Qi can create a lot of toxicity in the body.
There are several medicinals that the Chinese have been using on Duan Wu to expel toxicity: 艾草 mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), 蘭草 orchids, 吳茱萸 evodia (Tetradium ruticarpum), and realgar. Mugwort is a popular herb that is believed to contain the healthy Yang Qi that resonates with a healthy body. It is the herb used in moxibustion for this reason.
Orchid has been a symbol of purity in Chinese culture, it is commonly found in humid environments in high altitudes where the air is fresher. It develops air roots that absorb moisture in the air and does not like stagnant water. It has the ability to repels stagnant water (waxy leaves and roots) circulates energies.
Evodia is one of the most pungent herbs among all of the medicinals. It is known for its ability to expel 陳寒 “aged coldness“ lodged in the body. Wearing branches of evodia on the clothing has been believed to expel pathological energies. Its potent hot Qi is capable of penetrating into the small spaces inside the body, expelling any lingering and dwelling pathogens accumulated from the past. It is included in many formulas that treat stubborn and difficult diseases.
There is a tradition of drinking realgar wine on the day of 端午 Duan Wu, because realgar is a mineral medicinal that can counter act the toxicity of this energetically intense season. In the classic Chinese medical book 金匱要略 Jingui Yaolue, the legendary clinician 張仲景 Zhang Zhongjing pointed out that “Pathologies induced by Yang toxicity manifests as red lesions on the face reminiscent of intricate weaved patterns on brocade, sore throat, vomiting pus and blood……” 【陽毒之爲病，面赤斑斑如錦文，咽喉痛，唾膿血。五日可治，七日不可治，升麻鱉甲湯主之。】The herbal remedy that treats the Yang toxicity contains the mineral 雄黃 realgar, which is removed in its paired formula that treats Yin toxicity. So it is obvious that realgar has the ability to expel such pathogens.
I’m going to stop writing now and enjoy my orchid bath and favorite Zongzi with preserved egg yolk and roasted pork belly.