Five Color String Bracelet Workshop with Yarrow

Discover the tradition of creating five-colour string bracelets in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival! Join Yarrow for a meaningful event where you can craft bracelets and learn about their cultural significance.

As a student at the Chinese Public School Society on Pender Street, I heard Ms. Ho share a captivating story about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival. It commemorates the life and tragic death of Qu Yuan, a renowned scholar. According to one legend, when local villagers were unable to rescue Qu Yuan from a river or recover his body, they threw zongzi into the water to divert the fish from consuming Qu Yuan’s body. This tale is just one of the three key legends that shape the traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival.

In Chinese folklore, wearing five-colour string bracelets is a cherished custom during the Dragon Boat Festival. These bracelets are believed to bring good luck and protect against illness and disease. Traditionally, parents tie these colourful silk strings around their children's wrists and ankles to safeguard them from evil spirits and wish them a long, healthy life. Once the first summer rain falls after the Dragon Boat Festival, the children would throw their bracelets into the water. This symbolic gesture is thought to cleanse the wearer of ailments and ensure good fortune.

At this event, you will:

• Create your own five-color string bracelets.
• Learn about the cultural and historical significance of the Dragon Boat Festival, including its origins and traditional customs such as eating zongzi (a glutinous rice dish wrapped in bamboo leaves) and wearing perfume pouches.
• Discover the stories and legends behind the Dragon Boat Festival, including the tale of the revered poet and politician Qu Yuan, whose life and death inspired this annual celebration.

Don't miss this opportunity to engage in a vibrant cultural experience and craft a meaningful keepsake. Secure your spot today for a journey into the rich traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival!

Host or Publisher Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice