Anhui Village Embraces Tradition: Handcrafting Scented Sachets for Dragon Boat Festival

In preparation for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, residents of a quaint village in Huainan, a city in Anhui Province, China, are diving into the age-old tradition of crafting scented sachets.

These intricately embroidered sachets are not just a fashion statement but hold deep cultural significance, believed to ward off evil, repel insects, and combat sweat during the festival season.

Located in the eastern part of the country, Huainan’s villagers have been busy harvesting, boiling, and meticulously sorting a variety of herbs to fill these aromatic pouches.

The process begins with planting the herbs in autumn, with the anticipation of the bountiful harvest at the onset of summer the following year, aligning perfectly with the festival’s timing.

One of the key steps in the preparation involves scalding the freshly picked herbs in boiling water, releasing their fragrant essence which will soon permeate the air as the sachets are hung or worn.