端午节驱五毒

尼庵剪五色彩笺，状蟾蜍、蜥蜴、蜘蛛、蛇、蚿之形，分贻檀越，贴门楣寝次；能魇毒虫，谓之五毒。…… 案：《青齐风俗记》：“谷雨（2）日，画五毒符，图蝎子、蜈蚣、虺蛇、蜂、蜮之状，各画一针刺之，刊布家户，以禳虫毒。”吴俗，则在端五。

清/ 顾 禄 《清嘉录》

Driving away the Five Poisonous Pests (1)

Nuns in Buddhist nunneries cut out of colourful thin silk patterns of toads, lizards, spiders, snakes and centipedes and distribute them to their benefactors to be posted on doors and in bedrooms before the Dragon Boat Festival. It is believed that the cutouts can suppress such poisonous vermin. These emblems are thus called the "amulets against the five poisonous pests". According to The Customs of Qinqi, on Grain Rain Day (2) people painted "amulets against the five poisonous pests" in the shapes of the lizard, the centipede, the poisonous snake, the wasp and the demon, each impaled by a needle. These paintings were duplicated and put up on the doors of the houses in an attempt to drive away all pests and pestilences. In the Wu area this custom is practiced during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Gu Lu (Qing Dynasty):Worthy Records of the Qing Dynasty

1) Driving away the five poisonous pests: This is a tradition observed all over the country in the Dragon Boat Festival. It is a popular belief that poisonous vermin start to multiply on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival. Therefore people put up "amulets against the five poisonous pest" before that day. In addition, realgar wine is sprayed and lime powder is sprinkled in the corners of the houses. Herbs are burnt to kill the five poisonous pests and drive away malignities.
2) Grain Rain Day: the sixth of the 24 solar terms, which usually falls around April 20 of the lunar year.

（姚红 译）