Children learn to cut five poisonous pests out of red paper. [Photo by Xiong Yunbin/Asianewsphoto]

Driving away the five poisonous pests

According to Chinese custom, the “double fifth” is the hottest day of the month, when all the poisonous vapors are in the air, so every attempt is made to harmonize yin and yang so that danger and disease can be avoided.

It is believed that five kinds of poisonous pests would harm children’s health, including a snake, centipede, scorpion, lizard, toad and sometimes spider. People will cut out of colorful silk with patterns of these five pests or paint them on red papers, and then past the silk or red papers on doors or walls of the bedroom, each impaled by a needle.

The five pests are also often embroidered on clothing, stamped on cakes, engraved on accessories, and used for decorations. They are believed having the power of driving away all pests and pestilences.