Editor"s note: Wang Yan is the director of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy. The article reflects the author"s opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

There are many reasons for people to honor their culture. The emotions and values embedded in culture stimulates a person"s joy and pride in his or her connection with community and nation. It is also a spiritual code of culture that shapes a person"s cultural identity and the civilization of a nation.

That"s why people in China celebrate Dragon Boat Festival, also known as "Duanwu Festival," today. The festival is also inscribed in UNESCO"s Intangible Cultural Heritage given its significant role in Chinese history.

As the cross-border boundaries of communication have melted away by the omnipotent internet, people nowadays enjoy a much wider cultural landscape and can enjoy festivals from both home and abroad. This is especially true of the cosmopolitan and internet savvy youth.

One may wonder if these would overshadow their own culture and undermine their cultural confidence. The question can be answered by tracing down the origin of the spiritual code and people"s spiritual pursuit through presentation of spiritual logos in people"s lives such as those in Duanwu festival.

On May 5 of the Chinese lunar calendar each year, people eat Zongzi that are made by wrapping sticky rice into a pyramid-shaped dumplings using bamboo or reed leaves. People in southern China also celebrate the festival with a dragon boat race, wearing perfume sachets, among other things.

Duanwu, a festival to celebrate health

As a matter of fact, Duanwu is a festival for health and epidemic awareness celebrated since ancient times. On this day, people usually hang the leaves of calamus and wormwood on their windows or doors to ward off disease and pests. Because of the sword-like shape of calamus leaves, it was also believed that hanging the?plant?could dispel evil and bring health to the family.?

Likewise, people wear perfume sachets that are made of herbs with aromatic odors for preventing mosquitoes and insects. As in ancient times, getting bites by mosquitoes was a matter of life and death; but wearing a perfume sachet can be effective in disinfection and driving away mosquitoes. Moreover, people believe that the sachets improve the mental well-being and thus help people stay away from illness.

These reflect people"s value of life and health since thousands of years ago, which is also the foundation of well-being and prosperity.

Duanwu, a festival to celebrate the well-being of people

The festival coincides with the wheat harvest time. As a tradition, at this time, young women who have gotten married usually go home to taste the newly reaped wheat with their parents, while young men pay visits to their parents-in-law, and young girls dress up to celebrate the family get-together. The delight from such affective family interaction drives away of agitation brought by the hot summer and enables people to enjoy the advent of a new season.