TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Dragon Boat Festival is next Thursday (June 22), and according to numerologist Ko Po-chen (柯柏成), there are certain things people can do to improve their fortunes, per UDN.

Dragon Boat Festival is one of the major holidays in traditional Chinese culture, falling every year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. Eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and rowing dragon boats are the main symbols of this festival.

Other customs include families hanging plants such as sweet flag and wormwood at the door of their homes. Sweet flag leaves are shaped like a sword, symbolizing their ability to prevent evil from entering the home.

Ko said that this year's Dragon Boat Festival is unique since it falls after the summer solstice, typically taking place within the first 10 days of June in the Gregorian calendar. According to local folklore, at this time, "boats can be rowed on dry land," meaning that a natural disaster like flooding could occur. 

Ko said that because "yang" energy peaks during the summer solstice and Dragon Boat Festival, any lucky objects or feng shui items inside the home, such as crystals, gourds, Pixiu (貔貅), auspicious creature-shaped objects, or compasses, can be taken outdoors from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They can then be exposed to the sun for 15 minutes to be purified and energized.

In addition, Ko said the public can draw water from their faucet at noon and use it at night for bathing to purify the body. He said that "noon water" can ward off evil spirits and is also used to clean mirrors to prevent ghosts from invading.