Traditional herbal sachets catch on ahead of Dragon Boat Festival

Traditional Chinese herbal sachets were gaining up popularity as stylish accessories in northwest China's Gansu Province as the Dragon Boat Festival approached, which falls on Saturday this year.

The sachets, traditionally hung in homes during the early summer festival to ward off pests and disease in extending wishes for health and luck, are now attracting younger buyers looking to connect with cultural heritage.

At a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital in Lanzhou, pharmacists had transformed the ancient pest-repelling charms into 26 fashionable designs featuring the 12 zodiac animals on the traditional calendar, mythical beasts and pyramid-shaped Zongzi rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival -- all filled with aromatic herbs like sweet flag, patchouli and eupatorium.

"I've also bought one for my parents for hanging at home, to add a bit of festive atmosphere," said Tian Bo, a customer.

Following the trend, the hospital had launched live-streaming tutorials demonstrating how to make and wear the sachets -- a digital approach that introduced the tradition to new audiences.

China's Foreign Ministry on Friday reiterated the Chinese government's call for Paraguay to sever so-called "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan authorities and recognize the one-China principle.

Responding to the Paraguayan president's provocative visit to China's Taiwan region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian restated China's position at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

"The one-China principle is a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus of the international community, and so far 183 countries have established diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China on the basis of the one-China principle. China urges the Paraguayan authority to stand on the right side of history at an early date and make the right choice of recognizing the one-China principle and severing the so-called diplomatic ties with the Taiwan authorities," he said.