The sixth day of the sixth lunar month is a folk festival and a traditional festival for rural minorities in China. According to the online introduction, "June 6th" is also called God-given Festival, Warping Festival, Insect King Festival, Washing and Sunbathing Festival, Hermiao Festival, etc., all of which have related allusions and legends. In every place, different recipes will be made on this day to celebrate this festival. Xiangtan is known as the custom of "eating water fish and instant-boiled mutton on June 6th".

It is said that due to the scorching sun in June in the southern lunar calendar, the heat is unbearable, and the humidity is heavy in the morning and evening, which is prone to all kinds of fever due to yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity. Eating stewed mutton with water fish on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month can nourish yin and clear heat, so the custom of eating stewed mutton with water fish has been passed down from generation to generation.

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The custom of June 6th.

In addition, there is a saying in China that "on June 6th, every family basks in red and green". "Red and green" refers to all kinds of brightly colored clothes. The last sentence of this proverb is also called "Every family basks in a dragon robe". In Yangzhou, there is an explanation that Emperor Qianlong was caught in a heavy rain on his way to Yangzhou. His coat was wet and it was difficult to borrow someone's clothes to replace it. He had to wait until the rain stopped and dry his wet clothes before wearing them. This day happens to be June 6, so it is called "drying the dragon robe".

In Jiangnan area, after Huangmei Day, the clothes hidden at the bottom of the box are easy to get moldy, so they should be taken out to dry. Legend has it that on this day, clothes are not eaten and books are not exposed. This custom can be found in Amin Shen Defu's Night Fire Series more than 300 years ago. Literati and ordinary people also dry clothes and sundries here to prevent insects from eating.