On the fifth day of May, Yao compatriots climb mountains and cross mountains to collect herbs, and it is best to collect enough, which is called "hundred herbs". After collecting the herbs, they will be washed, cut into three-inch pieces with a knife, dried in a ventilated place, boiled in a cauldron at about 4 or 5 pm 15 minutes, and then the dregs will be picked up. When the water temperature is right, they will be scooped up and put in a large stone jar.
Large wooden barrels made of Chinese fir can be seen everywhere in Yaojia, with a height of 1 m, a width of 0.6 m and a length of 0.7 m.. This is the "Pang bucket" for bathing with medicinal liquid, also called "Yellow bucket". Guo attaches great importance to bathing. No matter in severe winter or hot summer, everyone must soak his whole body in Pang Tong every night, which can not only wash away the traces of charcoal and gypsum contaminated during slash and burn, but also relieve fatigue by soaking in warm water, thus circulating blood and promoting sleep.
The origin of Yao bath
For thousands of years, the Yao people like to live in the deep mountains and forests. Because they have little contact with the outside world, it is difficult to see a doctor when they are sick. Therefore, they developed their own medical theory-Yao medicine, and formed their own unique methods of diagnosis, treatment and medication.
Yao doctors have a remarkable feature, that is, they are good at preserving health and preventing problems before they happen. How to keep their bodies from getting sick has become the top priority of Yao doctors.
In their long-term exploration, they summed up a set of effective methods to keep the body from getting sick, which is Yaoyao bath. They use hundreds of thousands of natural herbs in the mountains, boil them into potions, and bathe in hot water to achieve the purpose of preventing and treating diseases.