Dragon Boat Festival

The dragon boat festival is held in the fifth month of the lunar calendar, which corresponds to roughly June in the Western calendar.

When it comes to the festival's origins, there are several tales. According to one tale, it began as a festival for planting rice crops and asking for a favorable rainfall since dragons were thought to be in charge of managing rivers and rain. People would throw gifts down the river in the hopes that dragons would bring rain.

According to another version, the event is held in honor of Qu Yuan, an old Chinese legend. According to legend, during the Warring States period, patriotic poet Qu Yuan committed himself in the Miluo River in Hunan Province because he couldn't bear the thought of his motherland being destroyed by leaders. When they tried to find him, it was too late, so they tossed rice into the sea to soothe the poet's soul. The ghost reappeared one day and informed the villagers that the rice intended for him had been devoured by the river dragon. He then instructed the people to wrap the rice in leaves and mold it into a miniature pyramid known as zongzi.

The celebration is spectacular, with dragon boat racing, a long-standing custom that is grandly staged throughout the country. Rowing teams compete to be the first boat to cross the finish line by paddling in synchronization to the beat of the drums.

During the event, people eat zongzi composed of beef and rice and, according to custom, insert Chinese mugwort inside the entrance.

Time: June 3, 2022 (Friday)