Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most famous festivals in North Korea. The exact origins of the Dragon Boat Festival are not known but it is believed to have shamanistic origin related to the annual agricultural cycle. According to the official records, however, it originated from Chinese Cho Dynasty (楚), when a loyal retainer named Qu Yuan (屈原) jumped into the Milo river (汨罗水) to show his political fidelity. The time near the summer solstice marks the end of the sowing season and the day to celebrate spiritual ethos to wish for a bountiful harvest. It is also the time for harvesting winter wheat.

Dragon boat races are as popular in North Korea as they are in China, with the annual Dragon Boat Festival taking place at the beginning of spring in early June. A visit to the major event in Pyongyang is an approved tour activity.

Where: Pyongyang

When: June