Mandy
October 25, 2024
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Born and raised in China, I enjoyed watching the Dragon boat racing and eating sticky rice dumplings every year. So in this blog, I would like to introduce to you the tradition, history, culture of Dragon Boat Festival and how do we celebrate it.
The Dragon Boat festival, also named Duanwu Festival端午节（duān wǔ jié）, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. It has a history of over 2,000 years. Due to China’s vast territory and diverse ethnic groups, customs for this festival vary across regions.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that commemorates Qu Yuan, a poet from the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu Yuan was a loyal advisor to his king, but when his advice was rejected, he was banished to a remote area. His exile led to the kingdom’s eventual downfall.
Upon hearing of the kingdom’s demise, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The people of Chu, who revered Qu Yuan, raced their boats on the river to find his body but were unable to do so. To prevent fish from consuming his body, they threw rice wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river.
To honor Qu Yuan’s memory, people commemorate his life and legacy on the anniversary of his death by holding boat races and eating Zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in reed leaves. This tradition has evolved into the Dragon Boat Festival.
Dragon Boat Racing involves teams of people racing in boats shaped like traditional Chinese dragons. The teams row in sync to beat their opponents to the finish line. A drummer sits at the front of the boat to keep the rowers in rhythm. This sport is now popular worldwide, with competitions held not just in China, but also in Japan, Vietnam, the USA, Canada, and the UK.
Zongzi are pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves and can have various fillings. While they’re now common in supermarkets, some families still make them at home on the festival day.
Hanging wormwood leaves on doors is believed to protect against diseases, and calamus leaves, resembling swords, are hung to ward off evil spirits. Both give off a special fragrance that helps repel mosquitoes and insects.
Perfume pouches, filled with Chinese herbal medicines, are worn to repel pests and other animals. They’re popular among children and come in various shapes.
Zhong Kui’s portrait is pasted on doors or hung in rooms to protect the house from evil spirits.
Other customs include wearing five-color silk necklaces, bracelets, and anklets; drinking realgar wine; bathing with herbal water; bathing in the water where the dragon boat race took place; fetching water at noon; and picking herbal medicines.
