Let's Talk About The Dragon Boat Festival

 The Dragon Boat Festival occurs on the fifth day of the fifth moon of the lunar calendar. It is one of the three most important of the annual Chinese festivals. The other two are the Autumn Moon Festival and Chinese New Year.

The Origin Of The Dragon Boat Festival

The story of this colorful festival concerns a famous Chinese scholar-statesman named Chu Yuan. Who some three centuries before the birth of Christ, served the King of Chu during the Warring States period. As a loyal minister, Chu Yuan at first enjoyed the full confidence and respect of his sovereign. Eventually, through the intrigues of his rivals, he was discredited.

Chu Yuan was never able to regain the emperor's favor and on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the year 278 B.C.(Before Christ), at the age of 62, Chu Yuan clasped a stone to his chest and plunged into the Milo River in the Hunan Province.

 

The Customs Of The Dragon Boat Festival

吃粽子
Eating zongzi. Zongzi are pyramid-shaped dumplings made of glutinous rice, stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. This traditional food is popular during the Dragon Boat Festival. More about Zongzi

饮雄黄酒
Drinking realgar wine. Realgar wine is Chinese liquor seasoned with realgar. It is a custom to drink the wine during the Dragon Boat Festival.

赛龙舟
Dragon boat racing. Dragon boat racing is a traditional pastime where crews of 22 seated in long, dragon-shaped boats race lengths of up to 2000m. The Races are an indispensable part of the Dragon Boat Festival and are held all over China.

佩香囊
Wearing a sachet. During Dragon Boat Festival, parents typically dress their children up with a sachet. They first sew little bags with colorful silk cloth, then fill the bags with perfumes or herbal medicines, and finally string them with silk thread. The sachet, which is said to be able to ward off evil, is usually hung around the child's neck or tied to the front of his or her garment as an ornament.

系五彩线
Tying five colored rings. Tying five brightly-colored decorative rings around children's wrists, ankles and necks during the Dragon Boat Festival is said to help the child ward off pests.

驱五毒
"Driving away the five poisonous creatures." During the Dragon Boat Festival, residents make an effort to drive away poisonous pests, including scorpions, vipers, centipedes, house lizards and toads.

游百病
"Preventing disease by having fun." In Guizhou Province, a Dragon Boat Festival custom is for villagers to plan outdoor leisure activities together. Entertainment for all is said to ward off disease.
 

Zhengzhou LP Industry Co., Ltd  hope our article about the Dragon Boat Festival can make you know more about traditional Chinese Festivals.