China and the rest of the world are getting ready to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional holiday that starts on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
This year, it falls on May 31. Also known as the Bak Chang Festival (Dumpling Festival), it is celebrated in other Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei.
In 2009, the Dragon Boat Festival became the first Chinese holiday to be included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Among the 10 disciplines of the ICF, Dragon Boat has become increasingly popular in the world, especially after the back-to-back demonstrations at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
It is rich in tradition and is a symbol of togetherness and inclusivity.
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History
Tracing back over 2,000 years ago, many believe the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of famous poet and patriot Qu Yuan.
Festivities differ and are shared depending on the region, including the memorial ceremony offering sacrifices to the local hero.
Qu Yuan is honoured in the Hubei and Hunan Provinces, river god Wu Zixu in South China, and Yan Hongwo in Yunnan Province among the Dai community.
During the holiday, rituals to ward off evil spirits and diseases in the early days of summer can be seen.
Apart from Dragon Boat races, eating sticky rice dumplings called Zongzi is a major part of the festival. Other activities include bathing in herbal concoctions, hanging wormwood and calamus, and drinking realgar wine.
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What is Zongzi?
Made of glutinous rice filled with meats, beans, and other fillings, they are wrapped in triangle or rectangle shapes with bamboo or reed leaves.
Hanging mugwort and calamus
With diseases more prevalent during the season, people hang mugwort and calamus on doors to keep them at bay. Used medicinally in China, mugwort leaves and aquatic plant calamus deter flies and mosquitoes. It's also said to bring good luck in China.
Realgar wine and perfume pouches
Consisting of fermented cereals and powdered realgar, the Chinese alcoholic drink was believed to be an antidote for poisons. Kids, meanwhile, can be seen wearing perfume pouches, and little bags with colourful silk cloth, around their necks.
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