The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival or Double Fifth Festival, is one of China's four major traditional holidays, celebrated annually on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. With a history spanning over two thousand years, this culturally rich festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
This year's dragon Boat Festival will come on May 31 of the Gregorian calendar.
The festival's origins are multifaceted, with the most widely known legend commemorating Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet of the Warring States period who drowned himself in the Miluo River on this day. Local people raced boats to retrieve his body and threw rice into the water to protect it from fish, traditions that evolved into today's zongzi-eating and dragon boat racing customs. Alternative narratives associate the festival with historical figures like Wu Zixu and Cao E, creating regional variations in folklore.
Signature customs include:
- Eating zongzi (glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) as tribute to Qu Yuan
- Dragon boat racing, originating from rescue attempts and now a competitive sport
- Hanging mugwort and calamus for disease prevention, reflecting ancient hygiene wisdom
- Wearing aromatic sachets filled with medicinal herbs to repel insects and evil
- Tying five-colored silk threads to symbolize blessings and protect children's health
These traditions embody Chinese reverence for nature, pursuit of wellness, and values like filial piety and patriotism. While preserving its cultural essence, the festival continues to evolve with contemporary celebrations, serving as a bridge between past and present.
Today, the Dragon Boat Festival is not only a Chinese public holiday but also influences worldwide, standing as a hallmark of Chinese civilization. As the aroma of zongzi fills the air each year, these timeless customs perpetuate cultural memories across generations.
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