Dragon Boat Festival: A Time-Honored Chinese Tradition

Origins and Significance

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu in Chinese, holds a significant place in Chinese culture and history. Originating in ancient China over 2,000 years ago, the festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, typically around late May or June in the Gregorian calendar.

Customs and Celebrations

During the Dragon Boat Festival, people enjoy various traditional activities and customs. One of the most popular is eating zongzi, sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. Other activities include dragon boat races, where teams of paddlers compete in long and narrow boats adorned with dragon heads and tails. These races symbolize the search for a legendary poet who drowned in a river.