Dragon Boat Festival activities

Get to know the top 7 Dragon Boat Festivalcustoms in China and Duanwu Festival activities and in other countries... 1. Dragon Boat Racing The most popular activity of the Dragon Boat Festival is racing dragon boats. This folk custom has been held for more than 2,000 years throughout southern China, and now it has become an international sport. The origin of the festival is said to be when locals paddled out on boats to scare the fish away and retrieve Qu Yuan's body (the patriotic poet who drowned himself in the Miluo River when the Chu State fell in 278 BC). See the story behind the Dragon Boat Festival. During the race, dragon boat teams paddle harmoniously at a pace that is set by the drummer and do their best to win the race through their synchronized efforts. It is said that the winning team will have good luck and a happy life in the following year. 2. Eating Dragon Boat Food — Zongzi It is an important tradition for the Chinese to eat zongzi (traditional Chinese sticky rice dumplings, each wrapped in bamboo leaves) during the Dragon Boat Festival. The reason why the Chinese eat zongzi at the festival has many explanations. A popular origin story is again about Qu Yuan. After the great poet Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river, people scattered rice into the water to feed the fish, to prevent them from eating Qu Yuan's body. Zongzi are made differently in different areas of China. People in the north enjoy zongzi with dates, while people in the south prefer mixed ingredients, such as meat, sausages, and eggs. This custom is not only very popular in China, it is also practiced in Korea, Japan, and other countries in Southeast Asia. 3. Hanging Calamus and Wormwood on Doors Because of their special fragrances, people often hang calamus and wormwood leaves on their doors and windows on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival to repel insects, flies, fleas, and moths. Since the shape of calamus leaves is sword-like, hanging the plant is also believed to dispel evil and bring health to the family, especially children. 4. Wearing Perfume Pouches Many contagious diseases and plagues were said to originate during the fifth lunar month, when the Dragon Boat Festival takes place. The fifth lunar month was considered an unlucky month. Chinese people, especially children, made incense bags and hung them on their necks to avoid catching contagious diseases and to keep evil spirits away at this inauspicious time. 5. Drinking Realgar Wine Realgar wine or xionghuang wine is a Chinese alcoholic drink that is made from Chinese yellow wine dosed with powdered realgar. Realgar is a traditional Chinese medicine. In ancient times, people believed that realgar was an antidote for all poisons, and effective for killing insects and driving away evil spirits. At Duanwu Festival, people would drink realgar wine to drive evil thin...