Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar, usually falling in June. It honors the life and legacy of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet from ancient China who drowned himself in the Miluo River as a protest against corruption. The festival is marked by dragon boat races, where teams paddle in long, narrow boats decorated like dragons to the rhythm of drums, symbolizing the attempt to rescue Qu Yuan. Another key tradition is eating zongzi, sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, which were originally thrown into the river to prevent fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. The festival also includes hanging aromatic herbs like mugwort and calamus to ward off evil spirits and disease. With its rich cultural significance, the Dragon Boat Festival is a vibrant celebration of Chinese heritage, unity, and resilience.