The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, a celebration with over 2,000 years of history. It is most widely associated with the legendary poet Qu Yuan, a symbol of loyalty and patriotism. According to the story, after Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River, local people rowed out in boats to search for him and threw rice dumplings into the water to protect his body from fish. These acts evolved into two of the festival’s most iconic traditions: dragon boat racing and eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves).

Today, the festival is a joyful occasion filled with meaningful customs:

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• Dragon Boat Racing: Teams paddle rhythmically in elaborately decorated long boats, a thrilling spectacle that symbolizes teamwork and community spirit.

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• Enjoying Zongzi: These delicious parcels of glutinous rice, often filled with pork, red bean paste, or salted egg yolk, are a beloved seasonal treat shared with family and friends.

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• Herbal Traditions: People hang mugwort and calamus at their doors to ward off evil, and wear fragrant sachets filled with medicinal herbs as a blessing for health.

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• Healthy Customs: Drinking herbal tea and certain traditional wines, as well as taking baths with aromatic herbs, are practices meant to bring good health and ward off summer diseases.

We hope you have a wonderful time celebrating this vibrant festival with those you care about.

Wishing you a peaceful and prosperous Dragon Boat Festival!