The Dragon Boat Festival has a history of over 2,000 years in China. It falls on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, usually in June. The festival commemorates the death of the poet Qu Yuan by racing dragon-boats and eating zongzi rice dumplings. Traditional activities during the festival include hanging pictures of Zhong Kui and calamus/moxa to ward off evil, dragon boat races, making zongzi, wearing spice bags for good fortune, and drinking realgar wine for protection.

1. Dragon Boat Festival
Karen from REEDE

2. The Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th
month in the Chinese lunar calendar, has had a
history of more than 2,000 years. It is usually in
June in the Solar calendar.
Today, Dragon Boat Festival in the Chinese people
is still a very popular grand festival. Country
attaches great importance to the protection of
intangible cultural heritage, May 20, 2006, the
State Council approved the inclusion of the folk
first batch of national intangible cultural heritage.
Karen from REEDE

3. There are many legends about the
evolution of the festival, the most
popular of which is in
commemoration of Qu Yuan (340-
278 BC).
After his death, the people of Chu
crowded to the bank of the river to
pay their respects to him. People
threw into the water zongzi and
eggs to divert possible fish or
shrimp from attacking his body.
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4. The origins of Dragon Boat Festival
Qu Yuan, a famous poet, served as
minister to the Zhou Emperor. A wise and
articulate man, he was loved by the
common people. He did much to fight
against the rampant corruption that
plagued the court-- thereby earning the
envy and fear of other officials. Therefore,
when he urged the emperor to avoid
conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials
pressuredthe Emperor to have him
removed from service. In exile, he traveled,
taught and wrote for several years. Hearing
that the Zhou had been defeated by the
Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself
into the Milou River on the fifth day of the
fifth month. People were sad over the
patriotic poet's death. They tossed rice and
meat into the river to feed the fish, which
would protect Qu's body.
Karen from REEDE

5. The customs vary a lot in different areas of
the country, but most of the families would do
like that.
1.Hanging Pictures of Zhong Kui
2.Hanging Calamus and Moxa
3.Dragon Boat Race
4.The Culture of Zongzi
5.Spice Bag
6.Realgar Wine
独
写
菖
蒲
竹
叶
杯
，
蓬
城
芳
草
踏
初
回
。
情
知
不
向
瓯
江
死
，
舟
楫
何
劳
吊
屈
来
。
Karen from REEDE

6. 1.Hanging Pictures of Zhong kui
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7. 2.Hanging Calamus and Moxa
to ward off evil
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8. 3.Dragon Boat Race• An indispensable part of the
festival, held all over the country.
• people will see racers in dragon-
shaped canoes pulling the oars
harmoniously and hurriedly,
accompanied by rapid drums,
speeding toward their
destination.
• Folk tales say the game
originates from the activities of
seeking Qu Yuan‘s body.
• Dragon boat racing is a semi-
religious, semi-entertaining
program from the Warring States
Period (475-221 BC).
Karen from REEDE

9. 4.The Culture of Zongzi• An essential food of the Dragon
Boat Festival.
• It is said that people ate them in the
Spring and Autumn Period (770-
476 BC).
• Now the fillings are more
diversified, including jujube and
bean paste, fresh meat, and ham
and egg yolk.
• People will soak glutinous rice,
wash reed leaves and wrap up
zongzi themselves.
• The custom of eating zongzi is now
popular in North and South Korea,
Japan and Southeast Asian nations.
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10. The kinds of rice dumplings
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11. 5.Spice Bag• Carry the small spice bag
around with you, it not only
drives away evil spirits but
also brings fortune and
happiness to those who
wear it.
• The small bags are hand-
made by local craftsmen.
• They're made with red,
yellow, green and blue silk,
fine satin or cotton. Figures
of animals, flowers and fruits
are often embroidered onto
the bags and inside are
mixed Chinese herbal
medicines.
Karen from REEDE

12. 6.Realgar Wine
• It is a very popular
practice to drink this kind
of Chinese liquor
seasoned with realgar at
the Dragon Boat
Festival.
• This is for protection
from evil and disease for
the rest of the year.
• In on word, all of the
activities are to protect
themselves from evil and
honor the poet Qu Yuan.Karen from REEDE

13. Once upon a time on E-Mei mountain there lived two snake
spirits, White Snake and Green Snake. These snakes, being
magical, turned themselves into beautiful maidens and set off on a
journey to the West Lake of Hang Zhou.
When they arrived at West Lake they met a man named Xu
Xian. White Snake fell in love with Xu Xian and they were soon
married. A Buddhist monk, named Fa Hai, warned Xu Xian of his
wifes deceptive appearance and suggested to him a plan.
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival White Snake wished
to stay home .Her husband prepared, according to Fa Hais
instruction, some realgar wine, as this was a tradition during the
Dragon boat festival. White Snake, thinking her magic would
protect her from the effects of the realgar wine accepted a cup.
After she drank the wine she became very ill and was barely able
to get to her bed.
Another interesting story
White Snake and Xu Xian
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14. When her husband came to
her side, he found not his wife
but a huge white snake. So
great was Xu Xians shock
that he fell to the floor dead.
After recovering from the
realgar wine and regaining
her human form, White Snake
was grief-stricken to find her
husband dead. She loved
her husband so much , so
she set off on a journey to
obtain a potent medicinal
herb, which could revive her
husband. At last ,she
succeeded.
Karen from REEDE

15. For more information, please go to http://english.cntv.cn/special/may5festival/homepage/index.shtml
Thank you!
Karen from REEDE