Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that always takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Each year, the exact date changes depending on the lunar calendar. In 2025, the Dragon Boat Festival will be observed on Saturday, May 31.

The festival has its roots in the ancient legend of Qu Yuan, a poet from the State of Chu. Due to political unrest, Qu Yuan was exiled for his progressive views on the state’s government. Deeply saddened by the events in his country, he took his own life by throwing himself into the Miluo River. The local people, who admired him greatly, attempted to recover his body but were unsuccessful. To protect him from evil spirits, they beat drums in their boats and threw sticky rice into the river to keep the fish from eating his body.

Because of Qu Yuan’s reputation as one of the earliest known patriotic intellectuals, the Chinese people began to honor his life, and the Dragon Boat Festival developed from these commemorations. Today, it is celebrated every year as an official public holiday in China.

During the festival, people traditionally eat zongzi—glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. This custom comes from the legend of Qu Yuan and the rice thrown into the river to distract the fish. People also drink realgar wine and take part in dragon boat races on rivers. Although it is a Chinese festival, it is now celebrated around the world, especially the boat races, which are held in many major cities.

It is believed that the name Dragon Boat Festival originates from ancient practices of dragon worship. The boat races are thought to have started as a tribute to dragons, mythical creatures revered by ancient Chinese culture—a tradition that has continued for thousands of years.

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