Can I have a perfume pouch? What is Chinese Valentine’s Day and how is it celebrated? But…don’t rush to buy it and drink it. The dumplings themselves are wrapped in bamboo leaves, tied with a string, and either steamed or boiled. The most common length for a race, however, is 500 meters (1,640 feet). During his time in exile, Qu Yuan had become quite popular with the local people. During races, the boats are fitted out with a colorful dragon head and tail. Another possible explanation for the origins of the festival is linked to superstitions surrounding the date on which it falls. People living in small communities where local races are held usually know most or all of the members of the dragon boat teams. Since the shape of calamus forms like a sword and with the strong smell of the garlic, it is believed that they can remove the evil spirits. Zòngzi (粽子, dumplings made of glutinous rice stuffed with fillings) Those little bags are made of colorful silk cloth, then filled with perfumes or herbal medicines. One such tradition that has survived to this day and is still incorporated into modern Dragon Boat Festival celebrations is the custom of hanging mugwort and calamus branches on one’s door to ward off evil spirits. A complete guide to Chinese New Year from different perspectives. It’s really exciting watching a dragon boat race in person. The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 or Duānwǔjié in pīnyīn) is an official public holiday in Mainland China. window.test = 'test'; Example： In other stories, it’s also a day of remembrance for Wu Zixu in the former territory of the state of Wu, a loyal advisor who was forced to commit suicide by the King Fuchai, with his body thrown into the river. Perhaps his most notable work was part of Chu Ci (楚辞 – chǔ cí), or “The Verses of Chu.” His poem titled Li Sao (离骚 – lí sāo) is usually translated as “Encountering Sorrow” or “The Lament.” In it, he laments the corruption in his kingdom and the fact he has been exiled from it. You’ll get to see some exciting clips from a dragon boat race in the south of Yunnan province in an area called Xishuangbanna (西双版纳 – xī shuāng bǎn nà) at the end, so be sure to watch it all! He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America. Nowadays, it’s common to say Duānwǔ jié kuàilè, but there are those who still follow the tradition of “peace and health”, and say Duānwǔ ān kāng (端午安康，”wishing you peace and health for Dragon Boat Festival”). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Example： Many Chinese families make their own, and pre-made versions also suddenly become available at most corner convenience stores. He was a poet and a statesman during the Warring States Period (战 国时代 – zhàn guó shí dài). So we suggest you think twice before saying Duānwǔ jié kuàilè. Eventually, his dispair in the face of the political situation drove him to commit suicide by drowning himself in Hunan Province’s Miluo River. Although we can’t drink it, we can drink other alcoholic beverages; thus, people … While many know this Chinese festival for its exciting dragon boat races, it actually came about to honor a poet named Qu Yuan (屈原 … It has been celebrated in China for thousands of years, but it has only been a public holiday since 2008. The ‘Dragon Boat Festival’ as it’s referred to in English, or ‘Duān wǔ jié (端午节)’ in Mandarin and ‘Tuen Ng (端午節)’ in Cantonese, occurs on the 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese calendar, and this year falls on 25th June. The drummer is basically the heartbeat of the boat, telling the team how fast to paddle. Divorced from most of its cultural associations with the traditional folk holiday, this sport has recently gained popularity with people around the world, including in the United States. © 2020 Transparent Language, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Chinese Holidays. This traditional holiday, also called the Double Fifth festival, is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar (called 农历 … Qu Yuan’s suicide is only one of the explanations that have been advanced, however. Lóngzhōu （龙舟， dragon boats） People celebrate this holiday by racing dragon boats and eating traditional foods. The story of Qu Yuan’s suicide is often used to explain the dragon boat racing tradition. There is also a drummer who sits at the bow of the boat facing the paddlers. In some regions in China, people also wear a perfume pouch, tie five-color silk thread and hang mugwort leaves or calamus on their doors. A Brief Guide to the Chinese New Year (春节 Chūnjié), A Brief Guide to the Seven Major Chinese Holidays, An Introduction to China’s National Day Holiday, Participating in or Attending Dragon Boat Races, Chinese poet and government official during Warring States period. Zòngzi are a type of pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice and stuffed with various sweet or savory fillings. In these settings, instead of watching from the bank, villagers sometimes row their family boats out into the river so that they can get a closer look at the dragon boats during the race. To this day, people still make sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves. I hope you’ve enjoyed this post about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. This year the holiday falls on June 25th. Over the years, various traditions emerged to help ensure that people were protected from illness and bad luck during the dreaded Double Fifth. Almost every Chinese holiday has a specific food or foods associated with it, and Dragon Boat Festival is no different. It’s a day to commemorate the life and death in 278 BCE of the famous Chinese poet and scholar Qu Yuan of Chu Kingdom. In the old times without good medical facilities, people had many activities to dispel evil spirits and avoid illness on this day. You will see many dragon boat races to the sound of beating drums in China during Dragon Boat Festival. Races have even been held in big cities such as New York and Chicago. Its current iteration is an amalgamation of multiple different festivals and traditions. They are a very common item in supermarkets this time of year, but it’s even more fun to make them at home! Savory zòngzi might be stuffed with salted egg yolks, pork or mushrooms. A variety of fillings can be used in the sticky rice. Please check your inbox for your confirmation email. During Dragon Boat Festival, there’s a tradition: 喝雄黄酒 [hē xiónghuángjiǔ] to drink Xionghuang. According to folklore, they are said to protect kids from the evil. The Dragon Boat Festival falls every year on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar, which is a different day every year. 京ICP备11039980号-2. Thank you! (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), Chinese New Year Traditions Superstitions, Vocab and Experiences. Create custom lessons in any language, at any level in just 1-2 hours. As shared above, legend has it that people eat zòngzi on the Dragon Boat Festival as a way to remember the poet Qu Yuan. So we only use it to smear a bit on our face or to put it on the ground to scare mosquitoes, bugs, or snakes away. Some of the most common include red bean paste (红豆沙 – hóng dòu shā) and pork belly (五花肉 – wǔ huā ròu). First, the Dragon Boat Festival is a day of remembrance, worship, and sacrifice in history. Read on to find out more about how Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated. (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ A dragon boat is typically made of wood and is about 40 feet (12 meters) long. You can also follow along with this YouTube video to hear it read out loud: For a more detailed look at the man and his work, be sure to read my post from last year: When Qu Yuan heard the news that his former kingdom had been overtaken, he tragically committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River (汨罗江 – mì luō jiāng) in Hunan province. This traditional holiday, also called the Double Fifth festival, is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar (called 农历 or nónglì in Chinese).