Dragon Boat Festival
Traditional Chinese holiday commemorating Qu Yuan with dragon boat races.
Last updated
The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu or Tuen Ng, falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which lands in late May or early June on the Gregorian calendar. It honors Qu Yuan, a former prime minister of the southern Chinese state of Chu who lived during the Warring States period (roughly 600 to 200 BC).
People celebrate with dragon boat races and by eating sticky rice dumplings known as zongzi—both customs that originated in southern China. The festival also involves praying for good luck and escaping the summer heat. In September 2009, UNESCO added it to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, making it the first Chinese holiday to receive that recognition.
The holiday goes by several names. The People's Republic of China uses "Dragon Boat Festival" as the official English translation, while Hong Kong calls it "Tuen Ng Festival." Some English sources refer to it as the "Double Fifth Festival," a nod to its date on the Chinese calendar. The Chinese name, Duanwu, literally means "starting five"—the first "fifth day" of the month according to the Chinese zodiac. Though the term originally referred to the Earthly Branches, the character for "five" is often pronounced the same way, so the two became linked.
Origin
Historically, the fifth month of the lunisolar calendar was seen as unlucky and poisonous, with the fifth day considered especially bad. To ward off misfortune, people would hang calamus, Artemisia, and garlic above their doors, believing their strong smells and shapes (calamus leaves resemble swords) could repel evil.
Venomous animals like snakes, centipedes, and scorpions were thought to appear from that day onward, and people believed they got sick more easily after it. To counter this bad luck, some would put pictures of the five venomous creatures (snake, centipede, scorpion, lizard, toad, and sometimes spider) on walls and stick needles into them, or make paper cutouts of the creatures to wrap around children's wrists. These practices grew into larger ceremonies and performances, turning the festival into a day for warding off disease and misfortune.
Dragon boat racing
The most famous story behind the festival involves Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC), a poet and minister from the state of Chu during the Warring States period.
Background
The Dragon Boat Festival is best known in modern China for commemorating the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period. A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices but was banished for opposing an alliance with the state of Qin and accused of treason. During his exile, he wrote much poetry.
When Qin captured the Chu capital, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning in the Miluo River. Local people, who admired him, raced out in boats to save him or retrieve his body, said to be the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river for the fish to eat instead of his body, said to be the origin of zongzi.
Did You Know?
- The festival may have originated from dragon worship, a theory advanced by Wen Yiduo, supported by the traditions of dragon boat racing and zongzi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does the Dragon Boat Festival honor?
The most popular origin story links the day to Qu Yuan, a loyal chancellor of the ancient state of Chu who drowned himself in protest during the Warring States era (roughly 600–200 BC). Some regional traditions instead credit figures like Wu Zixu or Cao E, and scholars note that certain customs likely predate any single historical narrative.
What do people actually do to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival?
The two signature activities are competitive dragon boat racing and eating zongzi—sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. Both traditions originated in southern China, and the day also carries folk practices aimed at warding off the onset of summer heat and inviting good fortune.
Is Dragon Boat Festival an official public holiday?
Yes; China reinstated it as a statutory public holiday in 2008, and it is likewise observed in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. In 2009 UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, making it the first Chinese holiday to earn that recognition.
Where did the Dragon Boat Festival originate geographically?
The core customs of dragon boat racing and zongzi preparation are rooted in southern Chinese culture before spreading across the country over many centuries. Today the festival is celebrated throughout China, its special administrative regions, and by Chinese diaspora communities around the world.
More in Festivals And Celebrations
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Dragon Boat Festival (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced