MAIN Home Life Holidays 2008 Dragon Boat Festival - Duan Wu Jie

The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival festival has a long history dating back thousands of years. Duanwu Festival is usually celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.

This year, it is officially celebrated on June 8, 2008.

Legends

The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the popular Chinese patriot, Qu Yuan. (Chu Yuan) who in the 3rd century in protest of a corrupt government threw himself into the Mi Lo River in despair.

Upon hearing the news, local people frantically raced out in boats to save him, and to scare away any fish who might want to eat him pounded drums and threw rice into the river - but, sadly, they arrived too late. As legend has it, boat races and ceremonial sacrifices of rice were performed each year to symbolize the frantic attempts to rescue Qu Yuan. Today, rice dumplings or zongzi are eaten to symbolize the rice offerings on behalf of Qu Yuan.

Dragon Boat Racing

Along with the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and Chinese New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most significant in China, celebrated by colorful and lively races featuring narrow boats shaped like dragons.

Entire regattas of dragon boats compete to see who is the swiftest as individual rowing teams keep in time with drummers pounding out furious rhythms.

Superstitions

Superstitions associated with the Dragon Boat Festival include protection against plagues and illnesses caused by moist, warm weather and so xiangbao (fragrant pouches of herbs) are traditionally tied around the necks of children during the festival. Among adults, successful warding off of summer illness begins with imbibing a healthy dose of hsiung huang, a special rice wine.

On the Web

On the Web, discover more about the annual Dragon Boat Festival in tales, stories, pictures and reports, kids activities, e-cards, along with a collection of recipes associated with the day plus links to Dragon Boat Festival Races worldwide ....

Dragon Boat Festival - Good overview of enduring superstitions with descriptions of customary health practices associated with the festival in Taiwan, including the wearing of herbal sachets, drinking hsiung huang wine, and related customs plus a complete recipe for tzung tzu rice dumplings.

Dragon Boat Festival - Encyclopedic collection of facts, history, culture and customs including dragon boat racing information, its practice as a modern sport, related links to racing schedules in the U.S. & Canada, from Wikipedia.

Celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival - Nicely told tale about the origins of the festival, along with modern observances, pictures of dragon boat races, and descriptions of foods and meals served on this special day.

Dragon Boat Festival - Hong Kong - Discussion on origins & history, customs & superstitions of the dragon boat festival with pictures & related links.

The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival - Good intro with pictures of the customs & traditions surrounding the festival.

Crayola.com - Dragon Boat Festival - Sign up for free membership to access fun, kid-friendly craft ideas, activities, coloring pages, lesson plans & e-cards.

Dragon Boat Festival - Dragon Boat Racing Photos - Gallery of hi-resolution pictures taken by a professional photographer during the 2001 Taiwan dragon boat race.

Dragon Boat Festival E-Cards - Animated, graphic & Flash e-cards to commemorate the day (or send to a favorite boat rower!) from 123Greetings.com.

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Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Dumpling Recipes

also see -> 2008 Dragon Boat Race Schedules

also see -> Chinese Horoscopes | Chinese New Year

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival | Chinese Valentines Day