He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. Lóngzhōu （龙舟， dragon boats） Read on to discover the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival and learn more about the customs associated with this traditional celebration. Thank you! In the old times without good medical facilities, people had many activities to dispel evil spirits and avoid illness on this day. The distance covered by racers can vary from 100 to 2,000 meters (328 to 6,562 feet). As he was a beloved figure, people went out into the river in boats to try and recover his body, or at least scare the fish away from eating it…. Tomb Sweeping Festival – Chinese Qīngmíng jié. In ancient times, people believed drinking it during Duānwǔ jié can help kill bugs, or drive away evil spirits. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America. People living in small communities where local races are held usually know most or all of the members of the dragon boat teams. In general, northern Chinese prefer sweet versions of these steamed treats, while southerners like ‘em savory. ga('create', 'UA-147018-5', 'auto'); They are usually human-powered boats. The fillings vary from region to region. (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 or Duānwǔjié in pīnyīn) is an official public holiday in Mainland China. It’s called zongzi (粽子 – zòng zi) and it’s a big part of the Dragon Boat Festival. During races, the boats are fitted out with a colorful dragon head and tail. Official races organized by organizations like the International Dragon Boat Federation are held in many parts of the world. 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. How do people celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival? Some of the most common include red bean paste (红豆沙 – hóng dòu shā) and pork belly (五花肉 – wǔ huā ròu). Beside eating zòngzi (粽子) (sticky rice wrapped in a leaf), there are some more symbols and traditions you might not know about this holiday. The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 or Duānwǔjié in pīnyīn) is an official public holiday in Mainland China. What is Chinese Valentine’s Day and how is it celebrated? The most common legend associated with the Dragon Boat Festival is that of Qu Yuan (屈原 – qū yuán). During Dragon Boat Festival, there’s a tradition: 喝雄黄酒 [hē xiónghuángjiǔ] to drink Xionghuang. Xiāngbāo （香包，perfume pouches） On their own, 端 means “extreme” while 午 means “noon.” That’s because the Dragon Boat Festival falls at a time when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. This epic poem is one of the longest from ancient China, at over 350 lines and 2,400 characters. As noted above, the Dragon Boat Festival is also called the Double Fifth Festival because it falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Create custom lessons in any language, at any level in just 1-2 hours. All Rights Reserved. A variety of fillings can be used in the sticky rice. In modern times, the most popular story explaining the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival concerns the death of Qu Yuan (屈原, Qū Yuán), a poet of the Warring States period (approx. 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. It’s one of my favorite holidays to experience in China and I hope you get the chance to celebrate it there some day as well! Example： There is also a drummer who sits at the bow of the boat facing the paddlers. Dragon boats are traditionally made of teak wood in different sizes with brightly decorated designs. Often, they are related to many of the crew members by birth or marriage. So we suggest you think twice before saying Duānwǔ jié kuàilè. The story of Qu Yuan’s suicide is often used to explain the dragon boat racing tradition. Savory zòngzi might be stuffed with salted egg yolks, pork or mushrooms. This Friday is the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 – duān wǔ jié), a traditional holiday that’s celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. 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. Dragon boats are long and thin. Speaking of eating, the people tossed sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves into the water. People in certain regions of China believed that during this month, the dreaded five poisonous animals (五毒, wǔdú), started to come out of their winter hiding places. Qu Yuan’s suicide is only one of the explanations that have been advanced, however. On the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, China celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 – duān wǔ jié). In addition to the drummer, there is also a steerer who sits in the back of the boat and helps to steer it using a long steering oar. On Dragon Boat Festival, you can usually see some children wearing a little bag around their necks, or carrying it all day. You will see many dragon boat races to the sound of beating drums in China during Dragon Boat Festival. Eventually, his dispair in the face of the political situation drove him to commit suicide by drowning himself in Hunan Province’s Miluo River. If you want to try zòngzi at most times of the year, you will likely be hard-pressed to find any. Some people believe it’s not appropriate to say Duānwǔ jié kuàilè (端午节快乐，Happy Dragon Boat Festival). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 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 … Chinese Holidays. 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. First, the Dragon Boat Festival is a day of remembrance, worship, and sacrifice in history. In other stories, it’s also a day of remembrance for Wu Zixu in the former territory of the … Chinese New Year Traditions Superstitions, Vocab and Experiences. There are 20 people paddling the boat as well as a drummer and a steerer. In order to get rid of the misfortune, people would put calamus, Artemisia, pomegranate flowers, Chinese ixora and garlic above the doors on the fifth day of the fifth month. 我不喝雄黄酒。Wǒ bù hē Xiónghuáng jiǔ. Almost every Chinese holiday has a specific food or foods associated with it, and Dragon Boat Festival is no different. Of course, the most famous custom of the holiday is the epic dragon boat race (龙舟赛 – lóng zhōu sài). September 21, 2020. In addition to the threat posed by the reemergence of poisonous animals, it was also believed that people were more prone to falling ill around this time. 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. The dragon boat festival is a fun, boisterous holiday. Over the years, dragon boat racing has developed into a sport with a variety of rules and regulations. 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. 我能要一个香包吗？Wǒ néng yào yí gè xiāngbāo mā? These days, the most well-known aspect of the Dragon Boat Festival is the tradition of racing dragon boats (赛龙舟, sàilóngzhōu). eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2…, #NELA2020 new program ALERT! Zòngzi are a type of pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice and stuffed with various sweet or savory fillings. Traditionally, the animals referred to as wǔdú included centipedes, poisonous snakes, scorpions, lizards and toads. As you may expect, the Miluo River where Qu Yuan drowned also hosts a Dragon Boat Festival celebration every year.
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