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Synopsis
The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, featuring dragon boat racing and eating zongzi to commemorate the poet Qu Yuan.
Overview
The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节, Duan Wu Jie) is one of China's four major traditional holidays, alongside Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival. In 2009, it was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
History
The most popular origin story commemorates the Warring States period poet Qu Yuan of Chu. On the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River. Locals raced boats to recover his body and threw rice dumplings into the river to prevent fish from eating his remains.
Traditions
| Tradition | Description |
|---|---|
| Dragon boat racing | The most iconic festival activity |
| Eating zongzi | Sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves |
| Hanging mugwort | Wormwood and cal hung on doors |
| Realgar wine | Traditional drink for warding off evil |
References
- Baidu Baike: Duan Wu Jie
- Wikipedia: Dragon Boat Festival
- UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage
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