For example, the Guangdong and Hong Kong regions have the tradition of having congee made from 5 different beans. Zongzi appeared before the Spring and Autumn Period and was originally used to worship ancestors and gods; in the Jin Dynasty, Zongzi became a festive food for the Dragon Boat Festival. Year. We're a passionate team of one hundred avid travelers who love to share our All of these activities are believed to keep disease or evil away,while promotinghealth and well-being. People eat zongzi, race dragon boats, and exchange greetings such as Wishing you good health. Giving small gifts such as jewelry, sweets, or flowers is also customary as tokens of appreciation. Cao E's father Cao Xu () was a shaman who presided over local ceremonies at Shangyu. In addition to competitive races, the festival also includes various cultural activities such as concerts and has become a massive event in the city's social calendar that both locals and tourists flock to each year. Youll also want to select a few childrens books to help introduce young readers to the holiday. Sometimes if Mid-Autumn Festival is near National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival may be in the golden week. Our family is excited, especially Baba. The festival is a time to reflect on theimportance of loyalty and commitment to the community. Read More . By signing up for the Chinese American Family newsletter. It is celebrated to commemorate Qu Yuan, a famous ancient Chinese scholar who drown himself in a river. Volunteers. The Taiwanese also sometimes conflate the spring practice of egg-balancing with Duanwu. They are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to those who wear them. We base in Guilin, with over 20 years of different styles of travel and tour service experience. Realgar wine or xionghuangwine is a Chinese alcoholic drink that is made from Chinese yellow wine dosed with powdered realgar. Overall, the dragon boat festival celebrates the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and Hard work. The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar and this year will be held on June 22. The celebrations accompanying the Dano festival in Gangneung can extend for as long as a month, and in Korea the festival . Dragon boating as a modern sport began right here in Hong Kong. In China, zongzi commemorates the historical poet Qu Yuan - but the dish appeared 5,000 years ago, with some considering it the first 'fast food' for farmers During races, the boats are fitted out with a colorful dragon head and tail. It originated traditionally to remember the patriot poet Qu Yuan ( ( c. 340-278 BC)), who drowned himself in the Milou River more than 2000 years ago. 'Wu' () in the name 'Duanwu' in Chinese has a similar pronunciation as the number 5 in multiple dialects, and thus many regions have traditions of eating food that is related to the number 5. It was adopted during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) in ancient Korea. In 2009, UNESCO designated the dragon boat festival a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.". At Duanwu Festival, people woulddrink realgar wine to drive evil things away and to promote a healthy life. The shape of the dumplings is said to resemble a boat, and they are meant to honor Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet. Traditionally, mugwort and calamus have been hung around the house or in boats, symbolizing protection from harm. Dunw nkng., Dragon Boat Festival is a public holiday in Hong Kong. Another explanation to the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival comes from before the Qin Dynasty (221206 BC). Choices of fillings vary depending on regions. China Highlights uses cookies to give you the best possible service. Please keep coming back as we approach other holidays, and send feedback if there are any improvements youd like to see! Its also common to eat delicious snacks and desserts during the festival, such as sweet rice balls with red bean paste and steamed puffed yams. The relationship between zongzi, Qu Yuan and the festival, first appeared during the early Han dynasty.[17]. The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c.340278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou dynasty. Although the size of the boats and their crews can vary, in most cases, the crew consists of 20 paddlers who sit side-by-side in pairs facing the bow. Popular festival food: Zongzi I'm Wes, a biracial Chinese American dad living in Oakland, California, who left the technology world when my son was born to serve this wonderfully diverse community of Chinese American families. WATCH: Near the summer solstice, communities across China gather to race boats . looks like the four stripeson a tigers forehead. Activities, Lunar New Year Festival Starts today at Disney's California Adventure. Most zongzi are still made in using a traditional bamboo wrapper. Offerings were regularly made to deities and spirits at such times: in the ancient Yue, dragon kings; in the ancient Chu, Qu Yuan; in the ancient Wu, Wu Zixu (as a river god); in ancient Korea, mountain gods (see Dano). Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival - September 29, 2023. use of cookies. Thanks to attempts by the Chinese government to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Dragon Boat Festival reemerged as an official public holiday in 2008. What is the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival () and how is it celebrated? Even before the modern era, dragon boat racing was popular among ethnic Chinese people living throughout Asia. Use our directory to find a race near you. Home Dragon Boat Festival: A Guide To Celebrating It. The Dragon boat festival is celebrated differently in different parts of the world. Charles River near Weeks Footbridge June 9, 2019 In 143, while presiding over a ceremony commemorating Wu Zixu during the Dragon Boat Festival, Cao Xu accidentally fell into the Shun River. The distance covered by racers can vary from 100 to 2,000 meters (328 to 6,562 feet). OCA Sacramento represents Asian Pacific American Advocates a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. Discover the hidden gems. Some modern research suggests that the stories of Qu Yuan or Wu Zixu were superimposed onto a pre-existing holiday tradition. By Natalie Gale. The people of China generally receive a three-day break from work in order to celebrate with friends and family. Chinese New Year, the Festival Of Lanterns, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Ghost Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festivalare celebrated also as secular holidays. Some are still widely practiced in rural areas, but some are not. The stories of both Qu Yuan and Wu Zixu were recorded in Sima Qian's Shiji, completed 187 and 393 years after the events, respectively, because historians wanted to praise both characters. Dragon Boat Festival Celebration Activities around the World Influenced by Chinese culture, South Korea, Japan and other countries in Southeast Asia developed their own versions of the Dragon Boat Festival, along with some unique customs. Some 800 blue carp streamers fly in Higashimatsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on May 5, 2019, in memory of children killed in the March 2011 tsunami that devastated the region. The Duanwu Festival is the Chinese name for the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated annually in China on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. 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. After his death, in places such as Suzhou, Wu Zixu is remembered during the Dragon Boat Festival. To honor this festival, two main activities are conducted: consuming zongzi (rice dumplings) and participating in boat races both of which are connected to dragons. [citation needed], Three of the most widespread activities conducted during the Dragon Boat Festival are eating (and preparing) zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats.[21]. As discussed above, legend has it that people eat zngzi on the Dragon Boat Festival as a way to remember the poet Qu Yuan. Another popular Dragon Boat Festivaltradition is painting kidsforeheads with realgar wine. With thriving Chinese communities, Canada's Toronto and Vancouver are famous for their annual dragon boat festivals. The original tradition has grown to be a popular sport in the U.S. with more than 400 professional dragon boat teams nationwide, according to the United States Dragon Boat Federation. and pass them out as gifts, receive them, and eat them. Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival, is one of the four grandest traditional festivals in China, falling on 5th day of the 5th month in Chinese lunar calendar. In mainland China, there are also various informal races organized by local villages and communities. In some regions of China, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, parents braid silk threads of five colors and put them on their children's wrists. How Do People Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival? Eventually, his despair in the face of the political situation drove him to commit suicide by drowning himself in Hunan Provinces Miluo River. Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival is a great way to explore traditional Chinese culture. The coalition brings together community leaders from civil rights and social justicegroups, multicultural chambers, interfaith, educators, legislators, and lawmakers to collaborate on hate crimes and bullyingby maintaining open lines of communications, sharing resources, in addition to outreach and education to communities. Then receive family-friendly activity, recipe and craft ideas throughout the year! To safeguard themselves during this time, ancient people practiced rituals such as poking pictures of the five poisonous animals with pins, which was believed to render their real-life counterparts harmless. Here are some traditional ways to celebrate the Dragon boat festival in China. Now about this Feast. As the month of noon is regarded as the middle point of summer, Duanwu Jie is interpreted as the commencement of mid-summer festivities.. Besides, dragon boat races have become popular cultural events in the USA. Their main Dragon Boat Festival celebrations are eating zongzi and driving away insects. Or take MTR to East Tsim Sha Tsui Station (Exit P1). The Dragon Boat Festival is called Duan Wu Jie in Chinese. The Dragon Boat Festival ( or Dunwji in pnyn) is an official public holiday in Mainland China. Originally called Tango no Sekku, the festival fell on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the Chinese calendar, which then was switched to the Gregorian calendar and moved to May 5. The reason why the Chinese eat zongzi on this special day has many statements. Most dragon boat racing teams include a drummer who helps the rowers stay in sync. Tours, Family During the Dragon Boat Festival, Vietnamese people prepare glutinous rice with a blend of spices to thank their ancestors and pray fora good harvest.They eat this glutinous rice and drink realgar wine to help prevent plagues. In some areas, people participate in dragon boat races by taking part in other activities like dragon boat drumming or by eating traditional foods like zongzi (a type of dumpling) during the races. The other three are Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and Qingming Festival. The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival and the Double Fifth Festival, is a folk festival that originates in China. . Today, the Dragon Boat Festivals growing popularity around the world can be credited in large part to the growth of dragon boat racing as a sport. By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, 3000 Youngfield St., Suite 350, Wheat Ridge, CO, 80215, US, http://cdbf.org. exciting activities, and unveil the stories behind the sights and people. Qu Yuans suicide is only one of the explanations that have been advanced, however. While in fact, Zongzi has been regarded as an oblation for the ancestor even before the Chunqiu period. Yue Lan or Hungry Ghost Festival - August 30, 2023. A legendary figure One of the most enduring legends associated with this celebration tells the story of Qu Yuan, an incorruptible minister of state during the Warring States era of China. Youre very welcome, Pam. Despite most of the races for this year's festival being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, paddlers can still compete in cyberspace via the Virtual Dragon Boat Challenge 2020, a charity event organized by Dragon Boat Innovate. If you continue browsing, you agree to the Unable to find him and worried that fish would eat his body, they threw balls of sticky rice into the river in hopes that the fish would choose the rice over Qu Yuan. Enjoy your personal local guide and ride. The English language name for the holiday is Dragon Boat Festival, used as the official English translation of the holiday by the People's Republic of China. One popular activity during this festival is to wear perfume pouches. Qu Yuan was a faithful government official who was unjustly slandered. May 4, 2022. /VCG. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact. Here's a quick cultural guide to the festival, which will fall on 22 June this year. Other celebrations and North Korea holidays are held to mark the birthdays of the Great Leader Kim il Sung and the Dear Leader Kim Jung-il. Todays theres a full summer race schedule running from February through October in cities across the United States. Support is drawn from two key traditions of the festival: the tradition of dragon boat racing and zongzi. The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that has been around in various forms for thousands of years. With the longest history of Korea's local festivals, the Danoje sees locals hold a series of activities such as throwing pots, wrestling, swinging, taekwondo competitions, and college football matches to help pray for a good harvest, health and happiness. activities, and unveil the stories behind the sights and people. Click to know how to greetpeopleduringDragon Boat Festival, and why. As part of the festival, people eat zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and race dragon boats. While the festival is still commonly celebrated by the Chinese today, it has also spread to other countries, like Singapore and Vietnam. Xi Shi, a beautiful woman sent by King Goujian of the state of Yue, was much loved by King Fuchai of Wu. Boat race begins at 8 a.m. both days find out more here.KEEP WESTWORD FREEWestword. The story of Qu Yuans suicide is often used to explain the dragon boat racing tradition. In Europe, the tradition was introduced to Germany over 30 years ago. Equivalent and related official festivals include the Korean Dano, Japanese Children's Day, and Vietnamese Tt oan Ng. People may also make sachets filled with plants and hang them around their necks for added protection. Every reply will be within 24 hours. Alternatively, making a toy dragon boat for the pool or bathtub is a fun substitute, if youre unable to make it out to the races. The Dragon Boat Festival (Taiwanese: Toan-ng-chiat; Mandarin: Dunwji), celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, is also known as the Double Fifth Festival for that very reason. Dragon Boat Festival Greetings and Wishes: Say Happy or Health? The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival or Double Fifth Festival, provides the perfect opportunity for family fun. The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is roaring back for its Year of the Water Tiger, following a two-year quiet that left the waters of Sloan's Lake Park eerily still. Join Colorado's annual celebration of Asian and Asian American heritage with the biggest Dragon Boat Festival in the US! Parents would paint a Chinese character (wang, literally meaning king)using realgar wine. But scholars say the boats were first used hundreds of years earlier, perhaps for. Office of the Chief Executive. If you live in Hong Kong or just stop over there for several days in June, you may go to Victory Harbor to enjoy Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival. The use of the lunar calendar to set the festivals date means that it is celebrated at a different time every year. 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