The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. It commemorates the death of the poet Qu Yuan by having dragon boat races and eating zongzi. According to legend, Qu Yuan threw himself into the Milo River and locals raced out in boats to try to save him, beating drums and splashing oars to protect his body from fish. They continue to honor him by racing dragon boats and eating zongzi on this day.

2. About Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated
on the fifth day of the fifth lunar
month, and together with Chinese
New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival
forms one of the three major
Chinese holidays.

3. Dragon Boat Festival is also known as
‘duan wu jie’.
About Dragon Boat Festival

4. Why is this festival known as the
Dragon Boat Festival

5. Dragon Boat RaceTraditions at the center of this
festival are the dragon boat
races. Competing teams drive
their colorful dragon boats
forward to the rhythm of beating
drums.
These exciting races were
inspired by the villager's valiant
attempts to rescue Qu Yuan
from the Mi Lo river. This
tradition has remained
unbroken for centuries.

6. At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the area
we now know as China had fallen into a
state of fragmentation and conflict. While
the Zhou dynasty had ruled for several
centuries, several other states, originally
feudal domains, tried to carve out their
own kingdoms. The state of Qin would
eventually emerge the victor and unify all
of China under one rule for the first time in
history.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

7. Qu Yuan served as minister to the
Zhou Emperor. A wise and articulate
man, he was loved by the common
people. He did much to fight against
the rampant corruption that plagued
the court-- thereby earning the envy
and fear of other officials.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

8. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to
avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the
officials pressured the Emperor to have
him removed from service. In exile, he
travelled, taught and wrote for several
years. Hearing that the Zhou had been
defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair
and threw himself into the Milo River.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

9. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to
avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the
officials pressured the Emperor to have
him removed from service. In exile, he
travelled, taught and wrote for several
years. Hearing that the Zhou had been
defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair
and threw himself into the Milo River.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

10. The people raced out in their boats in a
vain attempt to save him. They beat their
drums and splashing their oars in the
water, trying to keep the fish away from his
body.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

11. After his death, the people of Chu
crowded to the bank of the river to pay
their respects to him. The fishermen sailed
their boats up and down the river to look
for his body. People threw into the water
zongzi (pyramid-shaped glutinous rice
dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo
leaves) and eggs to divert possible fish or
shrimp from attacking his body.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

12. An old doctor poured a jug of reaglar wine
(Chinese liquor seasoned with realgar)
into the water, hoping to turn all aquatic
beasts drunk. That’s why people later
followed the customs such as dragon boat
racing, eating zongzi and drinking realgar
wine on that day.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin
realgar winerealgar wine

13. The traditional food for the Dragon Boat
Festival, Zong zi is a glutinous rice ball,
with a filling, wrapped in corn leaves. The
fillings can be egg, beans, dates, fruits,
sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat,
or a combination of them. They are
generally steamed.
Zong Zi

15. Dragon Boat races are the most exciting
part of the festival, drawing crowds of
spectators. Dragon Boats are generally
brightly painted and decorated canoes.
Ranging anywhere from 40 to 100 feet in
length, their heads are shaped like open-
mouthed dragons, while the sterns end
with a scaly tail.
The Modern Dragon Boat Festival

17. Depending on the length, up to 80 rowers can
power the boat. A drummer and flag-catcher
stand at the front of the boat. Before a dragon
boat enters competition, it must be "brought to
life" by painting the eyes in a sacred ceremony.
Races can have any number of boats
competing, with the winner being the first team
to grab a flag at the end of the course. Annual
races take place all over China, Hong Kong,
Macao, Taiwan, and other overseas Chinese
communities.
The Modern Dragon Boat Festival

20. In early times, it was only
glutinous rice dumplings
wrapped in reed or other
plant leaves and tied with
colored thread.
The custom of eating zongzi
is now popular in North and
South Korea, Japan and
Southeast Asian nations.
How to make Zong Zi.

22. Questions.
• What is the name of the Dragon Boat
Festival in Mandarin?
• How is a Dragon Boat brought to life?
• When Qu Yuan died, what were the 3
items thrown into the water?