Starting on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated by people of several ethnic groups throughout China and the world. Both activities during the festival involve eating zongzi (rice dumplings) and boat races. There is also a dragon-related activity, which involves boat races. Zongzi has long been thrown into rivers on day 5 of the lunar month as an offering and sacrifice to the Dragon God. Traditionally, dragon boats are used in race events. So, this festival is also known as the Dragon Boat Festival. In Chinese mythology and culture, dragons are auspicious symbols associated with power, success, and luck. In ancient times, they were believed to dwell in water bodies and to be in charge of rivers, seas, flooding, the weather, and water in general.
It is believed that the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet, and minister, known for his patriotism and contributions to classical poetry. He later became a national hero. However, it has been demonstrated that the Dragon Boat Festival existed long before the death of Qu Yuan. The oldest evidence of its existence is related to the fifth lunar month, known as the ‘month of poison’ in ancient Chinese cultures. As the summer months are hot and humid, it can be easy for someone to fall ill and epidemics can spread. Because of this, people in ancient times considered the month an especially valuable time to prevent diseases and to keep evil spirits away. This is why Dragon Boat Festival is traditionally regarded as a traditional medical and health festival that people use to (ceremonially) fight diseases and poisonous insects.
In different regions, the ceremonies vary in several ways. There is usually a memorial ceremony offering sacrifices to the local hero, together with sporting events such as dragon races, dragon boating, and willow shooting; feasts of rice dumplings, eggs, and ruby sulphur wine; and folk entertainments such as opera, song, and unicorn dancing. It depends on the region as to which hero is celebrated, but in general, the romantic poet Qu Yuan in Hubei and Hunan Provinces is venerated, Wu Zixu (an old man who died slaying a dragon in Guizhou Province) in South China, Yan Hongwo in Yunnan Province, and Yan Hongwo among the Dai community in Yunnan Province. During the festival, participants also practice warding off evil by bathing in flower-scented water
The Dragon Boat Festival fosters the bond between families and establishes a harmonious relationship between humanity and nature. It also promotes the expression of imagination and creativity that contributes to a vibrant sense of cultural identity. Various tales, stories, folk customs, and entertainment activities are all indicators of the Chinese people's traditional cultural spirits and their imagination and creativity. Chinese nationalities such as the Han, Buyi, Dong, Tujia, and Gelao, as well as overseas Chinese, celebrate the festival.
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