Discover the Dragon Boat Festival

Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival at home

Within Chinese culture there are various events and celebrations which take part throughout the lunar year, these celebrations are deemed as public holidays and hold strong traditional values. One of the most important being the summertime event of the Dragon Boat Festival!

What is the Dragon Boat Festival?

It is believed that the festival was created as a symbol of respect towards a famous Chinese scholar and poet, Qu Yuan. He ended his life in 278 BCE after being accused of conspiracy and being exiled by the King. When his disappearance was noticed, the people of the Chu kingdom fled to their boats in an attempt to find him. 

Nowadays, this story is recreated during the Dragon Boat Festival, with elaborately decorated boats which are ‘brought to life’ during a sacred ceremony and then raced along the lake. 

When is the Dragon Boat Festival?

The festival date depends on the lunar calendar and differs each year. However, it traditionally falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month which is usually a sunny day in June.

Superstitions and Symbols

Along the years many superstitions and symbolic performances have been passed down to give the festival a strong importance within Chinese culture. 

One of the most accredited legends involves lumps of Zongzi, a glutinous rice dumpling, being thrown into the river to preserve the body of Qu Yuan. However, today these delights are simply enjoyed and eaten by festival goers. 

Another belief is that the hanging of medicinal plants, such as mugwort and calamus, will discourage diseases and bring good luck into the house. A similar superstition is that small perfume bags hung around children’s necks will protect them from evil spirits.

Considered as one of the biggest symbols of luck - the ability to balance a raw egg at exactly midday. This is the only time when the gravitational force of the earth is at its strongest point. If you manage to achieve this, it is said that you will receive good luck for the rest of the year 

What is eaten at the Dragon Boat Festival

Chinese food is often deeply routed with celebrations and traditions. This is evident amongst the array of foods that can be found at the Dragon Boat Festival, as well as the significant meaning of each dish. Here are some of the most popular Chinese recipes for this event:

• Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) - A bamboo leaf dumpling formed into a pyramid shape, and filled with glutinous sticky fried rice. It is then stuffed with a range of ingredients from shiitake mushrooms, mung beans, chestnuts and pork belly.


• Mianshanzi - Five layers of ingredients are carefully shaped into a fan formation to represent the tradition of selling fans at the festival. The dish is usually made up of wheat flour with a sprinkle of pepper over each layer.


• Jiandui - These crispy sesame cakes are made using a glutinous rice based pastry with the centre filled with either red bean, lotus or black bean paste. The story has it that the rainy season usually begins around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival and so by eating these cakes, the sky will be fixed and the rain holes will be filled. 


• Realgar Wine - this alcoholic drink accompanies many traditional dishes. The fermented cereals and powdered realgar is said to drive away evil.