The Dragon Boat Festival - Origin, Tradition
Jun 05, 2024
The Dragon Boat Festival is coming. The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. Do you know the origin and traditional customs of the Dragon Boat Festival? Let's learn about it together!
What is the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival?
The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that originated in ancient China. It was originally established to commemorate the ancient Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan was a famous poet and politician in the Warring States Period of China. He committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River because he was dissatisfied with the political corruption at the time. When the local people heard about this, they rowed boats to scoop water and threw rice balls to prevent fish and shrimp from eating his body. Later, in order to commemorate his sacrifice, people would hold dragon boat racing activities or eat rice dumplings on the fifth day of May every year.
What To Do During Dragon Boat Festival?
Dragon boat racing. Dragon boat racing originated from the legend of rescuing Qu Yuan. People commemorate Qu Yuan by rowing dragon boats, and believe that dragon boat racing can drive away evil and avoid disasters.
The shape and decoration of the dragon boats are modeled after the Chinese dragon. The size of the boats varies from region to region, and usually requires 30-60 people to row. During the competition, each dragon boat team paddles in harmony and quickly to the accompaniment of drums. It is said that the winning team will have good luck and a happy life in the coming year.
What Is Eaten During Dragon Boat Festival?
It is more common to eat Zongzi and Cai Jiao.
- Zongzi(Sticky Rice Dumplings):
The main ingredients of Zongzi are glutinous rice and fillings, which are then wrapped in Zong leaves. Zongzi has many flavors, such as: eight-treasure Zongzi, candied date Zongzi, red bean paste Zongzi, salted egg yolk Zongzi, fresh meat Zongzi, etc.
- Cai Jiao:
The fillings of Cai Jiao generally include vermicelli, eggs, and leeks, and you can also make the fillings according to your own preferences.
The key to making Cai Jiao is to use boiling water to mix the dough, so that the fried Cai Jiao will be crispy and soft.
Friends, what important festivals are there in your country in June? Please share!
