A Brief Guide to the Dragon Boat Festival

In Chinese culture, most festivals are joyous occasions that involve the entire family. The Dragon Boat Festival is the second most significant traditional festival among the three major public holidays Taiwanese people celebrate. With over 2,000 years of history, the Dragon Boat Festival is considered one of Taiwan’s most traditional and superstitious festivals.

Photo credit: Justaiwantour

The festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which usually falls in June in the Gregorian calendar. There are two familiar origin stories associated with the Dragon Boat Festival: one is superstitious, and the other is historical. The fifth month of the year is considered unlucky, particularly its fifth day. Hence, a popular legend says the festival was created to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. However, the most well-known legend behind the festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a poet who lived between 343 and 278 BCE.

According to legend, Qu Yuan was accused of treason and was banished from his political position. In despair, he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River. He was a popular figure among the local people, and after his death, they rushed to their boats to save him or at least retrieve his body. That is the origin of the most famous activity of the festival: dragon boat races.

The festival also involves several typical dishes, including glutinous rice dumplings called zongzi and realgar wine. Customarily, people wear perfume sachets and hang mugwort to prevent insects from entering their homes during the holiday. It is also common to adopt a game of standing an egg upright on its tip at noon, and it is believed that achieving this feat is an auspicious sign for the rest of the year.

In summary, the Dragon Boat Festival is an important cultural celebration in the Chinese world that has stood the test for over 2,000 years. This festival brings families together and is steeped in rich traditions and legends that continue to fascinate and inspire people today. Ready to welcome the Dragon Boat Festival, which will take place on June 22 this year?