10 Fun Dragon Boat Festival Facts

Intermediate | May 31, 2025

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More Than Just Racing Boats

When Is the Dragon Boat Festival?

Did you know the Dragon Boat Festival is happening on May 31st this year? It’s a really important traditional holiday that people in China and other parts of Asia celebrate. While most people know about the exciting boat races and yummy rice dumplings, there are lots of interesting facts you might not know. Let’s dive in!

Who Was Qu Yuan?

The festival’s history goes back over 2,000 years! One of the most famous stories is about a patriotic poet named Qu Yuan. He was a good person who tried to warn his king about danger, but jealous officials lied about him, and they sent him away. When his country lost the war, he felt so sad that he drowned himself in a river. People loved him and rushed out in boats, banging drums and throwing rice dumplings into the water to stop fish from eating his body. This is why we have the races and eat “zongzi” today!

Surprising Origins and Modern Traditions

Dragon Boat Festival Facts: Older Than the Legend?

Here’s a surprising fact: The festival might be even older than the story of Qu Yuan! People hold it on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, a time people traditionally saw as unlucky because many got sick easily. Many traditions, like hanging special plants, began as ways to “ward off” bad luck, diseases, and even poisonous insects. Think of the loud drums in the races – maybe people originally used them to scare away evil spirits!

From China to the World

Did you know dragon boat racing is now a big international sport? People now practice it in over 50 countries, and the sport even hopes to become part of the Olympics one day! Organizers held the first international race right here in Hong Kong back in 1976. That really helped “put the sport on the map” globally.

A Protected Cultural Treasure

Also, UNESCO recognizes the festival! In 2009, UNESCO added it to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This means many people consider it an important tradition and believe we should protect it. So, whether you’re watching a race, enjoying some zongzi, or just learning about the history, you’re part of something truly special and globally recognized.

Vocabulary

Commemorate (verb): To remember and show respect for someone or something important from the past.
*Example: “People hold the festival to commemorate the poet Qu Yuan.”
Patriotic (adjective): Having or showing a strong love and support for your country.
*Example: “People remember Qu Yuan as a patriotic official.”
Banished (verb – past tense): Forced to leave a country or place as punishment.
*Example: “Officials banished him from the kingdom because of false accusations.”
Custom (noun): A traditional way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time.
*Example: “Eating zongzi is a popular custom during the festival.”
Ward off (phrasal verb): To defend yourself against something or someone, especially by pushing them away or by using a shield.
*Example: “People hung herbs on their doors to ward off evil spirits and illness.”
Intangible Cultural Heritage (noun phrase): Traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, or knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.
*Example: “The festival is listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
Lunar calendar (noun phrase): A calendar that is based on the cycles of the Moon.
*Example: “The festival date is fixed on the lunar calendar.”
Folklore (noun): The traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.
*Example: “According to local folklore, the water parade started because of a plague.”
Ritual (noun): A series of actions or procedures regularly followed by someone, especially as part of a religious or other ceremony.
*Example: “The Tai O water parade is a special traditional ritual.”
Concoction (noun): A mixture of various ingredients or elements.
*Example: “Many people enjoy Realgar wine, a traditional concoction drunk during the festival.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

What is one of the main stories about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival?
Besides dragon boat races and eating zongzi, what is another reason the festival might have started?
How did the act of throwing rice into the river become the tradition of eating zongzi?
In what ways has the Dragon Boat Festival become an international event?
What does it mean that the festival is recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

Are there any traditional festivals in your country that involve special food or races?
What are some ways that old traditions are kept alive in modern times?
Why do you think it’s important to remember historical figures like Qu Yuan?
How do you think international events like dragon boat races help people from different countries understand each other?
What is your favorite traditional food, and what is its history?

Related Idiom

Rooted in tradition
Meaning: Based on or strongly influenced by long-standing customs and beliefs.
Example: “The Dragon Boat Festival’s customs are deeply rooted in tradition.”

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This article was inspired by: Time Out Hong Kong, May 30, 2025