Happy Dragon Boat Festival 2024!
Illustration by Tiffany Huang
What is Dragon Boat Festival?
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Tuen Ng or Duanwu Jie, is celebrated in parts of East and Southeast Asia on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. Join us in celebrating today, June 10!
The most popular legend of the Festival honors Qu Yuan, an advisor and poet who hailed from the state of Chu during China's Warring States Era. Qu Yuan had warned the Chu king that the enemy state Qin was dangerous, but the king did not believe him and exiled him.
However, Qu Yuan was right. After finding out that the Chu king was imprisoned by the Qin after surrendering, Qu Yuan was in despair and drowned himself in Hunan Province's Miluo River.
Traditions
The holiday is popularly celebrated with dragon boat racing, which originates from the search for Qu Yuan’s body. The drums on the boats warded off evil spirits.
We also eat zongzi or joong, the sticky rice dumplings that were thought to be thrown in the river to keep the fish away from Qu Yuan’s body.
Drop by Chinatown to get your zongzi:
Ho Won Bake Shoppe (146 Hester St A)
Mee Sum Cafe (26 Pell St)
Grand Tea & Imports (298 Grand Street)
46 Mott (46 Mott St)
M&W Bakery (85A Bayard Street, 25 E Broadway)
Zongzi Lady (Corner of Grand St & Chrystie St)
Double Fifth Festival
Another interpretation is the “Double Fifth Festival.” Because the fifth month was considered an unlucky time of year, people believed that five poisonous creatures — snakes, scorpions, centipedes, toads, and lizards — emerged. It is also believed that people were more likely to catch illnesses during this time of year.
As a result, there were many traditions people followed to ward off misfortune:
Giving five threads of colored silk to children to keep bad spirits away
Hanging mugwort and calamus branches on doors
Drinking realgar wine to prevent disease
Sources:
The Legends Behind the Dragon Boat Festival" by Smithsonian Magazine
“Dragon Boat Festival” by Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
“The History and Modern Practice of the Dragon Boat Festival” by CLI
