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You are here: Home > Chinese Festivals Calendars & Info > Dragon Boat Festival Event Calendar and Information > Dragon Boat Festival Background, Customs, and History

Dragon Boat Festival Background

The Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and was originally associated with the Summer Solstice.  The farmers were welcoming the Monsoon rains that would assure a plentiful harvest.  On that day everyone in China eat rice wrapped in leaves. 

The Festival honors Qu Yuan, China's oldest known poet. Qu Yuan gave advice on how to keep the peace to his king during the warring states period (same period that Sun Tzu wrote the Art of War) over 2000 years ago. Unfortunately, he was ignored by his King and became very sad as other officials slandered him.  He was removed from office and became very sad as he was banished.  He drowned himself on the fifth day of the fifth month on hearing that his country had been conquered after he wrote the famous poem, "Li Sao (On encountering Sorrow)".  People raced their boats to save him and beat their drums.  To stop the fish and river dragon from eating him, they beat the water with their paddles.  But this did not work.  

Traditional Dragon Festival Foods

People gave offering of rice to feed his spirit and make sure that the fish would never feed on his body.  To make sure that other animals don't eat the rice, they wrap it in a reed and to scare the animals, tied it with bright imperial colors (red, blue, white, yellow, and black).  In another story there is a hungry dragon that is eating all the rice, so the bright colors scare the dragon away.  The wrapped stick rice is called joong and you can buy it from Chinese bakeries or order it at a Dim Sum restaurant.


Other Dragon Festival Customs

Children on that day wear bracelets of five different colors to protect against Evil, they are called the Five Poison or Wu Du charms. 

Dragon Boats are painted traditionally green, red, yellow, white, and black.  Dragons are powerful of full of good luck, so the Dragon boat races spread good luck.  Dragon Boat festivals are held from February through October.  There are over forty Dragon Boat Festivals in the US and Canada, with the largest in Vancouver and Toronto.  Each team races on a fifty foot long teak or fiberglass dragon boat that has usually 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a steer person.  The drummer is the heart of the Dragon.  The course is 500 to 1300 Meters long.

Please check out these related Dragon Boat Festival pages:


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Meet Kai-lan! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English,  Softcover
Meet Kai-lan! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Our Price: $3.99

This is a fun story, Kai-lan and her friends are putting on a hat parade and you're invited!

Wait, Hoho, Wait! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Wait, Hoho, Wait! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Our Price: $3.99

Hooray!  Kai-Lan and her friends are building a toy car they can all ride in—but HoHo can't wait until it's finished!

Twirly Whirly Flowers with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Twirly Whirly Flowers with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Our Price: $3.99

Kai-lan and her friends are spending the day in the garden. Help them paint the flowers in different colors!
Here Comes Mr. Dragon! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Here Comes Mr. Dragon! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Our Price: $3.99

Find out where Mr. Dragon lives with Kai-lan and Rintoo!

English, Softcover

Happy Chinese New Year, Kai-lan! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan,  by Moly Reisner, English,  Hardcover
Happy Chinese New Year, Kai-lan! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, by Moly Reisner, English, Hardcover
Our Price: $6.99

It's Chinese New Year and will Kai-lan and her friends perform the Dragon dance? Find out!
In the Snow by Huy Voun Lee, English, Softcover
In the Snow by Huy Voun Lee, English, Softcover
Our Price: $7.97

A mother and son practice writing Chinese characters in the snow. Introduces the characters for ten simple words.


The Great Race, The Story of the Chinese Zodiac by Dawn Casey, English,  Softcover
The Great Race, The Story of the Chinese Zodiac by Dawn Casey, English, Softcover
Our Price: $7.99

  • Race along with Rat, Cat, Ox, Monkey, Dragon and more and discover the fascinating legend of the Chinese Zodiac!
  • A visual treat with illustrations in simple collage designs on acrylic and painted backgrounds
Get Dressed with Kai-lan! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Get Dressed with Kai-lan! with Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-lan, English, Softcover
Our Price: $7.99

It's time for Kai-lan to get dressed! What should she wear? From the Nick Jr. show, Ni Hao Kai-lan.
Awakening the Dragon - The Dragon Boat Festival
Awakening the Dragon - The Dragon Boat Festival
Our Price: $10.95
Sale Price: $8.95
You save $2.00!

The Ultimate Dragon Boat Book!
  • Explore the origins of the Dragon Boat Racing Festival
  • Chinese Customs
  • All about the races
Beautiful illustrations, written by an experienced dragon boat racer

A must-read this season!

Lucky New Year! With Flaps, Pop-Ups, and More! by Mary Man-Kong, English,  Hardcover
Lucky New Year! With Flaps, Pop-Ups, and More! by Mary Man-Kong, English, Hardcover
Our Price: $9.99

Great book for children who will love to scratch and sniff the sweet oranges. Let them turn the wheel to find their Chinese animal year!
   
 
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