During the festival, Singapore's East Coast Park hosts the annual international dragon boat race, which is one of the most anticipated Duanwu events and draws dragon boat teams from all over the world to participate in the fierce competition. Generally, the holiday falls anywhere from the end of May to the end of June according to the Gregorian calendar (, yngl). These special pouches are filled with aromatic herbs and spices such as cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and more. As part of the festival, people eat zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and race dragon boats. There are usually many activities held during the festival., Every year when Dragon Boat Festival comes, in many Chinese cities there will be dragon boat racing. By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, 3000 Youngfield St., Suite 350, Wheat Ridge, CO, 80215, US, http://cdbf.org. Eating zongzi is said to be a way to commemorate the poet Qu Yuan. [15] A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices. Because of their special fragrances, people oftenhangcalamus and wormwood leaves on their doors and windows on the day of the Dragon Boat Festivalto repel insects, flies, fleas, and moths. By Natalie Gale. Festival falls on 18th June 2018, 7th June 2019 and 25th June 2020 and is a public holiday in Hong . [19][20], Dragon Boat Festival is unofficially observed by the Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, including Singapore and Malaysia. The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c.340278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou dynasty. The reason why the Chinese eat zongzi on this special day has many statements. Significance of the Dragon Boat Festival Duanwu Jie is a widely celebrated holiday for the Chinese community-immigrants and non-immigrants in New York. Ana Ortega July 18, 20225:00AM. 2023/2024, Top 10 He has been training for today all year. The celebration was an important part of the ancient Chinese agricultural society, celebrating the summer rice planting. exciting activities, and unveil the stories behind the sights and people. A legendary figure One of the most enduring legends associated with this celebration tells the story of Qu Yuan, an incorruptible minister of state during the Warring States era of China. From the Jin dynasty, Zongzi officially became the festival food and long last until now. Participating in or attending dragon boat races, A Brief Guide to the Chinese New Year ( Chnji). Most U.S. cities host Dragon Boat Festival celebrations featuring brightly decorated boats powered by teams of paddlers and manic drumming. We know the ins and outs of all of your favorite products. their way. In this beautifully illustrated book, children aged 2 to 6 will follow Ying and Han as their family prepares for and celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. In addition to competitive races, the festival also includes various cultural activities such as concerts and has become a massive event in the city's social calendar that both locals and tourists flock to each year. Although the size of the boats and their crews can vary, in most cases, the crew consists of 20 paddlers who sit side-by-side in pairs facing the bow. In fact, 5280 Magazine declared it "one of Colorado's greatest festivals." Every reply Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, New York, Denver, and other cities hold large-scale dragon boat races regularly. People traditionally wrap zongzi in leaves of reed, bamboo, forming a pyramid shape. It originated traditionally to remember the patriot poet Qu Yuan ( ( c. 340-278 BC)), who drowned himself in the Milou River more than 2000 years ago. It is also called the Dragon Boat Feast. Eight years later, in 151, a temple was built in Shangyu dedicated to the memory of Cao E and her sacrifice for filial piety. In these settings, instead of watching from the bank, villagers sometimes row their family boats out into the river so that they can get a closer look at the dragon boats during the race. Qu Yuan was a faithful government official who was unjustly slandered. 180. Special plants with strong flavors will hang on doors to ward off evil spirits. One popular activity during this festival is to wear perfume pouches. Qu Yuan remains a popular figure in modern China. On this day, people typically take part in dragon boat races, enjoy various types of zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in leaves), and hold dragon dances for entertainment. The Duanwu Festival is the Chinese name for the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated annually in China on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. The 2022 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival will take place July 23-24, 2022. It is said that the winning team will have good luck and a happy life in the following year. Thank you so much for sharing your time, effort, and knowledge. ", Special Administrative Region of Macao. Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday which falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is in late May or June on the Gregorian calendar. One popular activity during this festival is to wear perfume pouches. For many people, no visit to the island would be complete without seeing this event. Watching exhilarating dragon boat races from the waterfront under clear summer skies is the perfect backdrop for sharing the traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival. South Korea: The Gangneung Danoje Festival, The Gangneung Danoje Festival, is the biggest and best-known event, which runs for more than 20 days and culminates on the fifth day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar. September 21st 2021 - Mid Autumn Festival. In mainland China, there are also various informal races organized by local villages and communities. May 4, 2022. Established in 1979, the Boston Dragon Boat Festival is the first and oldest such festival in North America. The Dragon Boat festival today is a celebration of life instead. Singapore: Virtual dragon boat challenges amid pandemic, Most of the races for this year's festival have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but paddlers can still compete via the Virtual Dragon Boat Challenge 2020, a charity event organized by Dragon Boat Innovate. The relationship between zongzi, Qu Yuan and the festival, first appeared during the early Han dynasty.[17]. Also suggested to mean "Beginning of Noon", Chinese Government's Official Web Portal. Boston's annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival returns for an in-person celebration in 2022, complete with racing on the Charles, Asian street food, activities for . Support Colorado Dragon Boat. The Dragon Boat Festival ( or Dunwji in pnyn) is an official public holiday in Mainland China. The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and elsewhere around the world. The fifth month of the lunar calendar was regarded as a bad month and the fifth day of the month a bad day. The Dragon Boat Festival (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ) is a traditional Chinese holiday which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which corresponds to late May or June in the Gregorian calendar. Wu Zixu was forced to commit suicide by Fuchai, with his body thrown into the river on the fifth day of the fifth month. Colorado Dragon Boat Festival JULY 22ND & 23RD, 2023 SLOAN'S LAKE PARK IN DENVER. ~Wes, Your email address will not be published. Traditionally, the fifth lunar month was considered to be an unlucky time. Other celebrations and North Korea holidays are held to mark the birthdays of the Great Leader Kim il Sung and the Dear Leader Kim Jung-il. People believed that natural disasters and illnesses are common in the fifth month. Also known as Tuen Ng Festival (, tuen ng jit in Cantonese) or Double Fifth Festival (, seung ng jit in Cantonese), the day highlights dragon boat racing as a symbol of the culmination of multiple practices meant to drive away evil energy and invite clean energy into your life. You can use festival quotes and poems to inspire others or brighten their day. This traditional holiday, also called the Double Fifth festival, is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar (called or nngl in Chinese). A Japanese team was invited to compete alongside nine local teams kickstarting modern-day dragon boat competitions . In line with this explanation, racing dragon boats mimics the actions of the villagers who rowed out into the river to try to save their beloved poet. 1. Dragon Boat Festival 2022 is June 3, 2022. Therefore, during the Dragon Boat Festival, people try to avoid this bad luck. These plants are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck in the coming year. Support is drawn from two key traditions of the festival: the tradition of dragon boat racing and zongzi. Besides for Asian countries, the United States, Canada and European countries like Germany also celebrate the Duanwu Festival, mainly with dragon boat races. The Dragon boat festival is celebrated differently in different parts of the world. While ancient dragon boats were made of teak, most modern boats are made of fiberglass. The 2022 Dragon Boat Festival celebration is set to take over the shores and waters of Lake Burley Griffin this Saturday (04 June). Their main Dragon Boat Festival celebrations are eating zongzi and driving away insects. Hence Duanwu, the "festival on the fifth day of the fifth month". For example, the Guangdong and Hong Kong regions have the tradition of having congee made from 5 different beans. People believe that this will help keep bad spirits and diseases away. News and event updates from Colorado Dragon Boat straight to your inbox. The fifth of the fifth moon at noon was the most poisonous hour for the poisonous insects, and reptiles such as frogs, lizards, snakes, hide in the mud, for that hour they are paralyzed. In recent years, however, Dragon Boat Festival has regained its traditional place as an important holiday in Mainland China. Mark Your Calendars After the great poet Qu Yuan drownedhimself in theriver, people scattered rice into the water to feed the fish, to prevent them from eating Qu Yuan's body. [citation needed] Calamus is believed to be able to remove evil spirits because of its sword-like shape and strong garlic smell. The most renowned is in observance of Qu Yuan. The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar and this year will be held on June 22. /VCG. Apart from racing dragon boats and eating zongzi, there are many other interesting traditions and activities on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival or DuanwuJie. To honor the memory of Qu Yuan, a loyal minister who drowned himself in the river, people also throw bamboo leaves filled with cooked rice into the water as an offering to his spirit. Additionally, it is a chance for everyone to celebrate together and make memories that will last forever. It is also referred to in some English sources as Double Fifth Festival which alludes to the date as in the original Chinese name.. Chinese names by region. Yu Der Ling writes in chapter 11 of her 1911 memoir Two Years in the Forbidden City: The first day of the fifth moon was a busy day for us all, as from the first to the fifth of the fifth moon was the festival of five poisonous insects, which I will explain lateralso called the Dragon Boat Festival. The English language name for the holiday is Dragon Boat Festival, used as the official English translation of the holiday by the People's Republic of China. Dragon boat racing has been practiced continuously since this period as the basis for annual water rituals and festival celebrations, and for the traditional veneration of the Chinese dragon water deity. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact. People in certain regions of China believed that during this month, the dreaded five poisonous animals (, wd), started to come out of their winter hiding places. Jie means festival. The fifth lunar month is considered an unlucky month. U.S., Canada and Germany: Dragon boat racing enjoys great popularity, More than a showcase of athleticism and teamwork, dragon boat racing has a legacy that's over 2,500 years old. We offer community a time to celebrate . If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. For the general Chinese community, the festival is like any other holiday, where people gather and celebrate with food and drinks. Dunwjinkng)is getting more popularas a greeting. why it is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the History and Legends of the Dragon Boat Festival, Click to know how to greetpeopleduringDragon Boat Festival, China Travel Restrictions & Travel Advisory, Qu Yuan: Chinese Poet in the Dragon Boat Festival Story, Dragon Boat Festival Traditions: The Top 7 Activities, China Travel Restrictions & Travel Advisory (Updated February 10, 2023), China Group Tours vs Private China Tours: 7 Key Differences, Spotlight Experiences for Romantic China Tour, 12-Day China Train Safari from North across South China, 12-Day Shanghai, Huangshan, Hangzhou, Guilin and Hong Kong Tour, 8-Day BeijingPingyaoXi'an Private Tour By High-Speed Train, 17-DayRelaxing Tour of Both Ancient & Modern Flavor, Loyalty [3], Duanwu (Chinese: ; pinyin: dunw), as the festival is called in Mandarin Chinese, literally means "starting/opening horse", i.e., the first "horse day" (according to the Chinese zodiac/Chinese calendar system) to occur on the month;[4][a] however, despite the literal meaning being w, "the [day of the] horse in the animal cycle", this character has also been interchangeably construed as w (Chinese: ; pinyin: w) meaning "five". Boat race begins at 8 a.m. both days find out more here.KEEP WESTWORD FREEWestword. About - Dragon Festival About Mission: To bring together the Greater Twin Cities diverse communities in celebration of the diverse Asian Pacific cultures through an annual dragon festival. Dragon boats are long and thin. Time for Dragon Boat Race Thanks to attempts by the Chinese government to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Dragon Boat Festival reemerged as an official public holiday in 2008. He plunged into the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th Chinese lunar month, when his beloved Chu State was conquered by the State of Qin. Your tour will be tailor-made by your personal travel advisor a destination expert. share interesting stories, insider information, and even create unexpected The holiday is one of the three big festivals designated for the living the others are Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Explore destinations at your own pace. ", General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Lanterns were lit in honor of Buddha. More details can be found in our privacy policy. A big thank you to you, Wes and to all of the people who have commented above! Dragon Boat Races are held almost every yearin the main cities ofCanada including Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Each year, we encourage our next generation to express their thoughts and ideas in their own creative writing. These special pouches are filled with aromatic herbs and spices such as cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and more. When sharing the Dragon Boat Festival story with your kids, focus on the sacrifices made by Qu Yuan and the holidays place in Chinas agrarian society. People living in small communities where local races are held usually know most or all of the members of the dragon boat teams. Experience local culture by practicing it. If you want to try zngzi at most times of the year, you will likely be hard-pressed to find any. Thank you for this site, really helped me finish a paper on time. Manage Settings Have unparalleled CELEBRATION. Getting there: Take MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui Station (Exit G) and walk east for about 15 minutes. During World War II, Qu Yuan began to be treated in a nationalist way as "China's first patriotic poet". Chinese people, especially children, made incense bags and hung them on their necks to avoid catching contagious diseases and to keep evil spirits awayat this inauspicious time. WATCH: Near the summer solstice, communities across China gather to race boats . The Chinese event has been celebrated for over 2,000 years, believed to prevent disease and invoke good health. Although Wu Zixu is commemorated in southeast Jiangsu and Qu Yuan elsewhere in China, much of Northeastern Zhejiang including the cities of Shaoxing, Ningbo and Zhoushan celebrates the memory of the young girl Cao E (; AD 130144) instead. 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