It is a significant international Dragon Boat Festival. All of these activities, together with the drinking of realgar wine or water, were regarded by the ancients and some today as effective in preventing disease or evil while promoting health and well-being. 180. Dragon Boat Races are held almost every yearin the main cities ofCanada including Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. The Boat festival is celebrated throughout China, but the traditions vary from region to region. Offerings were regularly made to deities and spirits at such times: in the ancient Yue, dragon kings; in the ancient Chu, Qu Yuan; in the ancient Wu, Wu Zixu (as a river god); in ancient Korea, mountain gods (see Dano). Realgar wine or Xiong Huang wine is a Chinese alcoholic drink that is made from Chinese yellow wine dosed with powdered realgar, a yellow-orange arsenic sulfide mineral also known as "rice wine". Experience local culture by practicing it. 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. OCA Sacramento in partnership with MayorDarrell Steinberg , (formerly State Senate President pro Tem)founded the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Tolerance in November 2010. Here is a collection of easy activities, recipes and crafts with step-by-step directions to help your family celebrate an ancient Chinese holiday thats become a modern international phenomenon. Its a family, Most Beautiful Beaches in China Worth Visiting, China is well known for its beautiful mountains, delicious food, and historical sites. I hope you have a great time celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival this year with these easy activities, recipes and crafts. Dragon boat festival is a traditional festival celebrated by the Chinese. Tours, Yangtze 15 Chinese Festivals To Celebrate This Year. What is the history of the Dragon Boat Festival? The first edition of the Dragon Boat Festival was officially launched in Hamburg in 1989 to mark the 800th anniversary of the city's port. What is Chinese Labor Day ( Lodngji) and how is it celebrated? including the traditional annual Dragon Boat Festival, which is . A Japanese team was invited to compete alongside nine local teams kickstarting modern-day dragon boat competitions . Zhngyu. In 1989, dragon boat racing was imported to Germany, with the first Dragon Boat Festival to mark the 800th anniversary of the port of Hamburg.After 1991, the races moved to Frankfurt and have continued to this day. Hence Duanwu, the "festival on the fifth day of the fifth month". Two prevailing stories are often cited to explain the origin of this age-old holiday. The, Dragon Boat Festival: A Guide To Celebrating It, Dragon boat festival is a traditional festival celebrated by the Chinese. Dragon boat racing is ascribed to organized celebrations of Qu Yuan beginning in the 5th or 6th century A.D. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email. Legend has it that when they realized he was attempting to drown himself, the citizenry rushed in boats to the middle of the river in an attempt to save him or at least retrieve his body. Out of disappointment in the Chu monarch, he drowned himself in the Miluo River. By taking part in the dragon boat festival, people can learn about different civilizations and cultures around the world. Another theory, advanced by Wen Yiduo, is that the Dragon Boat Festival originated from dragon worship. Yue Lan or Hungry Ghost Festival - August 30, 2023. China Highlights tailor-makes China tours to help travelers discover The Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival, Dunw Ji, Double Fifth, Tuen Ng Jit) is a traditional holiday that commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan). Then receive family-friendly activity, recipe and craft ideas throughout the year! South Korea In South Korea, Gangneung Danoje Festival is another version of the Dragon Boat Festival. After five days, she and her father were both found dead in the river from drowning. looks like the four stripeson a tigers forehead. Also known as the Tuen Ng Festival, most people immediately associate the celebration with scrumptious rice dumplings and the thousands of paddlers . Mark Your Calendars 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. Click to know how to greetpeopleduringDragon Boat Festival, and why. One of China's major traditional festivals, the Dragon Boat Festival has been celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar for millennia. It takes place every year between May 27 and June 25 on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. Thanks to attempts by the Chinese government to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Dragon Boat Festival reemerged as an official public holiday in 2008. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. In China, the Dragon Boat Festival is referred to as Duan Wu Jie. Despite the various ups and downs it has faced over the years, anyone who has the chance to experience the fun and infectious excitement of the Dragon Boat Festival in China will quickly understand why its popularity has endured for many millennia. Sometimes if Mid-Autumn Festival is near National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival may be in the golden week. How do people celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival? When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. OCA Sacramento represents Asian Pacific American Advocates a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. Besides traditional dragon dancing and the large competition of dragon boat racing on Lake Guipan, there aremore interactive activities to help to celebrate the festival. During this traditional, annual event, boats in the form of dragons are raced down the river. The Dragon Boat Festival is referred to as Duanwu Jie in Mandarin Chinese. 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 . The Dragon Boat Festival - Dec 2021 Christmas - Dec 2021 1. One popular activity during this festival is to wear perfume pouches. Dragon boat racing has a history of over 2,000 years and some scholars believe the practice most likely began as a way to worship the Dragon God. Singaporeans, much like Chinese, usually eat zongzi and hold dragon boat races to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, as the country has a big population of Chinese migrants. In modern times, the most popular story explaining the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival concerns the death of Qu Yuan (, Q Yun), a poet of the Warring States period (approx. OCA Sacramento has long celebrated this traditional holiday, also known as the Double Fifth (fifth day of the 5th lunar month) which has been deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital. In some regions of China, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, parents braid silk threads of five colors and put them on their children's wrists. 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. In some areas, people celebrate by drinking realgar wine, while in others, they engage in dragon boat racing. During his time in exile, Qu Yuan had become quite popular with the local people. Here is a collection of easy activities, recipes and crafts with step-by-step directions to help your family celebrate an ancient Chinese holiday that's become a modern international phenomenon. The Dragon Boat festival today is a celebration of life instead. Another explanation to the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival comes from before the Qin Dynasty (221206 BC). Zongzi come in both sweet and savory varieties. Dragon Boat Festival is just one of many fascinating Chinese holidays with roots stretching back into the distant past. Like in any festival, dragon boat festival wishes are a great way to show appreciation for someones well wishes. At Duanwu Festival, people woulddrink realgar wine to drive evil things away and to promote a healthy life. Cao E is depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (; Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang. Food, Train Stations Equivalent and related official festivals include the Korean Dano, Japanese Children's Day, and Vietnamese Tt oan Ng. Proving the power of storytelling has been part of the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival since its inception and this year it is taking the time to celebrate all the voices that share their stories. The most popular theory of the origin of the festival is that it was derived from the commemoration of a great patriot poet, Qu Yuan. Often, they are related to many of the crew members by birth or marriage. This is said to be the origin of zongzi.[15]. Eating Sticky Rice Dumplings. The leaves also give a special aroma and flavor to the sticky rice and fillings. This Friday is the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Made from glutinous rice flour and water, they are boiled together until a dough forms. Perfume pouches are made using hand-sewn bags containing powders of calamus, wormwood, realgar, and other fragrant items. Enjoy your personal local guide and ride. The suicide of Qu Yuan is a popular story used to explain the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival. People believed that natural disasters and illnesses are common in the fifth month. 1. The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the four main festivals celebrated by the Chinese. The wine is traditionally served in a bowl-shaped cup made from bamboo or wood. 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.. Many of these informal races are held in communities where people have a close relationship with nearby bodies of water and most families own their own boats. These days, the most well-known aspect of the Dragon Boat Festival is the tradition of racing dragon boats (, silngzhu). Thaipusam Image Source One of the most important Tamil festivals of Malaysia, Thaipusam commemorates the victory of Lord Muruga over the evil spirit Soorapadam with great pomp and show. During the 1960s, when China was embroiled in the Cultural Revolution, campaigns against traditional culture and customs caused the popularity of traditional festivals, including the Dragon Boat Festival, to decrease dramatically. Every reply We can help you plan your itinerary, book your accommodation, and even provide local tips and advice. The Dano festival is the Korean equivalent of the Duanwu Festival, better known internationally as the Dragon Boat Festival,(Fig.4) which is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Zngzi are a type of pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice and stuffed with various sweet or savory fillings. For many people, no visit to the island would be complete without seeing this event. Miluo River in Yueyang is a famous river since Qu Yuan committed suicide in it 2,000 years ago. The most common length for a race, however, is 500 meters (1,640 feet). The cooked zongzi is called "yizhi zong".[22]. 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. Office of the Chief Executive. It was adopted during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) in ancient Korea. By Natalie Gale. [15] During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Read More , Rice dumplings are parcels of glutinous rice stuffed with different savory or sweet fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves. 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