Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Jie.
The festival takes place on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. This year, June 3rd marks the day when individuals throughout Asia collect to enjoy dragon-shaped boats race along river banks as well as lakes.
The festival originated over 2,000 years ago in China to commemorate a precious poet named Qu Yuan.
When the Chu State was beat in 278 B.C., Qu Yuan sank himself in the Miluo River as a last act of loyalty to the King of Chu.
As legend has it, villagers boarded their boats and threw rice dumplings in the water to keep fish away from the body of the poet.
The 5th lunar month is likewise considered a "poisonous" month in Chinese agriculture since summer is the high season for bugs and insects.
That's why traditional Duanwu Jie personalizeds entail hanging mugwort leaves and herbs on doors and windows to fend off bugs.
Today, the celebration's most popular practice is, obviously, the exciting dragon boat race.
The boats seat a staffs of up to 90, which includes a drummer for spirits as well as speed setting.
Locals often enjoy the race while consuming realgar white wine and also eating zongi, a sticky rice dumpling covered in bamboo leaves.
A remarkable part of celebrating Dragon Boat Festival is making and eating Zongzi with families and also good friends.
People typically wrap Zongzi in fallen leaves of reed, bamboo, creating a pyramid shape. The leaves also provide a special fragrance and also taste to the sticky rice and also dental fillings. Options of dental fillings differ relying on areas.
Northern regions in China like pleasant or dessert-styled Zongzi, with bean paste, jujube, as well as nuts as fillings.
Southern regions in China prefer full-flavored Zongzi, with a variety of dental fillings including seasoned pork belly, sausage, and also salty duck eggs.
The reason that the Chinese eat Zongzi on this special day has several statements. The folk variation is to hold a memorial event for Quyuan. And also Zongzi has actually been regarded as an oblation for the forefather even before the Chunqiu duration. From the Jin dynasty, Zongzi formally ended up being the event food and long last previously.
Stay safe and healthy during this special holiday amid the COVID-19 pandemic!