The Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, commemorates the patriotic poet Qu Yuan and is internationally famous for dragon boat racing.
Qu Yuan (340-278 BCE), a minister of the State of Chu, drowned himself in the Miluo River in despair over his state's defeat. Villagers raced boats to recover his body and threw rice dumplings (zongzi) into the river to feed the fish and prevent them from eating his remains. These actions became the festival's two iconic customs.
Dragon boat races: long, narrow boats with carved dragon heads, paddled by teams of 18-22, with a drummer setting pace. Hong Kong's international dragon boat races are a tourist highlight. Hanging mugwort and calamus on doorways to ward off evil. Wearing perfumed sachets.
Zongzi: glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, with sweet (red bean, dates) or savory (pork, chestnut, salted egg) fillings.
"端午节快乐" (Duānwǔjié kuàilè)
1-day public holiday in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau. International dragon boat races held in many countries including Singapore, Canada, and the US.