Dragon Boat Festival: History, Traditions and Fun Facts about Duanwu Jie.
The Dragon Boat festival also known as Duanwu Jie is one of the most vibrant and culturally rich celebrations in the Chinese calendar. Held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, this ancient festival is about rich history, food, and community. Over the years, it has become a global phenomenon attracting attention through colourful dragon boat races and the deeply rooted traditional customs.
What Does This Festival Signify
The festival commemorates Qu Yuan, a revered poet and statesman from the ancient state of Chu from 11th Century BC. When his homeland fell into enemy hands, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo river Hunan province. Legend has it that locals raced out in boats to save him, the event that evolved into today’s Dragon boat races. They also tossed rice into the river to keep fish and evil spirits away, which inspired the creation on Zongzi.
The festival is not only about history, but also a celebration of:
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Community spirit with team-based boat racing and sharing food with family and friends.
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Seasonal change, marking the arrival of summer.
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Protection and Good health, with age-old traditions meant to ward off disease and misfortune.
Traditional Must-Try Dragon Boat Festival Foods.
- Zongzi (Sticky Rice Dumplings) – The star of the festival, these pyramid shaped dumplings are made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. Fillings vary by region:
-Northern China (Sweet version) -The most traditional fillings include red bean paste, Chinese dates (jujubes), lotus seeds, and preserved fruits.
-Southern China (Savory & Rich) – fillings include marinated pork belly, salted duck egg yolks, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, dried shrimp, chestnuts, and even abalone or scallops. - Realgar Wine (Xionghuang Jiu) – Drinking realgar wine is a traditional Dragon Boat festival custom and remains a symbolic part of its heritage.
- Five Coloured Foods – Families prepare dishes featuring five symbolic colours: Red, Yellow, Green, White and Black representing balance, harmony, and protection.
Fun Facts You Might Not Know - It is over 2,000 years old, making it one of the world’s oldest annual celebrated festivals.
- Dragon boat racing is now a global sport, managed globally by the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF), competitions are held in Australia, Canada, the UK, the US, and Southeast Asian countries.
- Apart from China, the festival is a public holiday in several regions, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
- The festival is linked to summer solstice, a time traditionally associated with high yang energy.
- Children often wear perfumed sachets and five-coloured silk threads for protection and good luck.
How NSF Staff Celebrate Dragon Boat Festival in Australia
We spoke to Navitas Skilled Futures staff to see how they celebrate the festival away from home.
Yinxing Samuel, Operations Team Leader at NSF said, “I love catching up with family and friends to celebrate the day. We share Zongzi and other traditional Chinese food items. This is a day where we remember Qu Yuan and pay our respects. I also visit Darling Harbour every year to see the Dragon Boat Race. We are lucky that we live in Australia which is a multicultural country and celebrates festivals across cultures.”
“It’s important in today’s age and time that we continue celebrating festivals like Dragon Boat festival so that the younger generation learns about their heritage, culture and carry forward those important traditions,” added Yin.
NSF Trainer Mu Lin, shares, “This is a wonderful day of celebration where my family and friends come together to share food especially Zongzi, laugh, honour the great Qu Yuan, and have a fun time. This is also an emotional time for us being far from home that takes us down the memory lane where we often speak about how we used to celebrate this significant day back in China.”
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