Dragon Boat Festival: A time of unity and success
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- Issue Time
- May 31,2025
Summary
Share our dragon boat spirit of cooperation and share the joy of our traditional festivals.
Today, in Diejiao, Guangdong, a dragon boat turns at full speed at a 45-degree angle—32 paddlers operate as one. "Better to smash the boat than row slowly"—Diejiao’s racing creed. Forge endurance with the spirit of dragon boat racing.
Did you hear it? That is the shock of the oars—32 people resonate with one heart. In the bend of Foshan, 48 paddles strike the water synchronously within 0.3 seconds—propelling a 1-ton dragon boat forward like a missile. Dragon boat wisdom: victory comes from concerted efforts. Currently, the Dragon Boat Festival is the most popular festival in China. Why has it lasted for more than 2,000 years?
The Dragon Boat Festivalisalso called "Duan Wu Jie" in Chinese. There are many legends about Dragon Boat Festival,but the most famous one is about Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet from the State of Chu more than 2000 years ago.He was extremely patriotic and highly talented. Qu Yuan always tried his best to think about the country and its people, and he came up with many excellent suggestions.
However, some people who were jealous of him told lies about him to the King of Chu. The king believed these false words and exiled Qu Yuan.
During his exile, Qu Yuan still cared deeply about his motherland.
When he heard that his country had been invaded and defeated by the enemy, he felt overwhelming grief. In despair, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, he jumped into the Miluo River.
The local people living adjacent to the Mi Lo River rushed into their boats to search for him while throwing rice into the waters to appease the river dragons.
Although they were unable to find Qu Yuan, their efforts are still celebrated today.every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, people hold dragon boat races, imitating the scene of searching for Qu Yuan. At the same time, people also make zongzi to commemorate this great patriotic poet.
In 2009,the Dragon Boat Festival became China’s first festival to be selected for the World’s intangible Cultural Heritage.
There are many other customs during the Dragon Boat Festival. People hang mugwort leaves on their doors. It is said that this can drive away diseases and bad luck. Children wear bracelets made of colorful silk threads, which symbolize health and safety.
