Dragon Boat Festival Joanne Chen 2015 DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL Dragon Boat Festival May 5 of Lunar Calendar Dun w ji Dun w ji Dun Beginning noon W Sounds same as 5 Festival Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on May 5 of the lunar calendar. (Georgian Calendar June) The Dragon Boat Festival is also known as "Double Fifth Day". June 9, 2016 (Lunar calendar - May 5) June 9, 2016 (Lunar calendar - May 5) On this day, activities people often do 1.Eating (and preparing) zongzi, 2.Drinking realgar wine, and 3.Racing dragon boats. Story of Qu Yuan Commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (340278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu, who committed suicide by drowning himself in the MiLuo River. The boat races were inspired by the villager's valiant attempts to rescue Qu Yuan from the Mi-luo river. The village people threw the rice ball into the river to prevent the fishes eating Qu Yuans body. Dragon Boat Race Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums. Races can have any number of boats competing, with the winner being the first team to grab a flag at the end of the course Boat Racing Rice Dumpling - Zongzi Traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival Zongzi consists of rice dumplings filled with meat, peanut, egg, beans, dates, sweet potatoes, walnuts, mushrooms, or a combination of both. Steamed and wrapped in bamboo/corn leaves. Variety of Zongzi Making Zongzi Breaking the evil spirits Hanging up icons of Zhong Kui (a mythic guardian figure) Hanging mugwort and calamus Tie colorful strings on the arms Wearing perfumed medicine bags 12:00 PM Standing Eggs 12:00 PM Standing Eggs If you can balance an egg on its end at exactly 12:00pm it is believed that you will have good luck for the rest of the year. Discussion Time Compare a festival in your culture to the Dragon boat festival. What is the history behind? What are the activities people do? What types of food are eaten?