Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival derives from 2,000 years ago and is one of the oldest traditional festivals to the Chinese people and can have many different names like Duan Wu Jie, Duan Yang Jie, Double 5th Festival, Bath Festival, Daughter Festival, The Poet Festival, etc. The Origin of the Dragon Boat Festival is thought to commemorate poet Qu Yuan, a minister in the state of Qu, who was banished for opposing an alliance with the state of Qin. During his exile he wrote many poems, which are still read today. When the Qin betrayed the alliance and invaded the Chu, Qu Yuan committed suicide in despair by drowning himself. As he was widely respected as a Confucian scholar and statesman, the local people threw glutinous rice into the river to feed the fish, so that they would not eat the beloved Qu Yuan. Eating glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaf, known as zhongzi, is a way people today commemorate Qu Yuan on Duan Wu Jie.

Usually today, people hang a picture of Zhong Kui (a supernatural being professionalized in exorcising the devil) on the wall, hold Dragon-boat Races and drink Xiong Huang wine. Up to this day, this festival is celebrated by most Chinese throughout Asia. Dragon-boat Racing has become a international sporting event. Yangshuo people also have their own features on this festival. Except for drinking Xiong Huang wine, usually the daughters go home to visit their relatives, bringing rice dumplings and other gifts. Some people in Yangshuo will burn red paper and incense on the bridge nearby the river to pray everything goes well for their family and the whole country. Some schools in Yangshuo will take this time to instill patriotism in students, such as by holding a poem speech contest.