When Is Dragon Boat Festival 2025 and What Foods Are Eaten to Celebrate
Every summer, China welcomes an ancient and lively festival - the Dragon Boat Festival. Not only can people enjoy delicious zongzi, but there are also exciting dragon boat races, colorful sachets, and mugwort hung on the door... So, for friends who don't know much about the Dragon Boat Festival yet, when is the Dragon Boat Festival in 2025? What do we eat on this day?
When is the Dragon Boat Festival in 2025?
The Dragon Boat Festival in 2025 falls on May 31st (Saturday), corresponding to the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in the Chinese lunar calendar.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese lunar festival, and the specific date varies each year according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar (lunar calendar). So sometimes it appears in the early June, and sometimes at the end of May.
In 2025, it happens to be on the last day of May - a weekend perfect for going out, watching races, and eating zongzi!
What foods are eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival?
Zongzi
The triangular "zongzi" made of glutinous rice and wrapped in zongye (bamboo or reed leaves) is the star of the Dragon Boat Festival.
Why eat zongzi? It is to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. Legend has it that people wrapped rice into zongzi and threw them into the river to prevent fish and shrimp from biting his body.
The meaning of zongzi: It expresses mourning for Qu Yuan and also symbolizes family reunion, peace, and good health.
There is a big difference in the tastes of zongzi between the north and south of China!
In the north: Most are sweet zongzi, such as red bean paste zongzi and red date zongzi.
In the south: People prefer salty zongzi, such as fresh meat zongzi, salted egg yolk zongzi, and ham zongzi. They are extremely delicious!
Salted Duck Eggs
With a grayish-white shell and an oily egg yolk, it is a traditional side dish during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Why eat salted duck eggs? Around the Dragon Boat Festival, duck eggs are at their fattest. Folk belief holds that eating salted duck eggs can clear away heat and reduce internal fire, which is suitable for summer.
Meaning: It symbolizes completeness and abundance, and is a sign of good omens.
Mugwort Rice Cake
A pastry made from mugwort juice and glutinous rice flour, with a distinctive green color.
Why eat mugwort rice cake? Mugwort has the effects of expelling evil spirits, preventing pestilence, removing dampness, and dispelling cold. Eating it during the Dragon Boat Festival implies health and safety.
The Origin of the Dragon Boat Festival
Why do we eat zongzi and hold dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival? This involves the story of a famous figure in Chinese history - Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan was a poet and statesman in ancient Chu state of China. He was extremely patriotic. Unfortunately, despite his loyalty throughout his life, he was repeatedly framed. Finally, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, he jumped into the Miluo River and committed suicide to prove his allegiance. To commemorate him, the local people began to throw zongzi into the river on this day to prevent fish and shrimp from harming his body and also rowed dragon boats to search for him.
Later, the tradition of commemorating Qu Yuan gradually evolved into the Dragon Boat Festival, and zongzi and dragon boat races have become important symbols of this festival.
Of course, the Dragon Boat Festival also incorporates earlier "evil-expelling and pestilence-warding" customs, such as hanging mugwort, drinking realgar wine, and wearing sachets. These are all ways for people to pray for peace and health.
What Celebration Activities are there during the Dragon Boat Festival?
Dragon Boat Races
One of the liveliest events! People row exquisitely decorated dragon boats and race on the river. The scene is intense and full of atmosphere. This activity is particularly popular in southern China and has gradually spread to other countries in the world.
Hanging Mugwort and Calamus
Putting a bunch of mugwort on the door is a traditional way to ward off evil, somewhat similar to hanging mistletoe in the West.
Wearing Sachets
Children wear small sachets made of colored fabrics, filled with spices or traditional Chinese herbal medicines. It is said to ward off evil spirits and repel mosquitoes.
Drinking Realgar Wine
In ancient times, realgar was believed to be able to expel evil spirits, but nowadays it is mainly for symbolic purposes. It is not recommended to drink it.
Which Countries Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?
Many people think that only Chinese people celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, but in fact, it has long spread around the world.
South Korea: It is called the "Gangneung Danoje Festival", which is an important intangible cultural heritage activity locally. There are also folk customs such as dancing and hanging calamus.
Japan: It is known as "Children's Day" (Boy's Day), and it also falls in early May. There are traditions such as hanging carp streamers and taking calamus baths.
Vietnam: It is called "Tết Đoan Ngọ" (Dragon Boat Festival), also on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. People there eat zongzi, glutinous rice, and some herbal drinks.
In places such as Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong: With a large number of Chinese communities, rich Dragon Boat Festival customs and celebrations are also preserved. Activities like dragon boat races and zongzi festivals are very popular.
So, the Dragon Boat Festival has become an Asian traditional festival with international influence!
