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Dragon Boat Festival

Date: The Dragon Boat Festival, Duan Wu Jie, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Myth: The festival celebrates the fate of an ancient Chinese poet called Quyuan. Having the confidence of the emperor, Quyuan was hated by many court officials and eventually exiled. Dismayed by the country's decline during the Chu State he committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River. The people of the Chu State were so shocked by his death that they threw zongzi, or rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, into the river to detract the fish from his body, or so the story goes.

Customs: Dragon boat races mark the festival, particularly in Southern China, and are an enjoyable spectacle with beating drums, colourful flags, and thousands of spectators cheering from both sides of the river. Also known as the Duanwu Festival, the custom is to eat zongzi, alternatively stuffed with dates, bean paste, eggs or meat.