Duanwu traditions come alive nationwide

Video by Marina Vilchinskaia

With a history of over 2,000 years, the Dragon Boat Festival is one of China’s most significant cultural events. Its customs include making and eating zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings), racing dragon boats, hanging mugwort and calamus to ward off evil, and drinking realgar wine, all of which symbolize cultural heritage and community bonds.

Dragon boat teams race across the waters of West Lake in the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone in Tianjin on May 24. The vibrant competition is one of many held nationwide as communities embrace the spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, with races, rituals, and festive foods. Photos by Xinhua

 Dragon boat teams compete during the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Dragon Boat Race on the Xiaoshui River in Daoxian County, Yongzhou, Hunan Province, on May 25. The event drew nearly 200 teams and over 5,000 participants, marking one of the region’s largest celebrations of the upcoming festival.

Children play a ring-toss game as part of local Dragon Boat Festival activities at Xigang Town Central Kindergarten in Tengzhou, Shandong Province, on May 27.

Children take part in a playful dragon boat race at Liqiao Town Central Kindergarten in Dongying, Shandong Province, on May 23, as seen in this drone photo.

Workers pack rice dumplings in a factory ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival in Xingwangzhai Township, Zunhua City, Hebei Province, on May 22.

Foreign students from Russia and Kazakhstan learn to make ciba, a traditional glutinous rice snack, during the Dragon Boat Festival celebrations in Fengsheng Ancient Town, Banan District in Chongqing, on Wednesday. More than 200 local residents joined international students from Chongqing University to experience customs such as making herbal sachets, tasting zongzi, and paddling land-based dragon boats.

A child participates in the traditional “Shooting the Five Poisons” game at Mingyuan Kindergarten in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, on Wednesday. According to folklore, snakes, scorpions, centipedes, geckos, and toads are considered the “five poisons.” Historically, Duanwu customs aimed to ward off disease during the hot, damp early summer, when pest-borne illnesses were more common.

International students from Chongqing University join local residents in Ba’nan District, Chongqing Municipality, to make ciba (glutinous rice cakes) Wednesday.