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TheDuanwuFestivalfallsonthefifthdayofthefifthmonthoftheChineselunarcalendar.Forthousandsofyears,DuanwuhasbeenmarkedbyeatingZongziandracingdragonboats.
ThetasteofZongzi,apyramid-shapeddumplingmadeofglutinousriceandwrappedinbambooorreedleavestogiveitaspecialflavor,variesgreatlyacrossChina.ZongziisoftenmadeofricemixedwithdatesinNorthernChina,becausedatesareabundantinthearea.EasternChina’sJiaxingCountyisfamousforitspork-stuffedZongzi.InthesouthernprovinceofGuangdong,peoplestuffZongziwithpork,ham,chestnutsandotheringredients,makingthemveryrichinflavor.InSichuanprovince,Zongziisusuallyservedwithasugardressing.MostpeoplestillmaintainthetraditionofeatingZongzionthedayoftheDuanwuFestival.Butthespecialdelicacyhasbecomesopopularthatyoucannowbuyitalltheyearround.
DuanwuisalsoknownastheDragonBoatFestival,becausedragonboatracesarethemostpopularactivityduringthefestival,especiallyinSouthernChina.Adragonboatisshapedlikeadragon,andisbrightlypaintedinred,white,yellowandblack.Usually,adragonboatis20to40meterslong,andneedsseveraldozenpeopletorowit.Boatmenrowtheboatincadencewiththedrumbeats,asthecaptainstandinginthebowoftheboatwavesasmallflagtohelpcoordinatetherowing.Beforetheracegetsunderway,asolemnceremonyisheldtoworshiptheDragonKing.
Dragonboatracingisquiteaspectacle,withdrumsbeating,colorfulflagswaving,andthousandsofpeoplecheeringonbothsidesoftheriver.Nowadays,ithasbecomeapopularsportingactivityinSouthernChina.InternationaldragonboatracesareheldinGuangzhouandHongKongeveryyear.
TheDuanwuFestivalusedtohaveotherinterestingcustomsthatarenolongercommonlyobserved,thoughyoumaystillfindthempracticedinsomeruralareas.
AncientChinesebelievedthedayofDuanwuwasunluckybecausemidsummerwasjustaroundthecorner.Thehotweatherusedtobringvariousdiseases,whichcouldspreadrampantly.Dispellingdiseaseanddrivingoutevilwerethemainpurposeofthefestival.PeoplewouldpasteontheirfrontdoorspicturesofZhongkui,alegendaryChineseghost-catcher.Peoplewouldalsousecattailandmugwortleavestodriveawaymosquitoesandotherinsects.
Sincechildrenaregenerallythemostvulnerabletodisease,theyreceivedextracareatthisspecialtime.Childrenwouldwearnecklacesorbracelets,madeofred,yellow,blue,whiteandblackthreads,tokeepevilawayfromthem.Theywouldalsoreceivecolorfulpouchescontainingfragrantherbalmedicinesaspresents.Theyhungthesearoundtheirnecks,andwouldcompetewithoneanothertoseewhosepouchhadthefinestneedlework.Mothersalsomadesuretobathetheirchildreninwaterboiledwithherbalmedicines.Modernsciencehasproventhatthesemedicinesare,infact,quitebeneficialtohealth.
AncientChinesebelievedrealgarwasanantidoteforallpoisons,andthereforemosteffectivetodriveawayevilspiritsandkillinsects.SoeveryonewoulddrinksomerealgarwineduringtheDuanwuFestival,andchildrenwouldhavetheChinesecharacterfor“King”writtenontheirforeheadswithrealgarwine.