Dragon Boat Festival
The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival encompasses ancient astrological culture, dragon totem worship, humanistic philosophy, and other aspects, containing profound and rich cultural connotations. In its inheritance and development, it has integrated various folk customs, while different regions have variations in customs or details due to their regional cultures.
Dragon boat racing and eating zongzi are the most well-known customs of the Dragon Boat Festival and the longest-standing folk activities. Dragon boat racing, also known as dragon boat paddling, has a history of over 1500 years in China and has been listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage. Zongzi, formerly known as tongzong, guozong, jiaosu, or niansu, is a food made by wrapping glutinous rice or other fillings in bamboo leaves or reed leaves. Zongzi was officially designated as a food for the Dragon Boat Festival during the Jin Dynasty. By the Tang Dynasty, zongzi had become a flavor snack that appeared in the market throughout the year. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, zongzi became a food with auspicious symbolism.