Information about Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the May 5th Festival or the Duanyang Festival, is one of the traditional festivals in China. Its origin can be traced back to the Warring States period more than 3000 years ago. According to legend, the great poet of Chu was loyal to the country, was excluded and framed by the nobles, and finally threw himself into the river on the Dragon Boat Festival. In memory of Qu Yuan, people began to race dragon boats, eat zongzi and hang wormwood on the Dragon Boat Festival to show their memory and respect for Qu Yuan.

The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival is a festival full of customs, among which the most famous are dragon boat racing and eating zongzi.

Dragon Boat Racing

Dragon boat race is one of the most representative activities of the Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon boat is a kind of boat with a length of about 10 m and a width of about 1.2 m, carrying 22 people. During the competition, 22 rowers paddled synchronously, the helmsman controlled the direction, and the pilot commanded the overall situation and crossed the finish line at the fastest speed. The dragon boat race not only tests the physical strength and skills of the contestants, but also shows the team spirit and mental outlook.

eat Zongzi

Eating zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival is also a traditional custom. Zongzi is a kind of food steamed by wrapping glutinous rice, bean paste, meat, egg yolk and other fillings with bamboo leaves or reed leaves. It is said that eating zongzi is to commemorate Qu Yuan's suicide by throwing himself into the river. People throw zongzi into the river to prevent fish and shrimp from choking Qu Yuan. Now, eating zongzi has become one of the indispensable traditional customs of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Hanging wormwood

There is also the traditional custom of hanging wormwood on the Dragon Boat Festival. Wormwood is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, which has the functions of repelling mosquitoes, expelling worms, eliminating dampness and diminishing inflammation. People will tie the wormwood into bundles and hang them on doors, windows, beds and other places. According to legend, wormwood can ward off evil spirits and keep the family safe, so hanging wormwood on the Dragon Boat Festival has become a traditional custom.

Steps of wrapping zongzi

If you want to make zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival, here are the steps to make zongzi.

material preparation

To make zongzi, you need to prepare the following materials:

1. glutinous rice

2. Zongye

3. fillings such as meat or bean paste

4. Accessories such as peanuts and egg yolks

Zongzi packaging system

1. First, soak zongzi leaves in water for about 1 hour to soften them.

2. Wash the glutinous rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes.

3. Process the stuffing such as meat stuffing or bean paste into appropriate size, add peanuts, egg yolk and other accessories and mix well.

4. Shake off the zongzi leaves, place the two zongzi leaves in a cross, knead them into small mouths by hand, and add appropriate amount of glutinous rice and stuffing.

5. Fold the leaves in half, then turn up one layer, fold the leaves on both sides inward and tie them tightly with cotton thread or leek leaves.

6. Cook the prepared zongzi in a boiling water pot for about 2 hours.