June 18th marks the 5th day of the 5th month on the lunar calendar: the start of Dragon Boat Festival! Today, communities around Greater China and Southeast Asia celebrate their culture and remember ancient stories and traditions. The festival began as a way to pay tribute to Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet whose acts of patriotism are commemorated by dragon boat races each year.
The ancient tradition of Dragon boat racing has been a part of Asian culture for thousands of years. Participants row canoes shaped like fierce dragons, painted in vibrant colors to pay homage to ancient war canoes. The team of dragon boat sailors row as fast as they can toward a finish line while one team member sits toward the front of the ship and beats a drum to maintain their pace and keep spirits high. Today’s Doodle lets you sit in the back of the boat and become part of the action!
There are ways for everyone to celebrate the festival (even if you aren’t handling an oar). Traditional Dragon Boat festival customs include preparing and eating zongzi, a traditional Chinese food made with rice and filled with various stuffings, and then wrapped in leaves of bamboo, banana, or lotus. Depending on where you’re celebrating, you may enjoy sweet dessert zongzi filled with fruit or nuts, or more savory zongzi stuffed with chicken or pork. These delicious treats are a symbol of luck and an essential part of celebrations.
Check out a few additional variations of today’s Doodle from the artist Cynthia Yuan Cheng. Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
Early concepts of the Doodle below
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-17 21:06:17|Editor: Liangyu
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People take part in a dragon boat race in Donghai County of Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 17, 2018. People enjoy their holiday time during the Dragon Boat Festival. (Xinhua/Geng Yuhe)
ENTEBBE, UGANDA (XINHUA) - As people in China are going to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival on Monday (June 18), thousands of miles away in Uganda, the peoples of China and Uganda jointly celebrated the festival on Saturday.
The event, hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China Africa Friendship Association of Uganda, was held in Entebbe city, 40km south of the capital Kampala.
There was fanfare, barbecues and live music on the shores of Lake Victoria as different teams composed of Chinese and Ugandans were racing on the water in the second edition of the Dragon Boat Festival in Uganda.
The athletes were paddling to the utmost following the rhythm of the drummer, as the crowd cheered on.
Revellers feasted on Chinese and Ugandan dishes on the shore. Dumplings and other Chinese dishes were a highlight. Cultural games including kite show, tug rope and acrobatic displays among others were also a highlight at the event.
The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, Chinese poet and minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States period between 475 and 221 B.C.
Qu drowned himself in the Miluo River in central China's Hunan Province after he was banished and accused of treason for his well-intended advice to the king.
Legend has it that upon learning of his death, locals raced boats to find his body in the river and dropped rice in the water in the hope that it would distract fish from eating Qu's body. These became traditions observed to this day.
The dragon boat festival not only serves as a competition and gathering, but also deepens the relationship between the two peoples and the two cultures.
Mr Muhamud Nsamu, a 24-year-old law student, is an initial member of a dragon boat team which participated in Saturday's competition. He helped founded the team, "because it (dragon boat racing) is a good sport that is going to bring us Chinese culture to us".
The dragon boat race promotes the relationship between Ugandans and Chinese, as a large number of Chinese and Ugandans are meeting here, he said.
"We want to promote friendship with Chinese people here and we are seeking it," said Mr Ivan Wankayi, the leader of a participating team consisting of 24 fishermen.
At a Chinese food stall set up on the shore, Mr Zhang Xiaofeng from central China's Jiangxi Province was passing a basket of dim sum to a customer.
"The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional festival of China. It was not celebrated in Uganda, but now Ugandans are joining Chinese to celebrate it," Mr Zhang said, adding that this kind of activity helps enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples.
The Ugandan government now is looking at tourism opportunities provided by the festival.
Uganda's tourism department is targeting to make the festival an annual event attracting domestic and foreign tourists, Mr Godfrey Kiwanda Ssubi, Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, told Xinhua in an interview.
"The dragon boat festival means a lot to Uganda because it deepens the relationship with the Chinese community. We are very happy, first of all, as a ministry of tourism, because we have many Chinese visitors who are coming, we have many Chinese investors," said Mr Ssubi.
Dragon Boat Festival Or ‘端午节’ Is More Than Just Eating Dumplings
Come this time of year, Singaporeans will notice colourful dragon boats sailing along our shores.
Wet markets across the country will also begin hawking sticky rice dumplings wrapped snugly in bamboo leaves.
We call this event the “Dragon Boat Festival”, but it is somewhat of a misnomer.
Let’s find out why.
Dragon Boat or Duan Wu Festival?
The true meaning behind the festival belies its original Chinese name, 端午节 (duan wu jie), which refers to the summer solstice.
To be precise, the Chinese commemorate the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which signifies the longest day of the year.
Where do dumplings come in?
Like in all good Chinese festivals, delectable food will be usually be involved.
However, everyone’s favourite glutinous rice dumplings have rather tragic origins.
Beloved poet and outspoken statesman Qu Yuan, was falsely accused of treason after speaking out against corruption.
He decided to drown himself in the Mi Luo River on this very day.
Rice dumplings were wrapped in leaves were thrown into the river by villagers who loved the poet and wished to prevent fish from consuming his corpse.
They also tied their offerings with auspicious five-coloured threads, which apparently stopped river dragons from eating them.
How about dragon boats?
As for the dragons on boats, it’s somewhat related as well.
Fishermen who attempted to save Qu Yuan from his tragic fate, rowed their boats to scour the waters.
Beating their oars against the water surface was a technique to scare evil spirits away.
This tradition endures today in the form of dragon boat racing.
A global phenomenon
There are all sorts of iterations for these leaf-wrapped dumplings.
From rectangular parcels, to pyramids and squares, they’re creatively shaped and have multiple names to boot.
Here are just a few of the different popular variations in Singapore.
Fondly known as “bazhang” to many Singaporeans, the name originates from the Hokkien term “meat dumpling”.
Which refers to the pork and other creative fillings cooks have added, to reinvent the humble rice dumpling.
Think twice
So do think twice before you bite into a delectable sticky rice dumpling at the dining table this year.
If you’re unsure about how to go about eating it, simply ask around for answers.
Most serious dragon boaters will be more than happy to tell you the true origins of what you’re eating, as well as how to best enjoy it.
Featured image from MustShareNews.
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