The Dragon Boat Festival, or Double Fifth, commemorates patriot and poet Chu Yuan, who died on this day in 277 B.C.

Chu Yuan was a well loved in his village. He had a reputation for honesty and integrity. One day he decided to expose a powerful, corrupt public official. The official decided to kill Chu Yuan by throwing him in the river. When the villagers found out what was happening, every boat in the village raced to Chu Yuan's rescue. They were too late to save him. However, they searched the river for his body. Bamboo stuffed with rice was thrown into the water to feed the fish and keep them from eating Chu Yuan's dead body.

Today, this event is commemorated by eating rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. Dragon Boat races are the major sporting event held on this day.

Note: This holiday is one of Calendar Mine's over 500 built-in observances. Dates for the above holiday are calculated accurately for any location on the globe.

See Also

Holiday Catalogue

Chinese Traditional Holidays