BEIJING- China celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival, with boat racing, traditional snacks and other festive activities during a three-day holiday weekend.

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar to commemorate ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan.

The Dragon Boat Festival, one of the four traditional Chinese festivals, was the first to be inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

For food enthusiasts, consuming zongzi, a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, is a priority.

Preferences for zongzi flavors vary significantly between the northern and southern regions of China: Northern zongzi are typically sweet, while southern ones are usually savory.

On this day, Chinese people eat zongzi to commemorate Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.).

After being falsely accused of treason and banished due to his well-intended advice to the king, he drowned himself in the Miluo River. In their search for Qu Yuan's body, the people of the State of Chu threw rice in bamboo tubes into the water, aiming to protect his remains from being eaten by fish. This act led to the origin of zongzi in China.

With a history spanning over 2,000 years, the Dragon Boat Festival today is infused with delightful folk customs and traditions.

Beyond making zongzi, communities across the country engage in various activities, including dragon boat racing, hanging calamus plants above doors and windows, and adorning spaces with colorful rope decorations.

Dragon Boat Racing was used as a way of worshiping the Gods of Rain in Ancient China. Though it started as a traditional Chinese activity, it is now quickly gaining popularity across the world. 

Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes power, strength and good fortune.  It is a special creature with a combination of tiger’s paws, goat’s beard, carp’s scales and snake’s belly.  The Dragon boat is designed with a Dragon head bow and a dragon tail stern. The boat’s hull is painted with Dragon’s scales while the paddles are crafted as the claws.  The race was later organized as the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival) on the 5th day of the 5th month in Chinese lunar calendar.

Every year, rich activities are held overseas to celebrate China's Dragon Boat Festival.