Dragon Boat Festival: Different ways to celebrate in Asia

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The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that commemorates Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet. In China, it takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.

However, China is not the only country where you can enjoy such a festival, many countries in Asia, also celebrate the Dragon Boast Festival annually in a different way.

Japan - Festival for boys

The Dragon Boat Festival in Japan occurs on May 5, and is recognized as “Tango,” or “Boys’ festival.” On this day, any family that has a boy hangs "carp flags" that are in the shape of a carp.

Carp flags in Japan /VCG Photo

Japanese believe carps like to swim against the water, and "carps can leap through the dragon’s gate", symbolizing courage and the spirit of not afraid of sacrifice. Parents in Japan hope their boys to be as brave as those carps.

Such custom can be traced back to Edo period; an age started in 1603 when prosperity increased sharply and advocated the spirit of the samurai became the mainstream of society.

A Japanese woman shows her Japanese rice dumpling on her left hand and Chinese rice dumpling on the right hand. /VCG Photo

The main activity of the Japanese is to eat “zongzi”(or rice dumplings), and drink “Calamus wine” to avoid evil spirits. Japanese rice dumplings are different from Chinese ones; they are made of grated rice instead of glutinous rice.

In Japanese, "Calamus" and "Shang Wu," which means advocating the spirit of the samurai, are homonyms.

A Japanese samurai /VCG Photo

South Korea - Dano

In South Korea, the festival ’s known as “Gangneung Danoje Festival.” It is celebrated in the town of Gangneung on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and usually lasts for a month.

People in South Korea wash children's hair with calamus water to avoid evil spirits. /VCG Photo

On the day of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, families in South Korea offer wormwood and muffins to their ancestors. People also wear traditional costumes to attend ceremonies, watch swings and wrestling matches.

People in South Korea offer wormwood and muffins to their ancestors. /VCG Photo

A shamanistic ritual that pays tribute to the mountain deity, the Gwanno mask drama, Odokddegi folk songs, narrative poetry and traditional music are included during the festival.

A man celebrates his victory in a wrestling match. /VCG Photo

Vietnam - as grand as the Spring Festival

Vietnam also has the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is only as grand for them as the Spring Festival. Their main celebrations are to eat zongzi and expel parasites.

One Vietnamese rice dumpling weighs about 3 pounds. /VCG Photo

Vietnamese people believe that eating zongzi can get good wind and rain, and abundant grain all the round year.

Parents prepare a lot of fruits for their children who wear colorful strings of auspicious symbols. Adults will drink realgar wine when children are coated with realgar wine to ward off insects.

In the southern parts of Vietnam, children eat watermelon, mango, boiled eggs and even drink coconut milk as well.

Children are coated with realgar wine to ward off insects. /VCG Ph

It is an essential activity to collect medicine during Dragon Boat Festival. People think that "herbal medicine during Dragon Boat Festival" is the most effective.

VCG Photo

Teachers are given gifts, parents-in-law are visited, and ancestors are commemorated as well on this special day.

Singapore - global dragon boat race

When it comes to the Dragon Boat Festival, dragon boat race can’t be ignored. As the Dragon Boat Festival comes, teams from various dragon boat clubs can often be seen on the Kallang river training to prepare for the Dragon Boat Festival.

Dragon boat race /VCG Photo

There are many such dragon boat clubs in Singapore, and participants are not limited to Chinese people, dragon boat racing here becomes an interracial sport to promote the development of the traditional Chinese dragon boat culture.

Chinese Singaporeans are from all provinces and regions of mainland China, mainly Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan provinces. In Singapore, Chinese immigrants combine the local culture well to form a unique food culture.

A drummer on dragon boat during a Dragon Boat Festival race. /VCG Photo

When a friend comes to visit, the host will send him a bunch of flowers, after that, the friend will also be invited to taste dumplings that soaked in flower juice.