The Dragon Boat Festival

Brief Introduction

The Dragon Boat Festival is a lunar holiday, also called Double Fifth Festival, occurring on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. It is one of the most significant festivals celebrated in China. Chinese call this day as Duan-Wu. Duan (端) means beginning. Wu(午) means Horse month in Chinese calendar. The Horse month usually begins on June 5th or June 6th in the Gregorian calendar. The Dragon Boat Festival memorializes the Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan (340 BC-278 BC or 343-290 B.C.), who committed suicide by jumping into the river after tying himself with big rock on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.