China Dragon Boat festivals

This item appears on page 69 of the March 2016 issue.

Starting every year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar (June 9 in 2016, May 30 in 2017), 3-day Dragon Boat festivals have been held throughout China for over 2,000 years.
The festivals get their name from the dragon-shaped boats that are raced by teams of men hoping to bring a bountiful harvest and happy life to the people of their villages by winning. Races can be seen all along the Yangtze River and in Hong Kong and Macau.
Zongzi, pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings with various fillings, are traditionally eaten during the festival.