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Duanwu Festival: Rice and Races
A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at the stern. A
banner hoisted on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull is decorated
with red, green and blue scales edged in gold. In the center of the boat is a
canopied shrine behind which the drummers, gong beaters and cymbal players are
seated to set the pace for the paddlers. There are also men positioned at the
bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking
for Qu. All of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and
excitement for the participants and spectators alike. The races are held among
different clans, villages and organizations, and the winners are awarded medals,
banners, jugs of wine and festive meals.
After the races, the wooden head and tail of the dragon are removed from the
boat and stored either at the clan headquarters or at the local temple. The hull
is buried in the muddy river to prevent cracking, warping and shrinkage. The
boats are reconditioned annually before the festival.
Today, all Chinese people celebrate the Duanwu Festival on the fifth day of
the fifth lunar month by eating zong zi .
 What is zong zi ?
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Zong
zi | Zong zi, pyramid-shaped
dumplings made of glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves to give it
a special flavor, vary greatly across China. Zong zi are often made of
rice mixed with dates in Northern China since dates are abundant in the area.
Eastern China's Jiaxing County is famous for its pork-stuffed zong zi.
In the southern province of Guangdong, people stuff zong zi with pork,
ham, chestnuts and other ingredients, making them very rich in flavor. In Sichuan
Province , zong zi are usually served with a sugary dressing.
Although most people still maintain the tradition of eating zong zi on
the day of the Duanwu Festival, the special delicacy has become so popular that
you can now buy it all year round.
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