Are you excited for the Dragon Boat Festival 2025? We at ONE Intervention certainly are! This iconic festival is also known as the Dumpling Festival, or 端午节 (duānwǔjié) in Chinese. And the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on 31 May.
In honour of this special occasion, we’re dedicating today’s article to the history behind it. We’ll also suggest some ways you can celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival to make this year’s celebrations really memorable.
So, what’s the story behind the dragon boat festival?
The story of the dragon boat festival traces its origins back to Southern China, but there are quite a few variations. Nevertheless, there are none quite as renowned as the story of Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan was a councillor, poet and patriotic minister who lived in the state of Chu. This was all the way back in the third century BCE, during which China was experiencing a period of political turmoil. As a faithful advisor, Qu Yuan warned his king, Lord Huai, that the northern state of Qin posed a threat to Chu.
However, Lord Huai was enraged. He refused to listen, instead banishing Qu Yuan. In 278 BCE, General Bai Qi of the state of Qin led his army to occupy the state of Chu, just as Qu Yuan had warned. The Qin army tore down their imperial palace and captured the capital of Chu, Ying.
Qu Yuan despaired. Several months later, out of sheer heartbreak at the state of his nation, he flung himself into the Mi Luo River and drowned.
Rice Dumplings
The locals knew that Qu Yuan had been an upright man and mourned his death. They were afraid that the fish in the river might eat Qu Yuan’s body, which would anger his spirit. Hence, in an attempt to appease his spirit, the locals threw bamboo stems stuffed with rice into the river for the fish to eat instead.
Other variations of the legend say that the rice offerings were taken by a river dragon instead. So, locals improvised – they bundled the rice with leaves and used thread to bind the package tightly in order to prevent the dragon from eating it.
Thus, the tradition of eating rice dumplings, or 粽子, arose.
Dragon Boat Racing
Still more people say that the locals saw Qu Yuan just as he threw himself into the river. Alarmed, they scrambled onto their boats and tried to row out to save him.
This, it is said, is where the tradition of dragon boat racing can be traced back to. Today, the sport is widely known and celebrated in Singapore. Most schools and universities still have a dragon boat racing club.
What are some fun facts about the Dragon Boat Festival?
The significance of five
Traditionally, it’s believed that Qu Yuan drowned on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. Hence, some people celebrate the dragon boat festival by wearing five colours. More commonly, five strings (each of a different colour) are used to wrap the rice dumplings that we eat.
Dragon boat heads
The boats that racers use are designed differently from other boats used in watersports. These dragon boats get their name from the dragon head that is carved into the prow of the boat. Legend has it that these carvings were meant to scare away the fishes trying to eat Qu Yuan’s body.
Alternatively, others see this as an offering to appease the river god – the Chinese dragon.
River dragon myths
According to this article by NLB, the river dragon is quite different from the Western interpretation of a dragon. In Western legends, dragons are scaly, fire-breathing reptiles. They are often malevolent and are believed to hoard treasure.
However, the Chinese believed dragons are the benevolent water guardians. In particular, the river dragon was said to be able to control rain and was thus worshipped during the summer solstice in hopes of a good harvest.
How do we celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?
Dragon boating
Of course, the iconic tradition of the Dragon Boat Festival are its dragon boat races. You can catch sight of them at Bedok Reservoir in the east or Kallang Basin in the south. Be inspired by the fierce competitive spirit of teams pitting their mettle against each other and experience the thrill of the game as you root for them!
Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, try your hand at dragon boating yourself! The Kallang Water Sports Stadium offers dragon boat rentals and the Singapore Dragon Boat Association has a plethora of courses for you to sign up for according to your skill level.
Eat dumplings
These are another trademark of the Dragon Boat Festival. The tasty rice dumplings, or 粽子 (zòngzǐ) are made by wrapping glutinous rice with bamboo leaves. Traditionally, they are stuffed with hearty filling. This can be anything from something sweet, such as red bean paste, to something more savoury – like pork belly.
Pick up a few dumplings and bring them home to your family to unwrap and eat piping hot! It’s the perfect way to bond with your loved ones and reconnect on this special occasion.
Visit the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall
This isn’t quite a universal tradition, but we at ONE Intervention believe it could be a meaningful way to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Singapore. The Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall is in fact a national monument and preserves considerable cultural significance for the Chinese.
The museum sheds light on the more obscure details of Singapore and Nanyang’s involvement in the 1911 Revolution. Why not make a field trip of it, bring along your kids to drop by to learn more about its history?
Can you think of any other ways to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival 2025? Well, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a comment below and we’d be sure to reply 💬👇 Or check out our article about indoor playgrounds for kids!
