About Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu)
The Dragon Boat Festival, known in Chinese as Duanwu, is one of China's four great traditional festivals and is celebrated across East and Southeast Asia. Its best-known legend ties it to Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and minister of the ancient state of Chu who drowned himself in the Miluo River in despair at his country's fall. Local people are said to have raced out in boats to save him and thrown rice into the water so the fish would not eat his body, giving rise to the festival's two signature customs.
The day is famous for dragon-boat racing, in which long, ornately carved boats with a dragon's head and tail are paddled by teams to the beat of a drum, drawing huge crowds along rivers and lakes. Families also wrap and eat zongzi, pyramids of glutinous rice with sweet or savoury fillings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. Other customs include hanging mugwort and calamus on doors, wearing fragrant sachets and drinking realgar wine to ward off illness and bad luck.
Duanwu falls on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, so its Gregorian date changes each year, usually arriving in late May or June. The live countdown above always tracks the next Dragon Boat Festival for you. If you want the races and zongzi on your radar, you can add this countdown to your own page in a few clicks.
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Friday, June 19, 2026next |
| 2027 | Wednesday, June 9, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, May 28, 2028 |
FAQ
When is the Dragon Boat Festival this year?
The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, usually in late May or June. Because it follows the lunar calendar the exact date changes each year, so check the live countdown above.
Why is the Dragon Boat Festival celebrated?
It is most often linked to Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet and statesman who drowned himself in protest, with the boat races and rice dumplings said to recall efforts to save him. It also carries older themes of warding off summer illness and misfortune.
How is the Dragon Boat Festival celebrated?
The highlight is dragon-boat racing, with teams paddling long dragon-headed boats to a drumbeat. Families also eat zongzi rice dumplings, hang mugwort and calamus on their doors and wear fragrant sachets for protection.
What are zongzi?
Zongzi are pyramid-shaped parcels of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, with fillings ranging from sweet red-bean paste to savoury pork, salted egg yolk or beans. They are the festival's defining food.