The Dragon Boat Festival starts today in China. Like every year, the whole country celebrates this traditional holiday linked to some ancient legends.

The most popular and romantic concerns the commemoration of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and official in exile during the Warring States period of ancient China, who took his own life by drowning himself in the Miluo River. According to the lunar calendar, it happened on the 5^th day of the 5^th month, when his beloved Chu State fell to the Qin State. The local population tried desperately to save Qu Yuan or recover his body, without success.

One most the most important activity of this festival is the dragon boat races, symbolising the people’s attempts to save Qu Yuan. In the current period, these races also demonstrate some of population’s virtues such as cooperation and teamwork.

Besides, the festival has also been marked by eating Zong zi, typical Rice Dumplings.The Zong zi are made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. It is said that every year, people who mourned the death of Qu Yuan threw the Zong zi into the river to feed his ghost.

Safe and healthy Dragon Boat Festival to all our colleagues who celebrate this holiday!