Dragon Boat Festival is called Duanwu Jie in Mandarin. It is not only a festival but a sport and commeoration of a national holiday, falling on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Lunar Calendar (this year June 16).

The origin of the festival is controvertial as no one knows the true story legends accompany its appearance. Some believe that the festival began when the poet Qu Yuan comitted suicide after having a great military conquest (248 B.C). Qu supposedly drowned himself in a lake and it is said that local people who truely loved the poet wanted to protect his body from the fish - rushing their boats into teh water and throughing food into the lake so as to scare fish away from his body and offer them another food option - what is known today as Zongzi. (Today no one throws food into water, but they do enjoy eating them).

There are three main parts to the day's festivities: 1) eating Zongzi; 2) drinking local wines; 3) dragon boat competitions. You may have seen it or heard of Dragon Boats in other countries. Many places where a large number of Chinese population reside will host the event.

Next year, be sure to visit Taizhou on June 6 (2011) to see the events!

Visit the Official Travel and Tourism Website for Taizhou for more information!

•SURVIVAL CHINESE

  Shi wo
     (shi woh)
     It's me
  Duoshao qian?
     (duo shaow chien)
     How much it it/them?
  Wo zai xiang
     (Woh dzai shiang)
     I`m thinking

•USD VS. RMB
    1 USD = 6.791 RMB
       (2010/06/01)

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