People in China are busy in the preparation for celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, dated on June, 25th, 2020.

The Dragon Boat Festival (traditional Chinese端午節simplified Chinese端午节) is a traditional holiday originating in China, occurring near the summer solstice. The festival now occurs on the 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese calendar, which is the source of the festival’s alternative name, the Double Fifth Festival. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, so the date of the festival varies from year to year on the Gregorian calendar. In 2017, it occurred on 29 May; in 2018, on 18 June; in 2019, on 7 June; and in 2020, on 25 June.

Three of the most widespread activities conducted during the Dragon Boat Festival are eating (and preparing) zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats.

Dragon Boat Festival: Dragon boat racing 

Dragon boat racing has a rich history of ancient ceremonial and ritualistic traditions, which originated in southern central China more than 2500 years ago. The legend starts with the story of Qu Yuan, who was a minister in one of the Warring State governments, Chu. He was slandered by jealous government officials and banished by king. Out of disappointment in the Chu monarch, he drowned himself into the Miluo river. The common people rushed to the water and tried to recover his body. In commemoration of Qu Yuan, people hold dragon boat races yearly on the day of his death according to the legend. They also scattered rice into the water to feed the fish, to prevent them from eating Qu Yuan’s body, which is one of the origins of zongzi.

Dragon Boat Festival: Eating Zongzi (rice dumpling)

A notable part of celebrating Dragon Boat Festival is making and eating zongzi with family members and friends. People traditionally wrap zongzi in leaves of bamboo, lotus, or banana forming a pyramid shape. The leaves also give a special aroma and flavor to the sticky rice and fillings. Choices of fillings vary depending on regions. Northern regions in China prefer sweet or dessert-styled zongzi, with bean paste, dates and nuts as fillings. Southern regions in China prefer savory zongzi, with a variety of fillings including marinated pork belly, sausage and salted duck eggs.

The reason why the Chinese eat zongzi on this special day is because they are considered as a symbol of luck, as the pronunciation of zong is very similar to the pronunciation of zhong (中). This character has a positive connotation, used in words such as 中奖 (winning a prize or a mini prize).

Lianfu Foods newly develop the colorful Zongzi with their manufactured Dehydrated Vegetables. It makes the Zongzi more beautiful and adds more natural nutritions when we eat Zongzi.

Dragon Boat Festival 01

Dragon Boat Festival: Drinking Realgar wine

Realgar wine or xionghuang wine is a Chinese alcoholic drink that is made from Chinese yellow wine dosed with powdered realgar, a yellow-orange arsenic sulfide mineral (it is also known as “rice wine”). It is often used as a pesticide against mosquitoes and other biting insects during the hot summers, and as a common antidote against poison in ancient Asia.

Want a sample of Dehydrated Vegetables?

Please visit us www.wedofoods.com for more information of your interested products.
For over 20 years, XINGHUA LIANFU FOOD CO., LTD has been manufacturing both Air Dried and Freeze Dried Vegetables, Mushrooms, Fruits, with many kinds of forms like Slice, Flakes, Granules, Powder.

Contacts: Jerry Shaw
WhatsApp: +86-187 5266 8088
Email: jerryshawvip@yahoo.com