What is the Dragon Boat Festival? When is it Celebrated? What’s the Story Behind It? Your Questions Answered!

The Dragon Boat Festival is also called the Double Fifth Festival.

It is celebrated on the fifth day of May of the lunar calendar and this day is full of festivities that aren’t to be missed if you’re in Mainland China or Taiwan!

Simplified Chinese – Play 端午节 (duān wǔ jié)

Traditional Chinese – Play 端午節 (duān wǔ jié)

Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most important festivals in Taipei alongside the likes of Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year.

Dragon Boat Festival in Taipei || Dates

Dragon Boat Festival in Taipei|| The Story

Dragon Boat Festival in Taipei|| Balancing Eggs

Dragon Boat Festival in Taipei|| Useful Vocab

Dragon Boat Festival in Taipei|| Other Holidays

Dragon Boat Festival in Taipei || FAQs

Dates for the Dragon Boat Festival (2025-2027)

The dates for future Dragon Boat festivals are as follows:

In 2025 – May 31st, 2025

In 2026 – June 19th, 2027

In 2027 – June 9th, 2027

The Story Behind Dragon Boat Festival

Once upon a time, during the Spring and Autumn time in China, there was a patriotic poet name Qu Yuan, who was from the Chu Kingdom.

The king of Qin Kingdom wanted to frame the king of the Chu Kingdom in the name of intermarriage. Qu Yuan was strongly against this, but King Chu didn’t listen to him.

King Chu was killed by King Qin.

Qu Yuan was devastated when he heard the news, he jumped into the Miluo River with a stone and committed suicide.

Because of the admiration for Chu Yuan, local people row the dragon boat trying to find Qu Yuan’s body and meantime put rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves (粽子zòngzi) into the river to feed the fish to stop the fish eating Qu Yuan’s body.

On May 5th of every year, respects are paid to Qu Yuan. Why? Because this was the day when Qu Yuan committed suicide.

Dragon boat racing (划龍舟 huá lóngzhōu) also became a famous custom because of this.

A small dragon boat can take 15 people, 12 for rowing the boat, 2 for making sounds by gong and drums and 1 for getting the flag.

When the dragon boats race, the first boat to capture the flag is the winner.

Qixi Festival Explained❤️ Valentine’s Day and a Forbidden Love

Love is in the air! The so-called Chinese Valentine’s Day is coming. In Taiwan, it is better known as Qixi Festival (七夕) or Qixi Valentine’s Day (七夕情人節).

Dragon Boat Festival || Balancing Eggs

There’s a headline you won’t read often!

Believe it or not, if you manage to balance an egg at 12 noon, you will be due good luck for the whole year!

GO on then… go get those eggs!

Dragon Boat Festival || Key Vocabulary

Let’s teach you some useful terms about the Dragon Boat Festival in here:

BONUS: Other Holidays to Celebrate in Taipei

From Chinese New Year and Double Ninth Festival to Tomb Sweeping Festival, National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, Taipei has a lot going on each year!

Ghost Month and Zhong Yuan Festival | Discover Taipei Traditions

Ghost Month & Zhong Yuan Festival takes place in the entirety of the July of the lunar calendar. Find out what it is and when it’s celebrated.

Dragon Boat Festival || FAQs

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