The Dragon Boat Festival, known for its sporting events, was observed Friday with dragon boat races and lion dances across mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The holiday’s origins lie in ancient beliefs about health, protection, and harmony with nature, the Associated Press reported.
Meng Dongmei, a retired resident of Beijing’s Tongzhou district, said her family participates in a variety of traditional customs. “The fact that this holiday has been preserved for thousands of years shows how much we value our traditional customs,” Meng told the Associated Press.
Her family prepares zongzi — sticky rice dumplings traditionally associated with the festival — and children wear five-colored bracelets that are believed to ward off evil. Meng said they also learned online about a traditional recipe using mugwort leaves, red dates, brown sugar and ginger to boil eggs. “We heard that it could help ward off illness and keep people healthy throughout the year, so we hope that through this festival our family will enjoy good health,” she said.