Dragon Boat Festival celebrations in Dezhou district

[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu Festival, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, fell on June 10 this year.

Despite varying stories about its origins, this two-millennia-old festival is widely celebrated in memory of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). People would honor him by making zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings) and racing dragon boats during the festival.

In Lingcheng district of Dezhou in East China's Shandong province, locals celebrated the festival by making zongzi and herbal sachets to ward off insects and disease. They came together to roll bamboo leaves into cones, fill them with glutinous rice, and tie them together with string to create the popular traditional treats.

In addition, the tradition of making herbal sachets was passed on, with locals preparing small beads, colorful cords, silk threads, and natural herbs such as cloves and mugwort. These aromatic sachets added a touch of joy and fragrance to the festivities.

Watch the video to learn more. (Edited by Hu Kaili)