Dragon Boat Festival links modern Chinese cultures to ancient traditions

By — María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/dragon-boat-festival-links-modern-chinese-cultures-to-ancient-traditions Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Dragon Boat Festival links modern Chinese cultures to ancient traditions World Jun 19, 2026 12:52 PM EDT BEIJING (AP) — Dragon boat races, lion dances and other festivities marked the Dragon Boat Festival on Friday across mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The more than 2,000-year-old holiday is best known for its sporting events, but its origins are rooted in ancient beliefs about health, protection and harmony with nature. "The fact that this holiday has been preserved for thousands of years shows how much we value our traditional customs," said Meng Dongmei, a retired resident of Beijing's Tongzhou district. READ MORE: Everest record-holder Kami Rita Sherpa urges limit on climbers as crowds swell on the peak Meng said her family observes the holiday through a variety of traditional customs. They prepare zongzi, the sticky rice dumplings associated with the festival, and children wear five-colored bracelets believed to ward off evil. "We also learned online about a traditional recipe using mugwort leaves, red dates, brown sugar and ginger to boil eggs," Meng said. "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." Thousands to gather for boat races Thousands to gather for boat races Beijing's 2026 celebrations will continue through the weekend at the capital's Grand Canal. The three-day event features men's, women's and mixed dragon boat races over distances of 100, 200 and 500 meters. Teams from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi and Guangdong will compete throughout the holiday weekend. Participants wearing costumes wait for the race during the annual Tuen Ng or Dragon Boat Festival at Aberdeen fishing port in Hong Kong, China, June 19, 2026. Photo by Lam Yik/Reuters. More than 1,000 athletes and 200,000 spectators are expected to gather for the event, organizers said in a press release. "The competition helped strengthen our team spirit," said Li Maoshan, a participant in Friday's races. "It also gave us an opportunity to demonstrate the spirit of perseverance and hard work." Beyond the races Among the cultural features during Beijing's Dragon Boat Festival were demonstrations of Wing Chun martial arts, a market featuring traditional handicrafts and a performance in which dancers mimic the movements of a lion. Activities were intended to highlight cultural exchanges between northern and southern China, officials said. Friday's lion dance was presented by a group of performers from Guangdong province in southern China. "Wherever there is a festive occasion, you'll find dragon and lion dances," said He Weihong, founder of t