Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu (in Chinese) is an annual traditional Chinese festival that commemorates several local heroes across China particularly Qu Yuan who was a known poet and politician during his time. It is celebrated as its name suggests with various dragon boat races, a popular sporting event that has been around for more than 2000 years.

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Dragon Boat Festival Definition and Meaning

Dragon Boat Festival is a joyous event that commemorates several local heroes such as the notable poet and minister Qu Yuan, Wu Zixu who was forced to commit suicide and whose body was thrown on the river, and Yan Hongwo from the Dai community of the Yunan province.

The Dragon Boat Festival is not only celebrated in mainland China but in several Asian countries as well such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

When Is Dragon Boat Festival?

The Dragon Boat Festival holds its annual celebration every fifth day of the fifth month based on the traditional Chinese calendar. This usually occurs the month of the last week of May or June based on the Gregorian calendar. For 2023, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on the 22nd of June.

Dragon Boat Festival History

The Dragon Boat Festival originated in China where it evolved from an ancient practice of revering a river dragon to commemorate the passing of a patriotic poet and loyal minister Qu Yuan who committed suicide by drowning himself in a river. It is said that people have continuously rowed out in the river to find him but to no avail, so to preserve and protect his body they threw lumps of rice into the river to that the fish won’t hurt his body and locals would hit the water with paddles and use drums to scare evil spirits away. Gradually, these boating activities evolved into dragon boat racing, and a festival was observed.

Dragon Boat Festival Purpose, Importance

The Dragon Boat Festival is not only celebrated to remember local heroes but it is also to observe the dragon or water god. It is a famous holiday and one of the top important holidays celebrated in China and by various Chinese communities.

A Day of Remembrance

One of the main reasons the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated is because it honors and remembers the life and death of a famous local hero named Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was greatly known for his patriotism, loyalty, and the poems he had written. Qu Yuan was said to drown himself on the 5th day of the 5th month as a sign of protest due to the downfall of his beloved hometown.

5th Lunar Month

Another cultural association of the Dragon Boat Festival comes before the death of Qu Yuan, which relates to the 5th lunar month of the year. The Chinese culture suggests that the 5th lunar month of the year is referred to as the ‘month of poison’. So that said, during the Dragon Boat Festival people perform various practices and performances to get rid of disease and bad luck to keep themselves healthy.

Strengthen Bonds

Another highlight of the Dragon Boat Festival is that people come together, families, friends, and acquaintances to celebrate the dragon boat races. Based on its history, dragon boat races are commonly held in rivers with several teams competing against each other. This is not only practiced in mainland China but other Asian countries have joined the festivities as well.

What’s In Dragon Boat Festival?

During the Dragon Boat Festival expect a lot of festivities and various activities apart from the dragon boat races, there are parades and various public gatherings. People are also said to eat zongzi (rice dumplings) and drink realgar wine. Some citizens are also said to hang calamus and wormwood on doors to repel insects and disease.

How to Create a Dragon Boat Festival Social Media Post

The Dragon Boat Festival is a popular Chinese festival that is widely celebrated, thus it is only natural to take all these festivities online. Different social media platforms can be used to spread the word, especially on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Facebook

1. Select a Dragon Boat Festival Facebook Post template.

select a dragon boat festival facebook post template

First, select a Dragon Boat Festival post template that you can edit and then upload on Facebook. The template can be easily edited to fit your requirements. To get started, simply click on the ‘Edit Online’ button on the right side of the template image.

2. Update the background color.

update the background color

To change the background color using the editor tool, click on the ‘Background’ button that’s located on the blue side panel on the left side corner of the screen. Then select a color from the options provided. Other than that you can also opt to add videos or illustrations to serve as a background image instead.

3. Edit the existing text.

edit the existing text

Since this is a pre-designed template, you may want to change the existing text and create your own message and well-wishes. Simply click on the ‘Fill’ button and write down your message in the text box provided. Also right above the template, you can find several formatting tools such as the option to change the font style and size.

4. Adjust the images.

adjust the images

Another great thing about the template is that it comes with various design images that make it more pleasing to look at. However, if you wish to delete specific images, just select that image and click on the trash bin icon on the toolbar. Also to move around the images, select that image until you spot handles around the edges of the image, indicating that it’s selected, then position the cursor on the image click and hold the mouse button and then drag the image to its selected location.

5. Download the template.

download the templateLastly, after you have finished editing it’s time to download the template. You may find the ‘Download’ button on the upper right-hand corner of the screen. On the drop-down menu, you can select several file formats such as PDF, PNG, or JPG.

Instagram

1. Pick out a Dragon Boat Festival Instagram Post template.

pick out a dragon boat festival instagram post template

Instagram is another well-known social media platform that has millions of users which is great if you want to post personal and business updates. So to get started, pick out a template from Template.net to help you prepare a well-crafted Dragon Boat Festival post. Then click on the ‘Edit Online’ button to proceed.

2. Add more graphics.

add more graphics

If you want to add more images to the template, simply click on the ‘Graphics’ button on the blue side panel of the editor tool. Perhaps you want to incorporate lanterns or other oriental-designed clipart, then you can make use of the search text box to look for specific images. You can also add audio or music to make the IG post more fascinating to fellow IG users.

3. Add a list of tasks or activities.

add a list of tasks or activities

Posting a program or an event during the Dragon Boat Festival? Then you may need to add a list of activities or tasks so that others who are interested may be able to join the festivities. To add that list, go the the ‘Tables’ button and select a layout that fits your requirements.

4. Upload a logo.

upload a logo

For those who need to use Instagram to update their any business-related event during Dragon Boat Festival, then uploading a company logo may be essential. Logos will help readers determine the brand or company name. That said, click on the ‘Logo’ button on the blue side panel and upload the image from your computer.

5. Save or print.

save or print

Lastly, save the edited template by selecting the three-dotted button on the upper right-hand corner of the screen. The print option is also available on the editor tool. Now you can upload the template you have customized during the Dragon Boat Festival.

WhatsApp

1. Choose a Dragon Boat Festival WhatsApp Post template.

choose a dragon boat festival whatsapp post template

WhatsApp is another platform that can help you spread the word about the Dragon Boat Festival. You can send several messaging to family, friends, and acquaintances using a template. To get started, click on the ‘Edit Online’ button.

2. Embellish the template with images.

embellish the template with images

Get creative and add various images such as vectors, drawings, cartoons, or even animated videos into the template you are currently editing. Head over to the ‘Graphics’ section and you will find a wide variety of graphic designs to choose from. In case you cannot find what you are looking for then simply type the keywords on the search text box.

3. Add more text.

add more text

If you want to extend the greetings of the post you are preparing for WhatsApp, then the editor tool allows you to add more text to the template. Click on the ‘Text’ button located on the blue side panel and select your options. You are allowed to add a Heading, Sub-heading, or paragraph and even change font style and size.

4. Upload your own file.

upload your own file

Another feature available on the editor tool is that it allows you to upload a file from your computer. Just click on the ‘Uploads’ button on the blue side panel. However, make sure that the file does not exceed 5 MB.

5. Share, download, or print the template.

share download or print the template

After customizing the template you have the option to share, download or print this from your computer. All these options are available in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. After that, you can now upload this template to the Dragon Boat Festival this coming June.

Dragon Boat Festival Vs Palm Sunday

Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese celebration that is often commemorated by one of the most popular races called Dragon Boat Racing and is celebrated by most Asian countries.

Palm Sunday is a yearly Christian religious event that celebrates the coming of Jesus Christ in the city of Jerusalem.

Dragon Boat Festival Ideas & Examples

There are so many ways to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival aside from public gatherings, you can also commemorate this occasion by posting online or sending greeting cards to family and friends. Here are several Dragon Boat Festival ideas and examples that will help inspire you to create a social media post, a card, or marketing materials.

Dragon Boat Festival Invitation Ideas and Examples

Encourage new members to join a dragon boat club or invite the public to join several events with this Dragon Boat Festival invitation.

dragon boat festival invitation ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Background Ideas and Examples

Use this well-crafted Dragon Boat Festival background as a backdrop for a website or as wallpaper for a laptop.

dragon boat festival background ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Greeting Card Ideas and Examples

Prepare several Dragon Boat Festival greeting cards that you can send through email or the local mail to let everyone know you are in their thoughts during this joyous occasion.

dragon boat festival greeting card ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Banner Ideas and Examples

Advertise any group activities happening at the festival with this well-designed Dragon Boat Festival banner example.

dragon boat festival banner ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Poster Ideas and Examples

Hang various Dragon Boat Festival posters in public spaces like museums, schools, parks, malls and etc to invite people to join the festivities during the traditional Chinese holiday.

dragon boat festival poster ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Flyer Ideas and Examples

Make use of this Dragon Boat Festival flyer idea to create various types of marketing materials that can be used to invite people to a fundraising event or promote a store opening during the Dragon Boat Festival.

dragon boat festival flyer ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Promotion Ideas and Examples

Business owners can use this well-designed Dragon Boat Festival promotion idea to advertise their products and services during the festival.

dragon boat festival promotion ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Wishes Ideas and Examples

This Dragon Boat Festival wishes will give you an idea of how to prepare a message for this well-loved Chinese holiday.

dragon boat festival wishes ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Message Ideas and Examples

This Dragon Boat Festival message will make a wonderful context for your email, social media post, or a card that you can give to kids or as words of encouragement to a local Dragon Boat federation in the community.

dragon boat festival message ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival Quote Ideas and Examples

Inspired participants of a Dragon Boat race with this inspiring Dragon Boat Festival quote to help them win the competition.

dragon boat festival quote ideas and examples

Dragon Boat Festival FAQs

What does the Dragon Boat Festival celebrate?

It mainly celebrates the life and death of the poet Qu Yuan and the dragon water god.

Why do people race in the Dragon Boat Festival?

Participants paddle their way across the river as a symbol to protect and retrieve the body of Qu Yuan.

Is Dragon Boat Festival religious?

It is a religious veneration of the dragon from the Chinese Zodiac.

What does the dragon boat symbolize?

It symbolizes the body of a dragon, its head on the bow and the tail on the stern with the paddles set as its claws.

What is the theme of the dragon boat festival?

The theme of the Dragon Boat Festival is sacrifice, patriotism, and camaraderie.

How big is a Dragon Boat?

A dragon boat varies in length and weight but mostly they are about 40 feet long and about 250 kilos.

What do kids do at Dragon Boat Festival?

Kids often accompany adults to watch the dragon boat races and eat dumplings.

What is the leader of a dragon boat called?

Everyone is a leader on the dragon boat, however, the steerer sets the direction of the dragon boat.

Where do the strongest paddlers sit on a dragon boat?

The last four rows.

What is the story behind the Dragon Boat Festival?

The Dragon Boat Festival is based on the life and death of Qu Yuan a beloved poet and political figure who died by jumping into a river.

How many people are on the Dragon Boat Festival race?

Depends on the size of the boat used, so it’s roughly around 10-30 paddlers.

Is the Dragon Boat Festival only celebrated in China?

No, other Asian countries have their own Dragon Boat associations that widely celebrate the festival with their own races.

What is a fun fact about Dragon Boat Festival?

It is one of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage items and special plants are hung on doors to ward off disease.

What are the rituals of the Dragon Boat Festival?

Common rituals during the Dragon Boat Festival are boat racing, hanging plants on doors, and eating dumplings.

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