The Dragon Boat Festival

In Taiwan, the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar, can be separated into two parts: the time of preparation and of celebration.

Before the Dragon Boat Festival comes Taiwanese families get together and prepare a special dish, called rice dumpling─a mixture of glutinous rice, beans, chestnuts, pork fat, and an egg yolk, wrapped in a bamboo leaf and steamed for hours. People go to markets to buy the ingredients for rice dumpling, and elderly members in a family teach others how to make a rice dumpling. Originally, eating rice dumpling let people to commemorate Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese patriot, but these days, this special dish tends to be a significant and symbolic snack of the Dragon Boat Festival.

In addition to making rice dumpling at the preparation time, Taiwanese people also practice Chinese customs to avoid bad things. Since the Dragon Boat Festival is typically celebrated in June, when insects thrive and diseases spread easily, this festival began as an important occasion to Taiwanese people for driving off evil spirits, sickness and finding peace in people's lives. Most of the families would hang the picture of Zhong Kui, a ghost breaker against evil spirits, to exorcise any evil spirits. Likewise, hanging a bunch of plants, such as calamus and moxa, above the door during the Dragon Boat Festival was believed to have powers for preventing illness and strengthening health. Parents would give their children fragrant sachets to wear on their necks. According to an article from Taiwan Official Tourism, “A fragrant sachet is a small bag, which is made from colored silk material and filled with aromatic flowers and herbs”(Fragrant Sachets). It's believed that carrying the small spice bag throughout the festival not only drives away evil spirits but also brings fortune and happiness to those who wear it.

The other period of the Dragon Boat Festival is the celebration itself. The best known activity is the dragon boat competition. On that day, thousands of people go to the shore of the river to see dragon boat races. The boats used in the game are long and thin with dragon heads on the bow of the ships. As the game starts, a drummer sits at the front of a boat keeping a rhythmic beat and tens of rowers follow the drumbeats paddling fast and regularly to drive the boat forward. People sit on the shore, watch the game, and enjoy the rice dumplings. In addition, at noon, there is another activity; people tries to stand a raw egg on its end. And if someone can successfully stand an egg on its end exactly at 12:00 noon, then the coming year will be a lucky one.

In conclusion, the Dragon Boat Festival is one of the biggest festivals in Taiwan. People prepare food and traditional decorations at the preparation period and do varied activities at the celebration period.