Dragon Boat Festival: Google doodle celebrates the traditional Chinese holiday

Get ready to row with the flow – this doodle celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival. People have been celebrating it on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month for over 2,000 years, hence the nickname “Double Fifth Festivals”.

Wherever you look out over the water, it’s bustling with people watching the main event of the day: dragon boat races. Teams of up to 90 people board long wooden boats painted to look like colorful dragons. After bringing the dragons to life by painting their eyes, they row to the beat of the drums to reach the finish line before the other teams.

In addition to lively competitions, the day also sees traditional activities to ward off pests and diseases, as the summer heat increases pest numbers. Children often wear five-colored silk threads to protect themselves, and people hang bags filled with herbs and plants in their homes to ward off insects. Some people balance eggs at lunchtime, which is said to bring good luck.

When it’s time for a snack, many break out a glass of realgar wine and some glutinous rice dumplings called “zongzi.” Zongzi pay tribute to the legacy of Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet.

Good luck this summer, and we wish you all a Happy Dragon Boat Festival!