Yichang bursts with Dragon Boat Festival cultural extravaganza

By Chen Zai

The Dragon Boat Festival, a three-day national holiday that fell on May 31 this year, has deep roots in Zigui County, as it is the hometown of Qu Yuan (339 – 278 BC), the famous poet in whose honor both zongzi and the Dragon Boat Festival were created.

Centered on the theme "Our Dragon Boat Festival,” the 2025 Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Event features 11 activities in Zigui from early May through mid-June, showcasing both the rich heritage and contemporary charm of this holiday.

From early May to May 30, the Orchid Culture Festival in Jiuwanxi Town highlighted the harmony between nature and tradition.

 
On May 30, the folk musical drama Da Duan Wu ("Big Dragon Boat Festival”) was performed at Qu Yuan Theater, bringing to life the legends and customs of the festival.



On the evening of May 30, the Dragon Boat Festival-themed night market kicked off at Yiling Square, drawing large crowds.

On May 31, the Dragon Boat Festival Poetry Gathering was held in Zigui, also known as the "Hometown of Chinese Poetry.” It is jointly hosted by the China Writers Association and the Chinese Poetry Society.

The event brought together 30 folk poetry societies and over 2,500 poets from China and abroad, creating a platform for cultural exchange and celebration of traditional Chinese literature.

Photo by Zhou Shiwei
 

On May 31, an immersive Dragon Boat Festival customs tour was held in the ancient residential area of Qu Yuan Hometown Scenic Area. Visitors experienced traditions such as lantern parades, dragon and lion dances, zongzi wrapping, shadow puppetry, straw weaving, writing couplets and hanging mugwort leaves and calamus.

Tourists experience traditional wedding etiquette
Photo by Fu Beibei


Traditional lion dance and lotus boat performances.
Photo by Fu Beibei

From May 30 to 31, a dragon boat race and dragon boat tug of war were held in the waters of Xujiachong Harbor in Zigui County.

From May 31 to June 2, Zigui is also hosting a stamp exhibition, featuring collections around local themes, such as Jingchu culture, the Yangtze River, Qu Yuan, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Three Kingdoms era. The exhibition also includes award-winning entries from a recent Qu Yuan letter-writing competition and youth stamp design contest. 

On June 1, the "Chu Style, Qu Rhythm" Chinese cultural product Dragon Boat Festival market opened at The Nine Songs Alley in Zigui.

This series of Dragon Boat Festival activities is not only a cultural feast but also a reflection of the spiritual and cultural life of the people of Yichang. Various regions across Yichang joined the celebration, hosting diverse activities to pass on traditional culture.

On May 26, a festival gathering in Zhijiang welcomed delivery riders and sanitation workers to make zongzi over casual chats.

Photo by Xu Dan
 

On May 28, children from a kindergarten in Wujiagang District learned to make zongzi.

On May 28, Zigui residents followed the tradition of bathing their children with mugwort leaves.

On May 28, a teacher from a Zigui school took students on a tour to hang mugwort on the gate of an ancient residence.

Photo by Zheng Jiayu
 

On May 27, children from Yiling District explored the art of shadow puppetry.

Photo by Zhou Zhuoran
 

In Yichang, cultural activities thrive with enthusiastic public participation, and the spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival culture is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

Li Yang, Zhang Mingwen, Fu Jiangshan, Dong Zhilie, Yan Xiaodong, Shi Gang, Sun Yumin, and Hu Xingjun contributed to this story.