Dragon boat festival in China

Ina Stašević, Beijing: The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar. This year it falls on June 22. 
Since 2008, the Dragon Boat Festival is not only a festival but also a national holiday in China.
In September 2009, UNESCO added the Dragon Boat Festival to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, making it the first Chinese festival to receive this honor.

Many people believe that the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated to commemorate Qu Yuan (340-278 BC) the first Chinese poet and official of the Chu state during the late Warring States period. He was a man of integrity who stood by the common people defending his country against invasion and corruption. Unfortunately, he was exiled for political reasons. During his exile, he wrote the poem "Li Sao" (Meeting with sadness) expressing his deep concern and love for his homeland and people.

After hearing about the defeat of his country, he tragically drowned in the Miluo River (in today's Hunan province). Locals were looking for his body, but were unable to find it. To prevent fish and evil spirits from harming his body, they beat drums and threw rice balls into the river as food for the fish.

Today, it has become a tradition, eating rice balls and racing dragon boats to commemorate Qu Yuan's death. Rice dumplings filled with meat and beans, wrapped in a triangle shape in a bamboo leaf.

At that time, people usually clean their houses and I do it now in Beijing and put wormwood leaves on the door to prevent diseases and bring good luck to the family.
In Calcutta, the Chinese community celebrates the festival every year along the Ganga River with a "lion dance" and dragon boat races.