Discussion keeps the world turning.
June 19th marks this year's Dragon Boat Festival, one of China's oldest traditions.
But it's not just about rice dumplings and boat races anymore.
Think study tours, DIY herb banquets healthier, takes on some not so healthy snacks and race events built around tourism.
Young people are remaking a centuries-old holiday in their own image.
So how do ancient celebrations evolve without losing their soul?
Coming to you from our studios in Beijing, this is Roundtable.
I'm Steve.
Thanks very much for being with us today.
And for the show, I'm with Yushan and Yangyang.
First up.
June 19th marks this year's Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival.
It's one of China's oldest traditions, but these days it's taking on some surprising new forms from dragon boat, study tours and DIY mugwort bouquets to healthier snack recipes and tourism-driven racing events.
Young people, they're finding fresh ways to connect with this centuries-old tradition.
How can traditional festivals stay relevant while preserving cultural roots?
I guess Yangyang and Yushan, good afternoon.
I guess it's a question that we talk about a lot, right?
Depending on whatever tradition.
We're talking about that struggle of maintaining culture, the piece of cultural history, while still making it relevant today and fun for young people to take part in.
Well nowadays, I think, many young people.
They're so creative and they're coming up with a lot of newer ways to inherit what's been spanning across our history for thousands of years.
And in Chinese, we have a slang for it.
好起码传承下来了。 Like one way or another, it passes down.
Yeah.
I wouldn't be surprised that you mentioned interesting snacks.
Actually, at this time of the year, Duanwu Festival.
It is one of the four major traditional Chinese festivals and it really has a rich history spanning over two millennia.
It's 端午, so we have to eat 粽子, which is a kind of glutinous rice ball.
That's my favorite.
That also makes 端午 my favorite time of the, among my favorite times of the year.
I don't know if it's the same for you, Yangyang.
Yeah, absolutely.
Eating zongzi is one of the common ways to celebrate this festival.
And there are also a lot of other ways to celebrate the festival as well.
For example, there are dragon boat races, which is also the name for the Dragon Boat Festival.
And also in September 2009, UNESCO added Dragon Boat Festival to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
It is the first time Chinese festival to receive this honor.
And it was also made as a national holiday in 2008.
Those sneaky little rice treats.
Because they are.
They're calorie packed, but they don't look like they're calorie packed because of their size.
What's your favorite stuffing for those, by the way?
I grew up eating the ones with dates inside or jujube inside.
But in recent years I'm borrowing the southern Chinese wisdom and starting to fall in love with those with egg yolk and salted or sauced pork.
Oh.
Those are so good.
I've not had that one yet.
I used to despise that kind of Zongzi.
I think that's not Zongzi.
Zongzi should be all vegan and it should only have sweet paste, but no.
They are very good.
Chefs are getting creative with how they make them, right?
Yeah, so over the years I guess it has changed perhaps a little bit in the style of treats that you'll eat, meaning the holiday changes a little bit.
But we have an expression in English the more things change, the more they stay.
And what's cool is that this Dragon Boat Festival has even spread to some neighboring Asian countries.
So it's not just all here in China anymore.
The dragon boat racing, in fact, has become more of an internationally loved sports nowadays.
But if we go back, if we go way way way way, way back to the beginning of this, how far back do we have to go?
During the Warring States period, perhaps, that's between 475 to 221 BC.
That's about 2,500 years ago.
Exactly.
And that's a more popular version of how this holiday originated.
All because of this one person, Qu Yuan.
During the southern state of Chu.
That was the Qu Yuan's hometown, where he served as a minister of the state and was trusted by the king.
However, his idea of reform ran contrary to the interests of nobles who later framed him, thereby leading to his exile and abolishing of the reform.
And after the state of Qin defeated Chu in the year 278 BC, Qu Yuan realized that Well, there would never be a day that he could return back to his hometown.
So he was soaked in despair.
And unfortunately he drowned himself in the Miluo River in Hunan province on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of that year.
So Qi Yuan.
Despite the fact that he was exiled, he had many supporters and was deeply respected by the locals too.
So once that happened, people were throwing in what nowadays is known as zongzi, the glutinous rice ball, as a way of distracting the fish so that they feed on the zongzi instead of, you know, feeding on his body, and as a way of honoring him and remembering him.
So usually that's how we learn as kids, as Chinese kids, of how this story all started.
But there's actually another version of the originality that has something to do with filial piety.
So for listeners who's not familiar with that idea, it means in our culture to respect and to obey and stay grateful towards our parents or other elders in the family.
That
In real life practices it often turns out to be the child taking good care of the parents, really caring for the family, especially after they age.
So it's a timely honored virtue that's been spanning across our history.
So the river story is one of the legends.
What's the other one you mentioned then?
Another myth about the festival region involves Cao'e, a girl from the Eastern Han Dynasty that's also over 2000 years ago in China who lived with her father in a fishing village.
So one day, her father went fishing in Shunjiang River and never returned.
Cao headed to the river and searched for her father and failed to find him.
She cried for days and then committed suicide, unfortunately by jumping into the river on the fifth day of the fifth month.
Some believe how piousness and persistence moved the gods who enabled her to find her father's body and unite with him after death.
Villagers built a temple in memory of her great filial piety, and the day of her demise was reserved to mark her greatness.
And that is how the festival got started.
Yeah, in some legends, I think, I read that her body show up three days after she jumped into the river alongside with her father's body in her arms.
That's why they renamed the name of the river to Cao River.
Oh, I see.
And yeah, it's a way of remembering her.
So how did the glutinous rice balls, the zhongzi, how did they make their way into the festival?
Well actually, even before Qu Yuan's version of the originality, the habit of eating zongzi and the tradition of making zongzi at that time of the year already existed.
And zongzi.
The way to describe it would be a pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumpling that's around the size of your fist.
I didn't notice that they look exactly like mini pyramids.
Exactly, yeah.
That's exactly what they look like.
If not slimmer.
They're wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves.
And it's the very special, specific food of the day.
When we think about Duanwu or Dragon Boat Festival, that's the food that we go to.
And also depending on where you are in northern China and southern China, the filling can be very different.
Here in northern China, we put in a lot of red dates or bean paste that's sweeter.
And then in the south, like I mentioned, they like to put in meat.
But why eat it on this particular festival, though?
Well, I think it dates back to the myth itself, because 粽子 is something people throw it into the river to pay sacrifice to Qu Yuan and also avoid Qu Yuan's course being eaten by fish or other creatures.
So that is one way to memorize Xu Yuan.
And then it gradually become a habit of eating and got passed down from the day.
So that is how Zongzi got into the story of Zhuang Festival.
And also, apart from Zongzi, I think A dragon boat race, is also something to do with the myth itself, because people used to row the boats to search for Qu Yuan's body, and that also gradually became a celebration for the Zhuang Festival.
I was waiting for the explanation as to why the boats are a part of the festival and why it's called that, and that's what it is.
By the way, the zongzi, they're also part of the gaokao somehow, right?
Yeah, it's the pronunciation of zongzi.
Because zongzi the word zong can also relate to zhong, which has a very colorful meaning and also in a very positive way.
It means getting something or winning a prize.
Yeah, like 中奖, winning a prize, 中, or scoring high on an exam, 高中.
So in 高考, we all wish that all of the students participating can 高中 as in, they can get to the ideal university they're aiming for.
Yeah, the top prize.
So yeah.
Yeah.
All right, so let's talk about the dragon boat races themselves.
So the dragon boats are named because of the fore and the stern of the boat, right?
It's in the shape of a traditional Chinese dragon.
They're very beautiful to look at.
And then on the boat, on each boat, you'll have a team of people.
They work very hard to row as quickly as they can.
And you'll have some of the people rowing on one side of the boat, other people rowing on the other side of the boat, of course, otherwise you'd go in a circle.
But then you have someone at the front.
They're at the front or the back of the boat.
Is it the front or the back?
I think it's at the front.
It's always at the front?
And they're chanting something.
Right.
Or beating a drum.
Yeah.
To keep the rowers in, keep going at the same time.
Good vibes.
Yeah, very good.
Do they have to question?
Do they have to say something specific or can they be creative?
Uh, like the chefs the songs of chefs these days can be creative.
Can they say whatever they want?
Or is it just like roe Royal boat?
Come on.
Something like that.
I don't think there's a standard for what you have to say or what you cannot say.
Okay.
Got it.
Yeah, those races are really exciting to watch.
And as I said before, you'll find those races being held in other parts of the world now.
To Vietnam, they do them.
Even in Britain, I think, they have their own dragon boat races.
Alright, well let's talk about some other ways that people celebrate the festival.
Yeah, indeed.
I think it's within recent years that hanging the leaves that can kick away all of the poisonous bad luck around your house at this time of the year has come back as a trend for Duanwu Festival.
I'm talking about the... Mugwort?
Auspicious leaves.
Yeah, the mugwort leaves.
The way you hang it is you buy it from online for young people nowadays.
And you hang it upside down with a rope hanged onto the handle of your door, outside of your door, like the front door of your house.
Yes, because the mugwort leaves.
They have their own scents and that scent can eliminate mosquitoes or any bugs and insects, those creatures indeed especially, And also in traditional Chinese culture, the fifth lunar month is marked as a quote-unquote poisonous month around this time of the year because it's summer, because there are a lot of mosquitoes and flies around,
So this has been a traditional way of keeping bugs away.
And now we see it as a good fortune or...
Prosperous meaning, too, to carry that.
Mugwort's used in TCM, too, isn't it?
Yeah, it's still widely used in TCM today.
Yeah, it is associated with liver, spleen, and kidney, meridians.
It has a lot of good property in it.
It sounds smelly, too.
Yeah, it is quite smelly, right?
Yeah well, I think it depends on person.
Depends on people, because one thing is definitely sure is it's smelly for bugs and pests.
That is how it is used.
People don't get to smell the way bugs do.
Yeah, right.
Children will take part as well.
They will wear these scented sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival.
And there are some details here.
So correct me if I'm wrong, but children will wear these sachets and they're strung with five color silk thread.
And that's done to help ward off evil.
What's the connection between the five color silk thread and the warding off of the evil?
Or is that just a coincidence?
I think it's all the way coming from ancient folklore where tying five-color silk thread to wrists, to your ankles and around the neck it actually means it's protecting children from evil.
So the five-color thread.
It holds special significance here and also it contains the so-called magical and healing properties in nowadays cultures.
Actually, I think it's less popular here in Beijing, comparing with hanging the mugwort leaves.
That's more common in the South.
But yeah, but I've heard of the five color silk thread and I've heard of the sachets being worn not only among children but among just everybody.
And most of the time people just hang it along with the mugwort outside of their door here.
I've seen people doing that.
So there's a bit of a tradition that goes with this, right?
Children are not permitted to speak while their parents tie the five color thread for them.
And they're also not allowed to take it off until a specified time.
And that specified time is the first summer rainfall.
And it's then that children can throw the thread into the river.
And again, this is all done to protect the kids from plague and diseases.
Is that tradition carried on today?
I feel like it's not at least not that strict where they have to wait until the very first rainfall of the summer season.
If you believe it, you believe it.
Yeah, right.
And not everybody do, but I think yeah, since it's still being recorded, it must be practiced still.
Or sometimes you want to create a sense of ceremony.
You want to celebrate the festival for serious.
Maybe you will do those rituals.
Yeah, people shoot videos about it.
Oh, do they really?
Making the sachet and wearing the threads.
Do they also make videos about balancing eggs?
That's another thing that people do for fun, yeah?
That's another thing I heard, but I've never seen people do.
So what they do is that you...
Seems like you will be lucky in the coming year if you can balance an egg upright during Dragon Boat Festival.
So it's become a competition somehow that's held at noon in many places across China.
That's a way to just hang out and be fun.
Yeah, also it has value for social media content.
Right, some comedic value there.
All right, so that's more of the traditional stuff.
Young people, though, they like to reinvent things sometimes.
They like to do their own thing.
What are they up to during this festival?
Well definitely, like we have just mentioned hanging mugwort bundles.
But young people these days are going a little bit creative of those bundles of mugwort.
So, instead of playing bundles, many buy or create beautifully designed mugwort bouquets decorated with sachets, colorful cores, blessing cards and even dragon bow-shaped ornaments.
So for many people the appeal is not just about the tradition itself, but also the sense of atmosphere and emotional value it brings to their homes.
And we talked about dragon boat. being a part of this celebration.
And nowadays I see that many young people are participating directly through Dragon Boat study tours.
They actually get on some of those Dragon Boat themselves as a part of a cultural workshop.
Yeah.
Tell me about this, because this seems like something that the kids might feel like Hmm, this is supposed to be a day of fun, but it's not supposed to be of study, is it?
If you look at it like that, then yeah, well, this is indeed a holiday.
But in places like in Foshan, for example, in southern China's Guangdong province, students and families, they can actually learn about the history of dragon boat culture by, you know, actually practice painting, peddling techniques, visit race venues and even board traditional dragon boats themselves, right there in Foshan.
So instead of simply watching a race or reading about it on the news, like we do kids nowadays, they get to become part of the cultural heritage.
They need to rename this.
Dragon Boat Study Tour makes me think they were learning math or history or something on the boat, but they're just learning about how to take part in the races and a little bit about the boats themselves.
That's way more cool than what I thought it was.
Yeah, so that's fun.
So this is very much a family day.
By the sounds of things, people get out and just try to enjoy the day as best they can and try to have some fun while doing some traditional things at the same time.
Yeah, even one, or at least one to two weeks ahead of the holiday, people are already gathering together as a family and try to prepare for the celebration.
Like for my family case, I've already made The quote unquote appointment with my mom, saying that you have to leave the majority of your Sunday for me.
Why?
Because my mom, she makes the best rice, glutens, rice dumplings in the world.
And I have to let her teach me how.
Because previously, I only sit down and see her doing the magic and then we steam it together.
But this year, I want to make a video of how she does it.
And share with people from friends from outside of China, too.
So, yeah, that's something that Chinese families really prioritize at this time of the year.
So, yeah, we talked about how it's been one of the four major holidays.
So it's not like Spring Festival.
It's not like Mid-Autumn Festival, but...
It has its own significance.
It's also a time of family reunions.
Well, not just only for the family and for the educational purposes.
Actually, some celebration of the festival become bigger, such as dragon boat racing.
It has become tourism attraction.
Cities are packaging local dragon boat traditions into cultural experiences that combine sports history, sightseeing and also, of course, family activities, so visitors can travel specifically to famous racing destinations.
So these activities turned Duanwu holiday into a holiday centered on exploration and cultural immersion.
So people will travel to a location, maybe specifically to watch a race or to watch some different races.
Yeah, if it's nearby.
I would assume it's more common in the southern part than in the northern part, perhaps.
Well news said that across China, more than a dozen provinces and cities have brought out specific Dragon Boat Festival celebrations.
That's cool.
So this is a holiday that people will.
I didn't realize this last year when I when I was learning about it.
But this is a holiday that people will travel for.
This isn't just a day off where you kind of hang out in your own town.
It might be, but it might be something where you get on a plane or a train or a bus or something and head out to somewhere else in the country.
Could be.
It is a three-day kind of thing.
It's an opportunity, isn't it?
Is health having an influence this year, I wonder?
Because, you know, the zongzi are not the healthiest snacks in the world.
No.
It's the second time Steve mentions how unhealthy it can be.
But, yeah, you're right.
You have a good point.
Unhealthy always means delicious, though.
Well, yeah.
But I'm just curious because of all the health trends.
We talk about it all the time on Roundtable, don't we, about how health conscious uh, young people are becoming these days.
So is that kind of having an influence here too, or is it strictly stick with the traditions?
I hope it's the latter, but i have a feeling it's the former.
Well, I would say it's a mix of kind of a mix of both, because now we don't see it as always as borrowing new idea from the healthy part of lifestyles, but really it's we stick to the traditions.
We have how it's made, like how it's been, but we also have different choices for people who aim for a vegan choice, for example, who aim for more healthy ways.
Well, traditionally, they weren't designed to be vegan, were they?
If you look at it from the northern side.
If it's only sweet, then there's no meat or animal fat or protein included in the making of a zongzi.
So I would say it's vegan.
But nowadays, with many more flavors coming up, people are starting to look for new ways, such as adding quinoa.
Among the glutinous rice?
No.
I know, I disapprove that too.
But yeah, there's also the colorful seven-color zongzi that's made in Maguan County in southwest China's Yunnan province.
Instead of relying on artificial coloring, they actually use natural pigments extracted from local plants and herbs, giving the rice vibrant color, while just making it smell with a floral smell.
That's one way.
And then I think they're also making easier to digest kind of options, too.
One local resident noted that the black colored zongzi made with plant-based dye are popular because they are easy to digest and don't cause bloating.
So I think those changes reflect a broader trend in which people are paying more attention to wellness, digestive health and ingredient transparency.
And not just for colors and appearances, but also, I think, the tastes are becoming more diverse for Zongzi.
I've seen some very creative options.
Apart from what Yushan has mentioned, there are mango pomelo seigo.
Wow, that's fun.
Yeah, to mashutake mushroom. and lotus leaf fillings.
So these new options cater to changing dietary preferences, and I think this is something new and fresh to our generation.
Yeah, I don't know if it's about dietary preferences or if it's just like people trying to create some new flavors.
To marketize it better.
Well, yeah, because they can be.
They're kind of a blank canvas, or at least they can be.
So you can get creative with how you want to fill them up.
So whatever tastes good, right?
All right.
So what tips would we give people then on how to enjoy the festival better?
I guess one would be if you can avoid traffic peaks.
So if you are planning your return um, for example, on the afternoon of the 20th, which is saturday that's tomorrow, right?
Or maybe on sunday, maybe skip the sunday evening um time slot, because that will probably be the first but, that being said, it might be difficult to find a time any time during the day that's not really heavy with traffic.
What other tips would you give people?
Well, we've mentioned how good zongzi can be, but bear in mind that it's very filling.
So experts do suggest that you kind of need to limit consumption of zongzi to no more than two per day.
Ignore that one, everyone.
Have four.
It's a holiday.
Yeah, well, and the most important thing is always safety.
So be sure to inspect tires, brakes, and fuel.
If you're driving, ensure your car is in good condition.
Follow traffic rules, avoid speeding, and take breaks every two hours during long drives.
Oh, and last but not least, June the 21st is actually Father's Day.
I didn't know that.
It's never too late to know that.
Yeah, well, maybe choose some gifts based on your father's interest.
Yeah.
You said you were going to hang out with your mom on Sunday.
You might want to include Papa.
In that play.
Right, right, right.
Well, however it is that you are out there enjoying the holiday, please do so safely and have a great time, and ignore Yushan's advice about cutting down on the zongzi, because this is the time of year that you can do it.
And if you do have a favorite, feel free to text in and tell us what favorites you like.
Or email, I should say.
