Learn about the history and heritage behind the Dragon Boat Festival beyond racing and eating rice dumplings.
Despite the Dragon Boat Festival narrowly missing the public holiday this year (it falls on Saturday, 31 May 2025), there are still plenty of reasons for you to get excited about this cherished festival. Celebrated across China and Asia Pacific communities with Chinese heritage, the Dragon Boat Festival is a key cultural event in Hong Kong. If you don’t know your Chinese New Year from your Mid-Autumn Festival and have no clue what to expect, consider this your insider’s guide from a local cultural enthusiast. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival.
All you need to know a-boat the Dragon Boat Festival
Storytime: History of the Dragon Boat Festival
Among the stories attributed to the Dragon Boat Festival’s origin, the best known one remembers Qu Yuan (c. 340 – 278 BC), a renowned poet and royal minister from the Chu state during the Zhou dynasty. Though Qu thrived as a member of the palace, he was banished for his opposition to the Emperor’s alliance with the Qin state, which was considered treason.
While he found solace in poetry, Qu’s despair deepened when Qin forces captured the Chu capital 28 years later. This ultimately led to his suicide by drowning in the Miluo River. His followers raced out in their boats to save him, but when they failed to find his body, they cast glutinous rice balls into the river, hoping the fish would eat them instead of the poet’s remains. And so there you have it – the beginning of dragon boat races and rice dumplings.
Wait, what rice dumplings?
These sticky rice dumplings are a seasonal treat during Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong and across China. Known as zong in Cantonese, or zongzi in Mandarin, these packets of goodness contain varying fillings depending on where you are.
North China generally prefers sweet bean paste and jujube fillings, while us Southerners favour savoury fillings like pork belly and salted egg yolk. Even the shapes differ – while we’re more familiar with triangular or pyramid-shaped dumplings, rectangular or pillow-shaped dumplings are more common in regions like Jiangsu. No matter the filling or form, all rice dumplings are wrapped in aromatic bamboo leaves, tied by reed, and steamed.
Once an item of commemoration for Qu, rice dumplings now symbolise family togetherness. Across China and beyond, families gather during the Dragon Boat Festival to make rice dumplings and reconnect with one another. While most Hong Kong locals don’t make their own dumplings anymore, gifting and enjoying these glutinous treats with loved ones remains a cherished tradition for most. If you’d like to take part in this festive ritual this year, our guide to the best rice dumplings in Hong Kong is a great place to start!
Fast and furious… on the water
Beyond the well-known competitive dragon boat races, Hong Kong comes alive with a series of events during the Dragon Boat Festival month. Here are some of my top picks for immersing in the spirit of this festival.
1. Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade
While you may be more familiar with competitive dragon boat racing in Victoria Harbour and Stanley, the tradition began with Hong Kong’s boat-dwelling communities. In Tai O, three fishermen’s associations still practice the centuries-old tradition of parading deity statues around Tai O’s waters on their boats.
Each year on Tuen Ng Festival Eve, members of Pa Teng Hong (扒艇行), Sin Yu Hong (鮮魚行), and Hap Sim Tong (合心堂) sail in dragon boats to four temples in Tai O to collect statues of Yeung Hou, Tin Hau, Kwan Tai (Judge of the Underworld), and Hung Shing (God of the Sea) from four temples, bringing them back to their associations’ halls for worship. On festival day, the same statues will board sacred sampans towed by dragon boats in a parade through Tai O’s waters. After the ritual, the statues are ceremoniously returned to their respective temples before nightfall.
When: 30 May 2025, 9am – 1pm; 31 May 2025, 8:30am – 3pm
Where: Tai O, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
More about Tai O’s Dragon Boat festivities
2. Tai Po Night Dragon Boat Parade
A similar water-related ritual unfolds along the shores of Sam Mun Tsai in Tai Po. Rooted in land- and boat-swelling heritage, the Yuen Chau Tsai Shek and Wing Chuen Tong Chung Clans blend maritime traditions with jiao festivities in their parade.
Every year, clan members consult the gods in their native Hoklo dialect, using divination blocks to decide everything from start time and route to the location for the “plucking the greens” lion and dragon dance (採青). As the parade proceeds, villagers pray to the deities for blessings and protection on land and at sea.
When: Evening of 30 May 2025 to the morning of 31 May 2025
Where: Sam Mun Tsai, Tai Po, Hong Kong
More about Tai Po’s Dragon Boat festivities
3. Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races
As the highlight of this traditional festival, the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races draws in over 190 teams from around the world to compete in our stunning Victoria Harbour every year. With 19 races spread across the racing weekend, there’s plenty of excitement to be had! You can check out the race timetable online from the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association.
When: 7 June 2025, 8am – 7pm; 8 June 2025, 8am – 6pm
Where: Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade to Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
More about the Dragon Boat races
4. Dragon Boat Carnival
Get ready for a week-long Dragon Boat Carnival! The Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars will be buzzing with stalls, serving up quality street food and refreshing drinks on the Dragon Boat Food Lane.
Adding to the excitement on 7 and 8 June is a Beer Garden featuring local brews and draft beers. For tourists visiting on the race weekend, don’t forget to snag a free pint by grabbing a drinking voucher at the Star Ferry Pier or the promenade collection point. Plus, you might even catch flash mobs by the talented Cirque du Soleil team!
When: Until 10pm, 31 May – 8 June 2025
Where: Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
TL;DR: Dos and don’ts during the Dragon Boat Festival
Whether you’re too lazy to read all the text above (cough), or just looking for some quick trivia to impress your friends, here are some fun facts about the Dragon Boat Festival:
1. Don’t sink; do swim
If you want to prevent misfortune for the coming year, swim or immerse yourselves in the waters that the dragon boats have raced across. We dare you! (No, honestly, trust us with this one.)
2. Do try the five-bean congee (五豆粥)
Because of the similar pronunciations of Dragon Boat Festival and the number five in Chinese, some people (particularly in Hong Kong and the other regions in Guangdong) make a sweetish congee, with five different beans for the Tuen Ng festivities. These five beans are: red beans, mung beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, and red kidney beans.
3. Don’t drink too much, especially realgar wine (雄黃酒)
To be fair, there is barely any realgar wine in the market nowadays, but if someone tries to feed you some, claiming it to be an auspicious Festival tradition… Say no. While they’re not lying about drinking realgar wine being usual Tuen Ng practice back in the day, the drink, which is actually Chinese yellow wine sprinkled with arsenic sulphide, is now believed to be toxic and may lead to poisoning. So, be careful!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dragon Boat Festival and why is it celebrated in Hong Kong?
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Tuen Ng Festival (端午節), is a significant traditional holiday in Hong Kong, rich in history and cultural meaning. It primarily commemorates Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet Qu Yuan who lived during the Warring States period. Legend has it that when he drowned himself in protest against corruption, villagers raced out in boats and threw rice balls into the water to prevent fish from eating his body. These actions evolved into the iconic dragon boat races and the tradition of eating rice dumplings (zongzi).
What are the main traditions and activities associated with the Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong?
The Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong is characterised by several key traditions and activities, including dragon boat races where teams row long, ornately decorated boats to the beat of a drum in thrilling competitions and eating rice dumplings (zongzi) filled with various sweet or savoury fillings, wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves.
Where are the best places to experience the Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong?
There are various places where you can experience the Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong, including major dragon boat race venues, local temples, and coastal areas like Aberdeen and Cheung Chau.
