In the past weeks, news of the annual Yulin Festival in China, where thousands of dogs and cats are taken, beaten, and eaten, ignited massive online outrage across the globe. The northern city of Yulin believes that apart from helping stimulate body heat during the harsh winter months, eating dog meat brings good luck and health. However, in other parts of China, eating zongzi, or sticky rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves, during the Dragon Boat Festival is a more humane approach to receiving favors from heaven.

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Celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, Duanwu Festival is a commemoration of the life and death of ancient Chinese poet and patriot Qu Yuan. According to an article by CCTV-America, the well-loved advisor to the state drowned himself in the Miluo River following the capture of the state capital. Saddened by Qu Yuan's suicide, people fed zongzi to to the fishes so these would spare the scholar's body. Today, the festivity includes dragon boat races and realgar wine consumption. The 2,000-year-old tradition is also recognized in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Vietnam.

Students in and outside China observed Dragon Boat Festival in different ways. In Henan, Huanghe Jiaotong University students reportedly from the Poetry Association dressed up as the poet and fed zongzi to migrant workers. They also recited one of Qu Yuan's classic poems and handed out packs of rice dumplings, Shanghaiist reported. Meanwhile, Nigerian students and teachers at The Confucius Institute of the University of Lagos also took part in the celebration by eating zongzi, exchanging gifts, and joining quiz contests. 

"The Chinese people have a tradition to race dragon boats in Duanwu, so we would like to take this occasion to introduce the Chinese culture to local friends," Shanghai Daily quoted Jiang Lirong, institute codirector.

Aside from sweet  rice dumplings, perfume and medicine sachets are customarily made during the Dragon Boat Festival. Known in Chinese as xiang bao, these small packets are made of paper or cloth and contain traditional medicines. The pouch serves as a talisman that brings good luck and repels evil spirits and insects, CCTV-America cited. 

TagsDragon Boat Festival, Yulin Festival, Zongzi