Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival at its historic origin

On the banks of the Miluo River in central China’s Hunan Province, traditional customs such as dragon boat racing, eating zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings) and hanging mugwort leaves have been passed down for thousands of years, shaping a distinctive cultural identity.

Legend has it that more than 2,300 years ago, the poet Qu Yuan took his own life in the Miluo River, leaving a lasting legacy of patriotism and poetry. Since then, Miluo has been celebrated as the birthplace of the Dragon Boat Festival, the hometown of dragon boats, and the cradle of Chinese classical verse.

For more than two millennia, the traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, have been preserved and passed down through generations in this culturally rich region.

Join People's Daily Online reporter Michael Kurtagh along the Miluo River as he experiences the thrill of dragon boat racing firsthand and immerses himself in the enduring charm of traditional Chinese culture.