About this Holiday
Tuen Ng Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. It commemorates the patriot-poet Qu Yuan who drowned himself in protest against government corruption in ancient China, with people throwing rice dumplings into the water to protect his body. In Hong Kong, spectacular dragon boat races are held across the territory's waterways, drawing huge crowds of spectators. The tradition of eating zongzi — sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves — is central to the celebration. Hong Kong hosts some of the region's most prestigious international dragon boat competitions.