Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Celebrated in Colombo

Jun 14, 2026 at 11:06 AM

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Lanka Leader

The Dragon Boat Festival, one of the four major traditional festivals in China (the others being: Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival), is held on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, it is a festival celebrated with great festivity every year in late May or June. This year, the festival falls on June 19 (Friday), and it will be celebrated throughout China for a period of 3 days from June 19 to June 21.

This festival is held in memory of the famous Chinese poet and politician Qu Yuan (340–278 BC). He drowned himself in the Miluo River after witnessing the decline of the State of Chu and out of deep concern for his country and people. According to the legend, local people rowed boats in search of Qu Yuan and threw rice dumplings into the river to prevent fish from eating his body. Over time, the festival became closely associated with the commemoration of Qu Yuan. The Dragon Boat Festival predates Qu Yuan, and many of its customs existed before the legend associated with him.

Zongzi is the main food of the festival, which is a rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves. It is filled with meat, beans, egg yolk, or dates. For the dragon boat races, long, narrow boats decorated with dragon heads and tails race on rivers and lakes while drums are beaten. Traditionally, realgar wine was used as part of Dragon Boat Festival folk customs to ward off evil spirits and disease. During this time, medicinal herbs are hung – that is, calamus and mugwort are hung on doorways to protect against evil.

Besides China, this festival is also celebrated in many other Asian countries and regions. In some Southeast Asian Chinese communities, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore, it is also popularly known as the 'Bak Chang Festival.

Building on the success of the China–Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Race, launched in 2022, this year's Dragon Boat Festival was celebrated on a grand scale, contributing to the further enhancement of bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties between China and Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, under the co-hosting of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Sri Lanka, the dragon boat race was jointly organized yesterday (12th) by the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking of Sri Lanka (NACKSL), the Chinese Cultural Center in Sri Lanka, the Overseas Chinese Association of Sri Lanka, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka, the China Central Institute for International Cultural Exchange and Tourism Promotion, and the Rugao Puppet Art Troupe. It was held magnificently at Port City Beach Plaza. The Chief Guests at the event were the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka,H E Qi Zhenhong, and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports of Sri Lanka, Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage.

Several short-distance dragon boat race categories, a puppet show by the Rugao Puppet Art Troupe, and a performance by the Sri Lanka Army that highlighted traditional Chinese culture and China–Sri Lanka cultural exchanges, along with many other competitions and cultural activities, were presented. Competitors from districts such as Jaffna and Colombo, as well as teams representing higher education institutions such as Sabaragamuwa University, competed."