Together, 端午 (duānwǔ) literally means the “beginning of the fifth month,” and adding 节 (jié) turns it into the “Festival at the Beginning of the Fifth Month.”
The Dragon Boat Festival is rich with historical and cultural layers. The most famous story behind it is the commemoration of Qu Yuan (屈原), a patriotic poet and minister of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period (around 343-278 BC). When his kingdom was conquered, the deeply loyal Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. According to legend, local people were so distraught that they raced out in boats to try and save him, which is said to be the origin of dragon boat racing. To prevent his body from being eaten by fish, they threw packets of rice into the river—the precursor to today's zongzi (粽子). However, the festival's origins predate Qu Yuan. It was originally a time to ward off disease and evil spirits at the start of summer, which was considered a “poisonous” or “unlucky” month. Traditions like hanging mugwort (艾草) and calamus (菖蒲) on doors, and drinking realgar wine (雄黄酒), all stem from these ancient beliefs about purification and protection. A useful Western comparison is Thanksgiving. Both are major national holidays centered around specific foods (zongzi vs. turkey) and communal activities (dragon boat racing vs. American football). However, while Thanksgiving is primarily about gratitude and harvest, 端午节 has a deeper, more complex meaning rooted in commemoration, patriotism (for Qu Yuan), and ancient rituals for health and protection.
In modern China, 端午节 is a public holiday, giving people a three-day break. Here's how it's typically celebrated today: