Event overview
02077172521
Learn about the Dragon Boat Festival, watch an exciting array of live performances (Chinese dance, martial arts, singing & drumming) and get stuck into some craft workshops
Join Goldsmiths Confucius Institute for Dance and Performance for an exciting morning of festivities to celebrate the ancient Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.
Activities include:
- Chinese Lion Dance and drumming
- Chinese Zongzi dumpling experience!
- Chinese calligraphy - Learn to celebrate the festival with this unique art form
- Chinese Knots - Five-color-ropes knot that symbolizes peace and harvesting
- Origami - make your own dragon boats
The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节), is also known as Duan Yang, which means “Upright Sun” or “Double Fifth“ falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month around summer solstice.
The Dragon Boat Festival originates from Southern China and has evolved from the practice of revering the river dragon, to the commemoration of Qu Yuan, a third-century poet and political figure of the state of Chu in ancient China.
Qu Yuan was said to have drowned himself in a river following exile; people would throw sticky-rice dumplings in the river to prevent fish from eating his body.
The dragon was initially viewed as the benevolent spirit of the waters, it was believed that the river dragon controlled the rain and was thus worshipped during the summer solstice.
Today, the festival is traditionally celebrated with boat races and sticky-rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves known as Zongzi.
Goldsmiths Confucius Institute Website
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Jun 2023 | 11:00am - 1:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
