Races held across the country to celebrate the coming Dragon Boat Festival

Originating in China thousands of years ago, dragon boat racing is one of many traditions in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival, which commemorates the Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan (about 340-278 BC) on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

The festival, now a national holiday in China, falls on June 22 this year. People enjoy zongzi (sticky rice dumpling) on this day.

Click on the video to watch the exciting races.

(Video source: Kuaishou; cover photo: Xinhua)