On Saturday 24^th and Sunday 25^th of June the Chinese Museum celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival over two days of activities and events.

There is more than one story accounting for the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. Whether it is to commemorate the death of the ancient poet Qu Yuan or to repel evils and encourage good health in what are, in China, the balmy days of early summer, it is an opportunity for the family to share delicious food and spend time together.

A traditional food consumed during the dragon boat festival are zong-zi, sticky rice dumplings. Museum visitors were able to attend workshops over the course of both days, delivered by veteran cooks from the Chinese Youth Association, about the making of zong-zi. Audiences were informed of the history of the Dragon Boat festival and zong-zi, the kinds of ingredients available for making zong-zi, the process of assembly and cooking and about the way that zong-zi often fit into the lives of Chinese households as tasty and nutritious but fast and ready meals. Attendees had the opportunity to try both savoury style zong-zi and traditional Chinese milk tea thanks to the Chinese Museum’s sponsor for the two days of activity, Hungry Panda.

There were activities for families to enjoy. A photo station, where you could have your picture taken rowing in a dragon boat. And a colouring-in activity, whereby over the course of two days a dragon mural was created from scales individually shaded and coloured by hundreds of children and parents. On Sunday 25^th, there was an impressive traditional lion dance on the street that concluded with the lions saluting at the doors of the museum itself.

The celebration Dragon Boat Festival Family Days will continue as an exhibition in the Chinese Museum’s Level 1 Gallery until the 9^th of July, with free entry for children under 12. 

Visitors are watching sticky rice dumplings demonstrations session

Sticky rice dumplings demonstration

Visitors are taking photo with our dragon boat

Children are doing colouring activities

This program is sponsored by: