The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in Zigui county, Central China's Hubei province on June 16. This is the first state-level event after the festival was listed in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Catalog in 2009.

The celebration is held by the Chinese Cultural Department, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office and Government of Hubei Province. The activities promote the culture of Qu Yuan and enhance Cross-Strait communication. Guests from cultural circles of both sides of the Strait attended the opening ceremony.

Chinese New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Dragon Boat Festival are three major festivals in China. The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

Chinese also call this day Duan-wu, as it memorializes the Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who committed suicide by jumping into the river after tying himself to a big rock on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.

Video: Sun Peng