The Dragon Boat Festival Story: Qu Yuan, Myth, and History – S6-E15
Looking for the true story behind the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie)? There’s much more to it than dragon boat races and sticky rice dumplings (zongzi).
Many know the standard origin story of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan, but Formosa Files uncovers the less-tidy roots of the holiday. The Dragon Boat Festival date falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month; once feared as the dangerous "Month of a Hundred Poisons." Discover how people responded with temple rituals, protective herbs, and even arsenic-laced wine.
John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith also chat about what marks the arrival of summer in modern Taiwan, from peak mango season to the blooming of the yellow golden shower and red flame trees right around when schools celebrate graduations. Plus, Eryk shares ancient wisdom from Ben-Hur ("Row well, and live" – 1959) as he recounts his own dragon boat racing glory.
Cover image: A blurry view (because we were so fast) of the 2025 AIT-K team as it raced to an historic 2nd place finish.
Below: Mayor Chen Chi-mai (far left) poses with second place winners: Graham Dart, Cindy Wu, Neil Gibson, Eryk Michael Smith
Below: Two city councilor teams (right) collide, allowing the AIT-K team to eke out a glorious second place triumph.
WATCH: Ben-Hur Movie CLIP - Row Well and Live (1959)
Below: 1973 race in Taipei. Via Taiwan Panorama.
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