One Dragon Boat Festival tradition is to balance a raw egg on its end at exactly noontime on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. If one is able to do this feat, he is said to be lucky for the rest of the year.

Originally, dragon boats were never a part of this festival. The Duan Wu Jie celebration is believed to originate from ancient China's agrarian or farming culture when people held ceremonies and made sacrifices to the River Dragons to prevent droughts, floods and other plagues; common natural disasters that often occurred around this time of the year. It's suggested that this is when the tradition of throwing zong zi into the water started. Today, zong zi is a pyramid shaped glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves, but in ancient times it was described as a bamboo stem filled with rice or millet.

Although most associate dragon boats to the story of Qu Yuan, they were a part of this festival before his death. Boats were introduced as part of the celebrations to 'amuse" the dragon and protect the people from its plagues.

The legend associating dragon boats and the Duan Wu Jie Festival can be traced back to about 278 B.C. It tells of how people attempted to rescue Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan), a patriotic poet who commit suicide by drowning himself on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

Qu Yuan was a minister in the kingdom of Chu, an important state ruled by the Zhou king during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). Qu Yuan realized the weak position of the Chu state and proposed establishing peaceful relations with other states during this turbulent period. Honest and uncorrupt, Qu Yuan was opposed by the kings' aide and other court officials who had agendas of their own. Fearing his honesty and good standing with the king, they falsely accused him of corruption. After his disgrace he was banished from his beloved Chu.

Qu Yuan went into exile for about 20 years and while traveling taught and wrote poetry. He was responsible for some of the greatest poems in Chinese literature expressing his sorrow as he helplessly watched his state destroy itself through corruption. When Chu was captured by the Qin in 278 BC, he was heartbroken at the defeat and disgrace at the hands of its corrupt officials. He had lost all hope and wrote two famous poems Ai Ying and Huai Sha, which reveal his suicide plans. In despair, he held onto a rock and flung himself into the Milou River near the present day city of Changsha. This was also his statement to protest against the turmoil in his beloved land.

When people heard about Qu Yuan's fate, fishermen quickly rush to his rescue. Riding long boats they beat drums in an effort to scare away the fish and frighten the River Dragon into returning him from the river. They also threw zong zi into the water to entice the bigger fish and, hopefully, stop them from eating Qu Yuan's body. This is why on every fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar - on the anniversary of his death - Chinese people remember him by racing dragon boats and eating zong zi.

Today zong zi is made of glutinous rice and shaped into a ball. Each one is individually wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves and steamed. They are filled with various types of ingredients such as egg, fruits, walnuts, meat, sweet potato, or a combination of any of these ingredients. Although traditionally associated with the Dragon Boat festival, they are eaten throughout the year with each region in the country adding its own unique style and flavour.

Since the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in the fifth month, it falls in what has been designated the "Evil Month" - a month where evil spirits ruled over unlucky humans. May is a hot, humid month and with it comes natural events and infectious diseases. In the ancient times, these events were believed to be caused by the Five Gods of Plague. Because of this ancient superstition, people often wear lucky charms to ward off evil spirits and sicknesses. A picture of the Guardian Against Evil Spirits, Zhong Kui, is hung on the doors of homes. Adults drink Xiong Huang Wine while children are often told to carry scented silk purses to keep away evil spirits.

It was during the 19th century when European observers referred to the celebration of Duan Wu Jie as the Dragon Boat Festival.