Residents from Xiamen, Fujian province, pick reed leaves to wrap zongzi, the glutinous rice dumplings enjoyed during the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 7 this year. [Photo/xmnn.cn]

According to Guo Kuncong, a folklore expert in Xiamen, Fujian province, the Dragon Boat Festival, also called the "May Festival", marks the seasonal transition from spring to summer. In the eyes of Xiamen residents, the Dragon Boat Festival is very important and is celebrated in many ways. 

The festival is inseparable from the "Grain in Ear" and "Summer Solstice", the 9th and 10th of the 24 Solar Terms in China. "Grain in Ear" is also called "Cold Festival" in Xiamen, when people start to eat fruits and drink sweet-sour plum juice, all cool foods which get their bodies gradually ready for summer. 

The festival arrives after the Grain in Ear. In the eyes of Xiamen people, the festival has the meaning of "Daughter's Day". In the past, daughters would return to their parents' homes with zongzi, the traditional Chinese glutinous rice dumplings. 

"There are lots of rains between the 'Grain in Ear' and the festival that breed mosquitoes and flies, and people gradually formed the habit of hanging wormwood in ancient times to repel mosquitoes and clean the air," said Guo. 

In the past, every child received sachets during the festival. 

"Summer is a season of growing and ancient people hoped their children would grow well through theses sachets," explained Guo, adding that adults drank realgar wine to avoid getting sick during the rainy days. 

Besides making zongzi, the Dragon Boat Race is another traditional local celebration. The Cross-Straits Dragon Boat Cultural Festival takes place in Jimei district every year and has been expanding in both its size and scale. 

A comic picture of zongzi, the glutinous rice pudding usually filled with red beans, egg yolk, dates and pork. [Photo/xmnn.cn]

One other game at the festival in Xiamen is catching ducks on the water, a water sports event that needs wisdom and courage and is full of southern Fujian characteristics. A long cedar stick is hung on a boat parallel with the water surface. The wood stick, 3 to 4 meters long, is coated with oil and a cage with ducks placed at one end of the stick. The player walks barefoot from one end of the wood to the other end to get to the duck cage. It's hard to keep balance because of the oil. 

If a player can walk through and reach the end of the cedar and successfully open the cage, letting the duck fall into the water, he or she will win the game. It is really hard to play and only a few manage it. 

After the Dragon Boat Festival and the rainy season, summer will arrive. Farming will start and fruits will grow.