Dragon Boat Festival Among the Hills
A Midsummer Celebration of Childhood, Tradition, and Blessings
Preface
As folk traditions and the warmth of everyday life gently nurture childhood,
young hearts, in turn, carry these cherished traditions into the future.
— Preface
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month marks the arrival of the Dragon Boat Festival.
As cicadas sing and midsummer begins, children wrap zongzi, hang mugwort, and wear fragrant herbal sachets.
Surrounded by the warmth of summer, they experience the beauty of traditional Chinese culture in ways that naturally become part of their childhood.
The Dragon Boat Festival is one of China’s most cherished traditional festivals, rich in history, cultural meaning, and the spirit of summer. Customs such as making zongzi, hanging mugwort, braiding five-colored cords, and wearing herbal sachets have been lovingly passed down from generation to generation.
Teachers gently place a small dot of vermilion on each child’s forehead—a traditional Dragon Boat Festival blessing that symbolizes wisdom, clarity, and protection.
With this simple yet meaningful tradition, we hope every child will grow with bright eyes, an open mind, curiosity to explore, wisdom to think, kindness to others, and confidence for the journey ahead.
The vermilion blessing also represents the traditional wish for good health, peace, and protection throughout childhood.
For generations, mugwort has been treasured as a symbol of health and protection during the Dragon Boat Festival. More than a traditional custom, this gentle ritual reflects our kindergarten’s enduring care for every child.
May every child grow with a bright spirit, a peaceful heart, and the confidence to flourish.
Since ancient times, people have worn herbal sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival as symbols of health, protection, and well-being.
As children carefully stitch each sachet by hand, they experience the beauty of this centuries-old tradition while discovering the gentle fragrance of Chinese herbs.
Every stitch carries their heartfelt wishes, and every finished sachet reflects our kindergarten’s warm hopes for their future.
May gentle breezes accompany them throughout every season, bringing happiness, health, and peace wherever they go.
In ancient times, folding fans offered welcome relief from the summer heat.
Today, children decorate their own fans with colorful paintings and joyful imagination, expressing the beauty of childhood through every brushstroke.
May they always carry a refreshing breeze in their hands, poetry in their hearts, and joy throughout every season.
Through activities such as the vermilion blessing, mugwort hand-washing, five-colored cord braiding, herbal sachet making, and fan painting, children experience the richness of traditional Chinese culture in meaningful and memorable ways.
At The Affiliated Kindergarten of Changchun Nanhu Experimental Zhonghai Primary School, we thoughtfully weave traditional customs into hands-on learning experiences, allowing children to discover the beauty, wisdom, and enduring spirit of the Dragon Boat Festival.
As they learn through experience, seeds of cultural appreciation, kindness, and respect quietly take root in their hearts.
May every child grow up healthy, joyful, and full of curiosity.
Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
