The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Double Fifth Festival, falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month annually. It is one of the most important traditional holidays for East Asians, especially in Vietnam and China. In Vietnam, this day is commonly referred to as the Insect-Killing Festival.
When is the Dragon Boat Festival 2025, and what is its date in the Gregorian calendar?
Etymologically, the character ‘Đoan’ in ‘Đoan Ngọ’ signifies the beginning, while ‘Ngọ’ represents the noon hour (from 11 am to 1 pm). Thus, ‘Đoan Ngọ’ indicates the beginning of noon. Alternatively, if we refer to this festival as ‘Đoan Dương’, the character ‘Dương’ implies the sun and yang energy. ‘Đoan Dương’ signifies the time when yang energy prevails.
For the Vietnamese, the Dragon Boat Festival is an opportunity to safeguard their health, prevent diseases, and protect crops from pest infestations. Consequently, our ancestors called this day the Insect-Killing Festival. Accordingly, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month every year, people perform rituals to worship deities and ancestors, praying for good health and a bountiful harvest. Notably, our forefathers also worshiped Đôi Truân, who was regarded as the guardian deity of crops, offering protection against pests and diseases.
According to Professor Trần Đức Cường, as reported by Tiền Phong newspaper, Vietnam’s hot climate, especially during the fifth lunar month, provides favorable conditions for insects, bacteria, and viruses to thrive. These pests damage crops and adversely affect human health. Hence, our ancestors devised strategies to combat the heat and prevent diseases through specific foods and beverages.
The Dragon Boat Festival 2025, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in the year of the Serpent, corresponds to Saturday, May 31st, 2025, in the Gregorian calendar. As this date falls on a weekend, families have more convenient time to perform the ceremonial rituals, and family members can gather to enjoy the traditional atmosphere of this festival.
Customs and Traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival
Our ancestors attached great importance to the Dragon Boat Festival. They would prepare a variety of dishes to offer to the deities and ancestors. The specific offerings might vary depending on the region and local produce.
According to the book ‘Hà Nội địa dư’, our forefathers had a custom: “During the Double Fifth Festival, they would bundle mugwort leaves, dye their fingernails, and tie threads around their wrists.” Meanwhile, the book ‘Đồng Khánh địa dư chí’ describes the offerings for this festival as follows: “On the Dragon Boat Festival, people prepared wine and fruits to worship their ancestors early in the morning. Everyone drank wine and ate fruits, believing that this would kill insects…”.
In the past, it was believed that insects could reside within the human body. Usually, these creatures hid in the stomach, but on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, they would emerge. Therefore, people needed to consume specific foods to eliminate them.
The eradication of insects needed to be performed early in the morning, right after waking up. Hence, our ancestors had the custom of consuming glutinous rice wine, rice crackers, mung bean porridge, and sticky rice cakes early in the morning of the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. These foods were believed to intoxicate the insects. Afterward, people would eat various sour and bitter fruits to destroy the insects.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, our ancestors would hang bundles of mugwort leaves at the door to ward off evil spirits and prevent illnesses.
On this day, our ancestors also practiced other customs, such as bathing with fragrant herbal water, tree worship, and dyeing their fingernails and toenails…
While some of these traditions are no longer widely practiced, many families still maintain the custom of offering traditional foods like sticky rice, sticky rice cakes, and seasonal fruits during the Dragon Boat Festival.
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“According to astrological predictions, from the Tết Đoan Ngọ festival on the 5th of the lunar month to the full moon of the 6th lunar month, luck will favor those of these three ages: [insert ages]. This is a time of great fortune and unexpected wealth, as these individuals will experience a streak of golden opportunities and prosperous ventures.”
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The Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month) is not just an occasion for families to prepare a traditional feast to ward off insects and pests. It is also a time when the universe is believed to be in a state of powerful flux, bringing about unexpected shifts in fortune and fate, especially for these three zodiac signs.
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The stars have aligned to bring an abundance of fortune to those born under these three zodiac signs in the lead-up to the Dragon Boat Festival.
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As we approach the festive season of Tết Đoan Ngọ, it’s important to note that while there is a plethora of delicious dishes to indulge in, some combinations may not sit well together. The array of flavors, from sour to spicy and salty to sweet, each has its unique effect. However, it is crucial to be mindful of certain food pairings that could potentially impact your health.
