Dragon Boat Festival is one of the many traditional festivals that are celebrated in China. The day falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Lunar Calendar, meaning that it will fall on a different day every year on the Gregorian calendar, usually coming at the end of May or the beginning of June. The holiday is said to originate from the death of a Warring States Period scholar from the state of Chu, who’s opposition to a treaty with Qin was ignored and when the state was subsequently invaded by Qin, he committed suicide out of loyalty and sadness. Since then, the holiday has become widely celebrated across China. Today, as a local, I would like to share with you what the locals usually do during Dragon Boat Festival.

For many locals in Xi’an, spring means eating the bounty of fresh herbs that grow for a short period during the spring. There is a saying that a spring without herbs is a soulless one. During springtime, you will most likely find many locals heading to the mountains and fields to dig up wild herbs with shovels in hands and sunhats on head, as the potherb is the soul of theirs and this is the way they greet Spring.

Since ancient time there has been a wording 咬春 Yao Chun or Bite Spring, it is the season for potherbs in March and April switching from the heavy meats and fish of the Spring Festival holiday to lighter and more fresh tastes. So, tune into the season and get a mouthful of Spring.

In August, we published Bridging the Gap, Part 1, in August’s issue of XIANEASE, and so we’re back with another installment of our guide on how to get fit in with your Chinese colleagues at work. If you have any further questions about the ins and outs of working in a company in China, let us know through our official WeChat account or by email at info@xianease.com.