The Dragon-Boat Festival is observed on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. On this day the people eat rice dumplings, and go to watch the Dragon-Boat races.
The Dragon-Boat Festival is dedicated to the great poet Chu Yuan (343-290 B. C.). Chu Yuan was a minister of the state of Ch'u. He loved his country very much and wanted to make it strong. But the king of Ch'u believed the words of his treacherous advisors and rejected Chu Yuan's plans for making the country rich and strong. Chu Yuan was so disappointed that he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Milo River.
Upon learning of Chu Yuan's suicide, the people rushed to row their boats in search of his body. Accordingly, the Chinese people have commemorated this day as the Dragon-Boat Festival. Originally, the boats had a very simple appearance, but later on people added dragon decorations to the boats for this special occasion.
In memory of Chu Yuan, people put rice inside bamboo stalks and threw it into the river as an offering. Later on, to express their admiration and respect for the great poet Chu Yuan, the Chinese people also designated this festival as Poet's Day.

中國五月五日是端午。在這一天，家家包粽子，各地還舉行划龍船比賽。
端午節的由來，是為了紀念愛國詩人屈原 。屈原是戰國時代楚國的大臣，他很愛自已的國家，想出力把國家弄好，以抵抗強暴的秦國。他雖然是個詩人，但是想出很多富國強兵的計畫獻給楚王，可是楚王聽信奸臣的話，不但不接受他的意見，還把他放逐到外地。
屈原的抱負不能實現，他雖然非常失望，也很傷心，仍然整日為國事擔憂，後來就在五月五日那天跳汨羅江(在今湖南省)自殺了。
百姓知道屈原是位愛國賢士，見他跳江自殺，都划去找他的體。後來，大家就定在這一天為端牛節，並且在每年個時候舉行划船比賽來紀念他。
以前比賽用的小船，形狀很簡單，後來經過逐漸設計與改變，裝飾成炯炯有神的蛟龍的模樣，稱為「龍舟」。划龍舟比賽，也含有要大家同舟共濟，合作努力的意思。
過端午節除了舉行划龍船比賽，還要吃粽子。屈原投江自殺，人們就把祭祀品投入江中來祭祀他，可是又怕祭品被水沖散，所以把米裝在竹筒裏密封了再投入水中，後來又改成用竹葉包紮糯米，就是「粽子」。
粽子口味有甜有鹹，黏黏的糯米透著一股竹葉的清香，非常好吃，這是最能表現中國傳統習俗的應節食品。
屈原的故事流傳下，大家對這位愛國的詩人，都十分尊敬，所以也定端午節這一天為詩人節。