Duanwu Herbs Festival in Ninglang County, Lijiang

Chinese Name:宁蒗县端午节（卖药根）
English Name: Duanwu Herbs Festival in Ninglang County, Lijiang

As the annual Dragon Boat Festival approaches, the spotlight in Ninglang County shifts away from traditional rice dumplings to a diverse array of herbal roots. On this day, the county town bustles with crowds, filled with the fragrant aroma of medicinal herbs, creating a unique festive atmosphere.

Traditionally known as the Dragon Boat Festival, in Ninglang it is affectionately referred to as the “Herbal Root Festival.” Alongside rituals honoring Qu Yuan, eating rice dumplings, and racing dragon boats, the Herbal Root Festival has become a significant aspect of how people in Ninglang celebrate the festival.

The practice of herbal cuisine and health maintenance has a long history in Ninglang, which is renowned as the “Kingdom of Medicinal Herbs” in Yunnan Province. With twelve ethnic groups residing here, each has its own unique knowledge of different herbs. The Dragon Boat Festival has evolved into a grand showcase and trading opportunity for these herbs.

Days before the festival, diligent locals venture into the mountains to search for various herbs, hoping for a fruitful harvest, particularly during favorable weather conditions. Equipped with bamboo baskets and small hoes, they embark on these journeys, often encountering unexpected treasures and wealth along the way.

Early on the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, the market comes alive with activity. People rush to the marketplace at dawn, filled with anticipation, hoping to fetch a good price for the herbs they have collected. Simultaneously, vendors engage in exchanges, selling their herbs while also purchasing those they need. Year after year, this cycle of trade has contributed to the grand herbal trading activities that define Ninglang’s Dragon Boat Festival.

On the day of the festival, residents of Ninglang bring the herbs they’ve collected in advance to sell at the market. This spontaneously forms a temporary street dedicated to herbs, with hundreds of stalls attracting a continuous stream of buyers seeking various medicinal herbs. The market exudes a warm and festive atmosphere.

The herbs purchased from the market, such as Aristolochia, Gentiana, Codonopsis, and Angelica, are used to prepare medicinal cuisine. For the local people of Ninglang, the customs of gathering herbs in the mountains, buying them at the market, and cooking them at home have become deeply rooted traditions. Thus, the “Herbal Root Festival” has become a symbol of the Dragon Boat Festival in Ninglang County, reflecting the local people’s reverence for herbal culture and their commitment to a healthy lifestyle.