Dragon Boat Festival｜Infused with Tradition and Emotion — Chinese Traditional Culture at Harrow Beijing

Fragrant Zongzi Carry Ancient Charm, 

Little Hands Inherit Civilisation.

In today’s increasingly globalized world, international education is not only a bridge of languages but also a bond of cultures. Harrow Beijing remains committed to deeply integrating traditional Chinese culture into our international curriculum. Through bilingual education and cross-cultural understanding, we aim to help students shape a multicultural identity rooted in local heritage. The Dragon Boat Festival, one of China’s most important traditional festivals, provides an ideal opportunity to bring this educational philosophy to life.

This year, in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival, Harrow Beijing’s Early Years, Lower School, and Upper School each hosted a series of creative and meaningful cultural activities. From making zongzi and scented sachets to arts and crafts and engaging challenges, students observed, practiced, and reflected deeply, gaining a profound understanding of the cultural values behind the festival. Through these meaningful rituals, they encountered tradition and engaged in dialogue with culture.

Early Years

Zongzi by Tiny Hands, 

Fragrance and Tradition Passed Along.

At Harrow Beijing Early Years, the Dragon Boat Festival is more than a time to taste traditional food — it’s a journey of cultural discovery and early learning. Leading up to the festival, teachers guided children through the story of The Origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, helping them understand the history of the celebration through vivid storytelling. With the help of a fun finger rhyme titled Dragon Boat Festival, the children joyfully chanted seasonal rhymes, experiencing the rhythms and charm of traditional Chinese festivals.

The themed activities were both exciting and enriching: children eagerly participated in the “Shoot the Five Poisons” game — symbolizing the warding off of evil and the wish for good health; under the careful guidance of kitchen staff and teachers, they made their own zongzi — from choosing bamboo leaves and filling glutinous rice to wrapping the shape, these little hands passed on warmth and festive blessings; they also handcrafted scented sachets filled with mugwort, expressing good wishes for peace and wellness. Meanwhile, teachers reminded the children about holiday safety, helping them develop awareness and good habits for the upcoming break.

Through this series of engaging and educational activities, the children at Harrow Beijing Early Years not only exercised their hands and minds but also soaked in the richness of Chinese traditional culture through their senses and emotions. This “fragrant Dragon Boat Festival” will surely become a warm and meaningful page in their childhood memories.

Lower School

Inheriting Culture Through Craft and Joy — 

Decoding the Cultural DNA of the Dragon Boat Festival

Zongzi Fun & Creativity: 

The Magic of Color and Form

In Year 2, students transformed into “Little Festival Artisans” to design cheerful zongzi using a blend of crayons and watercolors. Some dressed their zongzi in stripes, while others added smiling faces. The highlight was the “Zongzi Costume Show” — where students turned flat artwork into 3D creations by folding and pasting. Some crafted miniature steamer baskets from white cardboard and tucked their zongzi paintings inside, while others designed butterfly-decorated gift boxes, treating their zongzi as holiday gifts.

Flying Paper Dragons: A First Look at Folk Art Codes

Year 3 students explored “the aesthetics of color and form in traditional Chinese toys.” After appreciating classic crafts like cloth tigers and clay whistles, they created “Paper Dragons.” “We noticed traditional toys are brightly colored, so we chose red for our dragons, just like dragon boats!” one student explained. By comparing the rich colors of folk art with the softer tones of modern design, students came to understand the cultural meaning behind color in tradition — red symbolizes good fortune and protection, while gold represents a bountiful harvest.

Dragon Boat Races: 

A Dynamic Story Told with Origami and Paint

Year 4 focused on “Dragon Boat Races” with a cross-media approach: first folding paper into boat hulls, then illustrating fierce dragon heads and tails. By combining handcrafting with drawing, they vividly recreated the festive energy of traditional dragon boat races. One student shared: “Our dragon boat has wings, so it can race across both water and sky!”

Fragrance in Clay: A Contemporary Take on Traditional Symbols

In Year 5, the challenge level rose. Centered on “modern interpretations of folk art,” students used clay to express traditional Dragon Boat elements. After studying the Dragon Boat Frolic woodblock print from Tianjin’s Yangliuqing, they sculpted miniature festival scenes. Some created triangular compositions with dragon boats racing over textured wave patterns, contrasting with smooth water surfaces. Others focused on “Fragrance at the Door” — using gradient-colored clay to shape zongzi leaves and string elements to represent traditional weaving rhythms.

Upper School
Dragon Boat Races & Handcrafted Traditions — Experiencing the Beauty of Culture Through Action

To promote Chinese traditional culture, Harrow Beijing’s Upper School organized a Dragon Boat Festival celebration full of hands-on experiences and fun competitions. On the day of the event, a strong festive atmosphere filled the campus. Students from all year levels engaged in activities exploring different cultural dimensions: some immersed themselves in the craftsmanship of tradition, while others joined the spirited dragon boat race — together composing a vibrant melody of cultural heritage and youthful enthusiasm.

In the handicraft experience session, Year 6 and Year 9 students sewed mugwort sachets by hand, embracing the tradition of “wearing fragrance to attract blessings.” Year 7 students focused on bamboo weaving techniques, experiencing the wisdom of ancient craftsmanship in each weave. Year 8 students took on a more advanced challenge — creating bamboo-woven paintings, blending traditional craft with artistic expression to show their unique interpretation of the festival. Year 10 students crafted mugwort massage tools, gaining insight into traditional Chinese medicine and improving their life skills and cultural awareness through practical application.

In addition to traditional craft courses, the much-anticipated “Inflatable Dragon Boat Race” was held. In this inter-house competition, students from all six houses paddled fiercely, sweat flying as they worked together in pursuit of victory. The event strengthened physical ability and team spirit, while immersing students in the cultural significance of dragon boat racing. Through the fusion of sports and tradition, culture became tangible and learning joyful — breathing new life into the expression of traditional festivals in the modern era.

Harrow Beijing firmly believes that excellent traditional culture does not belong only to the past — it belongs to the future. Through each culture-based festival activity, we help students not just see tradition, but enter into it. Children are not mere observers of festivals, but active participants and inheritors of culture.