by Vivien Liu
NEW YORK, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese cultural heritage took center stage in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, as an immersive Dragon Boat Festival fair allowed New Yorkers to experience one of China's oldest traditional holidays through hands-on activities and festive foods.
The event was hosted by local nonprofit organizations Sunday at Balance Arts Center. Seven zones were designated for interactive experiences, such as zongzi (rice dumpling) tasting, herbal sachet making, braided bracelet weaving, Hanfu photography, and paper talisman crafting.
The traditional festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It commemorates Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet more than 2,000 years ago. The legend said that after the poet drowned himself to protest political corruption and the decline of his state, locals rushed to sail to put food into the river to prevent fish from consuming his body. The practice evolved into eating the sticky rice dumpling known as zongzi, the most distinct food for the festival, as well as the traditional dragon boat race.
At the Manhattan fair, visitors of different ages and backgrounds sampled zongzi, tried on Hanfu, a traditional Chinese clothing, and learned about Chinese culture by spending the holiday.
"This is my first time at a Chinese festival event," said Tabetha Mezon. "It's pretty cool seeing all the traditions, the culture and hearing about the stories."
Many were charmed by herbal sachet making. Traditionally stuffed with fragrant medicinal herbs, the sachets are intended to ward off insects and illnesses during the summer months.
"It smells like lavender," Mezon said, showing her handmade sachet. "I made it myself with some help, and it was really fun."
Nearby, children and young adults gathered around tables to weave colorful braided bracelets traditionally meant to draw good fortune. Organizers said the activity was especially popular among second-generation Chinese Americans interested in reconnecting with their cultural heritage.
For many, the various activities offered a rare opportunity to engage directly with the customs they previously heard about from books, in classrooms or on social media.
"My favorite part has been folding the horse talisman," said Nilo Cobau. "It's a really cool combination of color and craft, and I had a lot of fun doing it."
Nilo said he was already no stranger to dragon boat-related activities when in college, but the event enables him to get deeper into the cultural traditions behind the festival.
"Really loving this Dragon Boat Festival event," said Sandy Ing. "I see younger people and kids around, and I think it's really fun for them not only to learn about culture, but also to build practical skills through arts and crafts."
Organizers believe the values associated with Qu Yuan -- loyalty, perseverance and devotion to principles -- resonate across cultures and generations. And this helped turn the event into a shared cultural experience for New Yorkers from a wide range of backgrounds. ■