The 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar is the Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie 端午节). People celebrate by eating sticky rice cakes (zongzi 粽子) and racing dragon boats, brightly-painted long wooden boats decorated with carved dragons at the bow and powered by teams of rowers, which is why it is typically called the Dragon Boat Festival in English. This festival is celebrated not only in China but also in many other East Asian and Southeast Asian countries as well as Asian diasporas all over the world.

Why do we celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival? Originally, the holiday was created in memory of Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and minister serving the ruler of the Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period (c. 340-278 BC). Qu Yuan was rejected by the King of Chu, with whom he had previously had a deep personal relationship, and sent into exile for opposing the King’s decision to form an alliance with the Qin. In despair, he committed suicide by leaping into the Miluo River. Based on the loving, intimate poems that Qu Yuan wrote, it appears likely that Qu Yuan was more than a close confidant of the King. A romantic relationship with the King would have made the painful accusations of treason and banishment from Chu doubly devastating for Qu Yuan.

Today, most LGBTQI terms in Chinese and in international usage derive from west-centric theories. For those of us within the queer Chinese diaspora, how should we understand the intersections of racial and gender identity and sexual orientation in contemporary society? How do we honor our traditions while adapting to globalization? How can we continue our creativity under such difficult industry conditions?

This year, we will celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival with an online screening of short films centered on the queer Chinese diaspora accompanied by a panel discussion featuring an exciting lineup of creators and commentators. Through these films we will explore queer encounters in Berlin, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, and even in outer space.

-- Popo Fan