Locals prepare for upcoming Dragon Boat Festival in China

Participants paddle in a practice for dragon boat race ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival in Zigui County of Yichang City, central China's Hubei Province, May 28, 2014. The Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 2 this year, is believed to be designed to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a patriot poet during the Warring State Period (475-221 BC). As the festival approaches, people in Zigui County, hometown of Qu Yuan, have prepared various activities including hanging mugwort leaves, holding dragon boat races and making Zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, for celebrations.