BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day on the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, was celebrated Saturday across the nation, and in space as well.

Dragon boat races were organized without a hitch as water level of the rivers and lakes in south China have risen recently due to heavy rains.

From space, three astronauts who are performing China's space mission in the orbiting Tiangong-1 module also sent their festival greetings to all Chinese.

The festival is to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a patriot poet during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), who committed suicide by flinging himself into the Miluo River after the capital of Chu, his mother kingdom, fell to the enemy.