What is the story behind the Dragon Boat Festival?

The story behind the Dragon Boat Festival is rich in history. It not only remembers Qu Yuan but also has elements related to warding off evil spirits and celebrating the summer season. Traditions like dragon boat races and making and eating special foods are part of it.

The Dragon Boat Festival was a traditional Chinese festival. It was held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The story about the Dragon Boat Festival is related to the ancient Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan. According to legend, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar in 278 B.C., Qu Yuan heard the news that the Qin army had broken through the capital of Chu. He was filled with grief and indignation and decided to die to show his will. He carried the stone and threw it into the Miluo River, sacrificing himself for his country. Qu Yuan's act of jumping into the river caused the local people to mourn and commemorate him. They rowed boats to save him, hoping to find his body. In order to drive away the flood dragon and water monster, people also threw in rice grains and realgar wine. These legends became the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival and one of the ways people remembered Qu Yuan.

There were many stories about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival in May. One of them was to commemorate Qu Yuan, a poet of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu Yuan was a minister of King Huai of Chu. He advocated appointing talents to enrich the country and strengthen the army. However, he was opposed by nobles such as Zi Lan and was eventually exiled. Qu Yuan saw that his motherland was being invaded and felt as if his heart was cut by a knife. He threw himself into the river on the fifth day of the fifth month. It was said that when the local people heard the news, they immediately rowed boats to save Qu Yuan, but they could not find his body. In order to express their grief, people rowed boats on the river and gradually developed into dragon boat races. In addition, there was also a saying that it was to commemorate Wu Zixu. Wu Zixu was from the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. His father and brother were killed by the King of Chu. Later, he defected to the State of Wu and helped the State of Wu attack the State of Chu. Wu Zixu suggested the complete destruction of the State of Yue, but it was not adopted and he was framed and killed. It was said that after Wu Zixu died, his body was wrapped in leather and thrown into the river. Therefore, some people believed that the Dragon Boat Festival was a day to commemorate Wu Zixu. In addition, there was also a saying that it was to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E. Cao E was a filial daughter in the Eastern Han Dynasty. She had jumped into the river to save her father after he drowned and finally carried his father's body out. In order to commemorate Cao E's filial piety festival, people built a temple at the place where she threw herself into the river and held a memorial event on the Dragon Boat Festival. In general, the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival in May had many stories such as Qu Yuan, Wu Zixu, and Cao E.

Here is a story. There was a young English girl named Lily. She came to China just before the Dragon Boat Festival. She was invited to join in the making of zongzi. At first, she was clumsy, but with the help of local people, she managed to make some. Then she went to watch the dragon boat races. The exciting scene made her realize the vitality of this traditional Chinese festival.

The Dragon Boat Festival was a traditional Chinese festival and one of the four traditional Chinese festivals. It was celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. It was also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, the Wuri Festival, the May Festival, the Ai Festival, the Duanwu Festival, the Zhongwu Festival, the Wuri Festival, the Xia Festival, and so on. The Dragon Boat Festival had a variety of customs and activities. People would eat zongzi, race dragon boats, and hang mugwort leaves and calamus. It was said that the Dragon Boat Festival was to commemorate Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu Yuan committed suicide by jumping into the river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. In order to commemorate him, people had dragon boat races, eating dumplings and other customs. Dragon boat racing was an ancient traditional competitive activity. People rowed long dragon boats to race in rivers, lakes and seas, symbolizing Qu Yuan's spirit and the spirit of unity and cooperation. Eating zongzi was to commemorate the time when Qu Yuan jumped into the river. People threw zongzi into the river to prevent fish, shrimps and crabs from eating his body. The Dragon Boat Festival was an important festival. People would gather together to celebrate and commemorate it.

There are many theories about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, but the most widely circulated one is to commemorate Qu Yuan. According to legend, Qu Yuan, a poet of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period, committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. The people of the State of Chu established the Dragon Boat Festival to commemorate him. Qu Yuan was a patriotic poet. He was exiled because of his loyalty to the country. His loyalty and patriotic spirit are worth learning from. In order to commemorate him, people began to hold sacrificial activities on the fifth day of May every year. Later, it gradually evolved into the current Dragon Boat Festival. There were other explanations about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, such as in memory of Wu Zixu, filial daughter Cao E, Jie Zitui, honest official Chen Lin, King Gou Jian of Yue, etc., but these explanations were not as widely known as in memory of Qu Yuan.

The Dragon Boat Festival was to commemorate Qu Yuan, a poet of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu Yuan was loyal to King Huai of Chu, but he was ostracized and committed suicide by jumping into the river after being exiled. When the local people heard the news, they rowed boats to rescue him, but they could not find Qu Yuan's body. In order to express their grief, people rowed boats on the river and gradually developed into dragon boat races. There were other customs on this traditional festival, such as eating zongzi and hanging mugwort leaves.

In the Dragon Boat Festival story, one key element is Qu Yuan's self - sacrifice. He was a noble figure. The act of dragon boat racing is important as it was the way people tried to find his body. Also, zongzi are a key part as they were meant to feed the fish so that Qu Yuan's body would not be eaten. Moreover, the Miluo River where he drowned is also an important element as it is the place that links all these actions together.

The Dragon Boat Festival originated from ancient China. It was originally a festival held in the ancient Baiyue region to offer sacrifices to totems. Later, because the poet Qu Yuan of Chu committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the ruler made the Dragon Boat Festival a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan. The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival include dragon boat racing and eating zongzi. Dragon boat racing was the main custom of the Dragon Boat Festival. It was said that it originated from the ancient Chu people who rowed a boat to save Qu Yuan. Every year on May 5th, they rowed a dragon boat to commemorate him. Eating zongzi was to commemorate Qu Yuan. Now, there were various flavors of zongzi for people to choose from. The Dragon Boat Festival was one of the most important festivals in ancient China, and it was also one of the traditional cultural festivals in China.

The Dragon Boat Festival originated from the Baiyue region in ancient China. It was originally a festival for the tribes who worshipped the dragon totem to hold totem sacrifices. According to legend, Qu Yuan, a poet of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period, committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River on the Dragon Boat Festival. In order to commemorate him, the ruler made the Dragon Boat Festival a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan. The Dragon Boat Festival was also said to commemorate other people, such as Wu Zixu and Cao E. The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival include rowing the dragon boat and eating zongzi. The Dragon Boat Festival was listed as a national legal holiday and was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list and the world intangible cultural heritage.