[2008-06-06] Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival which is also called the Duanwu Festival or Double Fifth Day is one of three major Chinese holidays, along with the Spring Festival and Mid Autumn Festivals. Of the three, it is possibly the oldest, dating back to the Warring States Period in 227 B.C.
Starting from that time to this day, people commemorate Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi, and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death: the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin
Qu was a minister of the State of Chu situated in present-day Hunan and Hubei provinces, during the Warring States Period (475-221BC). He was upright, loyal and highly esteemed for his wise counsel that brought peace and prosperity to the state. However, when a dishonest and corrupt prince vilified Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. Realizing that the country was now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu grabbed a large stone and leapt into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. Nearby fishermen rushed over to try and save him but were unable to even recover his body.
As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body.
Thereafter, the state declined and was eventually conquered by the State of Qin.
The Modern Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival are traditional customs to attempts to rescue the patriotic poet Chu Yuan.
Annual races take place all over China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other overseas Chinese communities.
Zong Zi
The traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, Zong zi is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in corn leaves. The fillings can be egg, beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.
