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Legends and customs of the ancient festival
June 15, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
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THE Dragon Boat Festival probably originates in ancient religious offerings to the dragon, giver of rain that was essential in an agrarian society. It also used to be a time to ward off illness and evil spirits.
Today it is known for dragon boat racing and eating pyramid-shaped zongzi, or glutinous rice stuffed with sweets or meat and wrapped in bamboo leaves. There are various stories behind the practice.
The festival is also called Duan Wu, or Double Fifth, because it falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, when weather gets warm and, in ancient times, when pests and illness became common. People warded off pests and evil with aromatic herbs with spiky leaves placed around their house, on their door threshold and in small pouches around the neck. These brightly decorated red and gold sachets are common today, sold in most pharmacies.
The most popular dragon boat legend - one that promotes community spirit - commemorates the death of statesman and famous poet Qu Yuan, who lived during the Warring States Period (476-221BC) .
He served as a court official under King Huai of Chu State (328-299 BC) and was accused of treason and banished for opposing the alliance with the increasingly powerful state of Qin.
He was banished to the region south of the Yangtze River and for many years he wandered and wrote some of his greatest poetry, specially poems in Chu Ci (verses of Chu) anthology. His famous works include "Li Sao" ("Departing in Sorrow") and "Jiu Ge" ("Nine Songs").
When he learned that the kingdom had been conquered by the state of Qin, as he had warned, he threw himself into the Miluo River, in today's Hunan Province.
Because he was beloved by ordinary people, they rushed out in boats to rescue him, or to retrieve his body and threw rice into the water so the fish would eat that instead of the poet's body.
The Dragon Boat Festival today commemorates the attempts to rescue Qu Yuan. The boats are gaily decorated with dragon's heads and tales. A drummer is in charge and beats time for the rowers.
Dragon boat races have become popular around the world, usually where there is a Chinese community, but foreigners also take part.
Today it is known for dragon boat racing and eating pyramid-shaped zongzi, or glutinous rice stuffed with sweets or meat and wrapped in bamboo leaves. There are various stories behind the practice.
The festival is also called Duan Wu, or Double Fifth, because it falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, when weather gets warm and, in ancient times, when pests and illness became common. People warded off pests and evil with aromatic herbs with spiky leaves placed around their house, on their door threshold and in small pouches around the neck. These brightly decorated red and gold sachets are common today, sold in most pharmacies.
The most popular dragon boat legend - one that promotes community spirit - commemorates the death of statesman and famous poet Qu Yuan, who lived during the Warring States Period (476-221BC) .
He served as a court official under King Huai of Chu State (328-299 BC) and was accused of treason and banished for opposing the alliance with the increasingly powerful state of Qin.
He was banished to the region south of the Yangtze River and for many years he wandered and wrote some of his greatest poetry, specially poems in Chu Ci (verses of Chu) anthology. His famous works include "Li Sao" ("Departing in Sorrow") and "Jiu Ge" ("Nine Songs").
When he learned that the kingdom had been conquered by the state of Qin, as he had warned, he threw himself into the Miluo River, in today's Hunan Province.
Because he was beloved by ordinary people, they rushed out in boats to rescue him, or to retrieve his body and threw rice into the water so the fish would eat that instead of the poet's body.
The Dragon Boat Festival today commemorates the attempts to rescue Qu Yuan. The boats are gaily decorated with dragon's heads and tales. A drummer is in charge and beats time for the rowers.
Dragon boat races have become popular around the world, usually where there is a Chinese community, but foreigners also take part.
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