The Origin and Significance of the Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, is a traditional holiday originating in China, and the celebration occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. And the festival is celebrated in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and elsewhere around the world. In China, there is a three-day break from work for people to celebrate with friends and family.
The Dragon Boat Festival originated from China’s Warring States Period. It was started to honor the poet and minister Qu Yuan (340—278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu in the Zhou Dynasty. At that time, the state of Qin was becoming more and more powerful and Qu Yuan was a supporter for the decision to wage a war against the oppressive state of Qin. But when the King of the State of Chu was determined to ally with Qin, Qu Yuan was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. During his exile, Qu wrote a great number of poems. Twenty-eight years later, the state of Qin conquered Ying, the capital city of Chu. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide drowning himself in the Miluo River.
The Main Traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival
It is an important tradition for people to eat Zongzi, the triangular rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, and have dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival. There is a legend about the origin of the dragon boat race and eating Zongzi. After Qu Yuan drowned himself, local people who supported and admired him, raced out in their boats attempting to save him, or at least retrieve his body. When the body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan’s body.
The Tradition of Eradicating Diseases and Bad Luck
Besides, according to the tradition, the Dragon Boat Festival is a big day for eradicating diseases and bad luck. Before the Qin Dynasty, the fifth month of the lunar calendar was regarded as a bad month and the fifth day of the month as the worst day. Starting from the fifth of May, poisonous animals such as snakes, centipedes and scorpions will begin to come out, and people might fall ill easily after this day. So, during the Dragon Boat Festival, people try to avoid the possible bad luck in their own way. A traditional culture is formed, that is, to paste pictures of the five poisonous creatures (the centipede, scorpion, snake, lizard and toad) on the wall and stick needles in them. People also make paper cuttings of the five creatures and wrap these around the wrists of their children.
