Let’s talk about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. There are several versions of the Dragon Boat Festival.

1. Commemoration of Qu Yuan

According to legend, in 278 BC, the Qin army captured Kyoto, the state of Chu. Seeing that his homeland was invaded, Qu Yuan could not bear to abandon his homeland. On the fifth day of the lunar month, after writing his final work "Huaisha", he bouldered and threw himself into the Miluo River.

After Qu Yuan threw himself into the river, local people took up boating on the river to express their grief. Since then, it has gradually developed into a dragon boat race. The people were afraid that the fish in the river would eat his body, so they went home and brought rice balls and threw them into the river to prevent the fish and shrimp from destroying Qu Yuan's body. Later, it became a custom to eat rice dumplings.

2. Commemorating Wu Zixu

The second legend of the Dragon Boat Festival is that May 5th commemorates Wu Zixu during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC). After Wu Zixu committed suicide, Fu Chai was furious and ordered his body to be packed in leather and thrown into the river on May 5. Therefore, it is said that the Dragon Boat Festival is also a day to commemorate Wu Zixu.

3. Commemoration of the filial daughter Cao E

The third legend of the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E of the Eastern Han Dynasty who saved her father and threw herself into the river. Cao E's father drowned in the river and his body was not seen for several days. The filial daughter Cao E cried along the river day and night. Seventeen days later, he also threw himself into the river on May 5th. Five days later, he took out his father's body.

This was passed down as a myth, and then passed down to the county governor, who ordered Du Shang to erect a monument for it and his disciple Handan Chun to write a memorial poem to praise it. Therefore, it is said that the Dragon Boat Festival is also a day to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E.

4. Commemorating Jie Zitui

Jie Zitui is the protagonist of the legend about the origin of Cold Food Festival and Qingming Festival, but some people think that the origin of Dragon Boat Festival is related to Jie Zitui. According to "Qin Cao" written by Cai Yong during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the sage Jie Zitui.