What is the story of the Dragon Boat Festival commemorating Qu Yuan?

For China people today, the Dragon Boat Festival is a day to commemorate Qu Yuan. There is a legend circulating in China: Qu Yuan threw himself into the river, and the people pitied Qu Yuan, rowed a dragon boat to save Qu Yuan, and threw zongzi into the river for the fish to eat, so that the fish would not eat Qu Yuan. Let me introduce this legendary story in detail. Let's have a look.

According to Biographies of Qu Yuan and Jia Sheng in Historical Records, Qu Yuan was a minister of Chu Huaiwang in the Spring and Autumn Period. He advocated promoting talents, empowering them and making them rich, and urged them to unite against Qin. However, he was strongly opposed by Zilan and others, and Qu Yuan was expelled from the capital and exiled to the Yuanxiang Valley. During his exile, he wrote immortal poems such as Li Sao, Tian Wen and Tian Wen, which have a unique style and far-reaching influence (therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival is also called the Poet's Day).

In 278 BC, Qin Jun conquered Kyoto of Chu. Seeing that his motherland was invaded, Qu Yuan was heartbroken, but he was always reluctant to give up his motherland. On May 5th, after writing his masterpiece Huai Sha, he died in Miluo River and wrote a magnificent patriotic movement with his own life.

After the death of Qu Yuan, the people of Chu were so sad that they flocked to the Miluo River to pay homage to Qu Yuan. The fisherman paddled the boat and fished for his real body back and forth on the river. A fisherman took out rice balls, eggs and other foods prepared for Qu Yuan and threw them into the river, saying that ichthyosaurs, shrimps and crabs were full and would not bite the doctor. People followed suit after seeing it. An old doctor took an altar of realgar wine and poured it into the river, saying that he would stun the dragon water beast with medicine so as not to hurt Dr. Qu. Later, people were afraid that rice balls would be eaten by dragons, so they came up with a way to develop zongzi by wrapping rice with neem leaves and wrapping it with colored silk.

After that, on the fifth day of May every year, there is the custom of dragon boat racing, eating zongzi and drinking realgar wine. In memory of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

Dragon boat festival custom 1, dragon boat race

Legend has it that after Qu Yuan's death, the people of Chu mourned and flocked to the Miluo River to pay homage to Qu Yuan. The fisherman paddled the boat and searched the river for his real body. Nowadays, a few days before and after the Dragon Boat Festival, there are "dragon boat races" in the north and south of the Yangtze River. Dragon boat race, also known as dragon boat race, has a history of 1500 years in China, and has been listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list.

Step 2 eat zongzi

After Qu Yuan threw himself into the river, the Chu people searched for Qu Yuan along the river, fearing that the fish in the river would eat Qu Yuan, so they put rice in bamboo tubes and threw it into the river to pay homage. This is the origin of the earliest zongzi in China. Starting from this tradition, people throw zongzi into the river on the fifth day of May every year to commemorate Qu Yuan.

Step 3 hang wormwood

On the Dragon Boat Festival, all kinds of flowers and plants that can drive away evil spirits and diseases have long been arranged. "The Story of Jingchu Times": "Mourning is a person, and it is poisonous gas hanging on the door." This is because wormwood is a medicinal plant, which can not only cure diseases and moxibustion points, but also repel insects. In May, wormwood contains the most oil, which is at the peak of growth, so the effect is the best, and people are scrambling to pick wormwood. Several mugwort plants are often hung at home. Because of its special fragrance, people use it to ward off evil spirits, prevent mosquitoes and ward off evil spirits.

What makes the Dragon Boat Festival special is its patriotic feelings. The loyal and patriotic people represented by Qu Yuan have inspired generations of Chinese sons and daughters to make unremitting efforts for the development and progress of the country and the nation.