Dragon Boat Festival
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dragon boat festival is called Duan Wu Jie in Chinese. Jie means festival. The festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and together with Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival forms one of the three major Chinese holidays.
Of all the major holidays celebrated in China, Dragon Boat Festival has the longest history. The most popular theory of the origin of the festival is that it was derived from the activities of commemorating a great patriot poet, Qu Yuan. The story about Qu Yuan has been deeply rooted in Chinese culture and this festival, so it is definitely a very important factor for the origin of the festival.
Qu Yuan served in the court of Emperor Huai during the Warring States (475 - 221 BC). A wise and articulate man, he was loved by the common people. His ability and fight against corruption antagonized other court officials. They exerted their evil influence on the Emperor, so the Emperor gradually dismissed Qu Yuan and eventually exiled him. During his exile, Qu Yuan did not give up. He traveled extensively, taught and wrote about his ideas. His works, the Lament (Li Sao), the Nine Chapters (Jiu Zhang), and Wen tian, are masterpieces and invaluable for studying ancient Chinese culture. He saw the gradual decline of his mother country, the Chu State. And when he heard that the Chu State was defeated by the strong Qin State, he was so despaired that he ended his life by flinging himself into the Miluo River.
Legend says after people heard he drowned, they were greatly dismayed. Fishermen raced to the spot in their boats to search for his body. But it was all to no avail. In one version of the legend, they began throwing rice on the water as a sacrifice to their dead hero, and to nourish his spirit. One night, the image of Qu Yuan appeared to one of the fisherman in a dream. In the dream, the poet revealed that the fish were eating the rice. He asked that the rice be wrapped in silk to protect it. Later, the silk was replaced with bamboo leaves. In another version, the rice packets were meant for the fish, in an effort to keep them from devouring Qu Yuan's body. people threw zongzi, eggs and other food into the river to feed fish, so hoped to salvage his body.
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.
Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. Dragon Boats are generally brightly painted and decorated canoes. Ranging anywhere from 40 to 100 feet in length, their heads are shaped like open-mouthed dragons, while the sterns end with a scaly tail. Depending on the length, up to 80 rowers can power the boat. A drummer and flag-catcher stand at the front of the boat. Before a dragon boat enters competition, it must be "brought to life" by painting the eyes in a sacred ceremony. Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums. These exciting races were inspired by the villager's valiant attempts to rescue Qu Yuan from the MiLuo River. Races can have any number of boats competing, with the winner being the first team to grab a flag at the end of the course. This tradition has remained unbroken for centuries. Annual races take place all over China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other overseas Chinese communities.
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 meat, peanut,egg yolk, beans, dates, mushrooms, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed. Each region of China has its own special form of zongzi. For example, in southern China you will find pork soaked in soy sauce or bean paste in the middle of the glutinous rice. Meanwhile, Beijing zongzi is often made with dried dates. Other types of fillings include mashed red beans, egg, and poultry. There is also plain zongzi, made only with glutinous rice and designed to be eaten with honey or sugar. Zongzi can be many shapes, but the most common shape is pyramidal or triangular. The tradition of Zong zi is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the MiLuo River in order to appease the river dragons so that they would not devour Qu Yuan.
The time of year of the Dragon Boat Festival, the fifth lunar moon, has more significance than just the story of Qu Yuan. Many Chinese consider this time of year an especially dangerous time when extra efforts must be made to protect their family from illness. Families will hang various herbs, called Ai Cao, on their door for protection. The drinking of Xiong Huang Wine is thought to remove poisons from the body. fragrant silk pouches are also worn. These sachets contain various fragrant medicinal herbs thought to protect the wearer from illness. It is said that if you can balance a raw egg on its end at exactly noon on Double Fifth Day, the rest of the year will be lucky.