Dragon Boat Festival

The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the traditional Chinese folk festival, the Dragon Boat Festival. It is one of the oldest traditional festivals of the Chinese nation. It is also known as Duanwu (Duanwu) or Duanyang (Duanyang). It also has many other names, such as Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Fifth Festival, May Festival, Orchid Bathing Festival, Daughter's Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, Earth La Festival, Poets' Day, and Dragon Day. Despite the varying names, generally speaking, the customs of the festival are more similar than different across different regions.

The Dragon Boat Festival has been a traditional Chinese custom for over 2,000 years. Due to the vast territory, diverse ethnic groups, and numerous stories and legends, not only are there numerous different names for the festival, but also distinct customs across different regions. Main activities include: daughters returning to their parents' homes, hanging images of Zhong Kui, welcoming ghost ships, avoiding noon, posting noon leaf talismans, hanging calamus and mugwort, exorcising the sick, wearing sachets, preparing sacrificial offerings, dragon boat racing, martial arts competitions, ball-playing, swinging, applying realgar wine to children, drinking realgar wine and calamus wine, and eating five-poison cakes, salted eggs, rice dumplings, and seasonal fruits. While some of these activities have gradually faded, others still survive throughout China and neighboring countries. Some, such as dragon boat racing, have evolved, transcending time and geographical boundaries to become international sporting events.


There are numerous theories about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, including: commemorating Qu Yuan; commemorating Wu Zixu; commemorating Cao E; originating from the Summer Solstice Festival during the Three Dynasties; warding off evil spirits during the unlucky month and day; and commemorating the Wu Yue ethnic totem. Each theory has its own origin. According to scholar Wen Yiduo's books "A Study of the Dragon Boat Festival" and "The Historical Education of the Dragon Boat Festival," which list over a hundred ancient records and expert archaeological research, the Dragon Boat Festival originated as a totem worship festival held by the Wu and Yue ethnic groups in ancient southern China, predating the reign of Qu Yuan. However, over the centuries, Qu Yuan's patriotism and moving poetry have been deeply rooted in people's hearts, leading them to cherish and mourn him, discuss his poems, and pass them down from generation to generation. Consequently, the idea of ​​commemorating Qu Yuan has become the most widespread and profound, dominating mainstream culture. In folk culture, Chinese people associate the Dragon Boat Festival's dragon boat races and the eating of zongzi (rice dumplings) with commemorating Qu Yuan.

To this day, the Dragon Boat Festival remains a highly popular and solemn festival among the Chinese people.


Origins and Legends of the Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is an ancient traditional festival that began in China during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, boasting a history of over 2,000 years. The Dragon Boat Festival has many origins and legends, but here are just four:

Originated from the commemoration of Qu Yuan

According to the "Biographies of Qu Yuan and Jia Sheng" in "Records of the Grand Historian," Qu Yuan was a minister to King Huai of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He advocated for the promotion of talented individuals, enriching the country and strengthening its military, and strongly advocated an alliance with Qi to resist Qin. He faced strong opposition from nobles like Zi Lan, and was dismissed from his post, exiled from the capital, and exiled to the Yuan and Xiang River basins. During his exile, he composed immortal poems such as "Li Sao," "Heavenly Questions," and "Nine Songs," expressing his concern for his country and its people. These poems are unique and have a profound influence (hence the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as "Poet's Day"). In 278 BC, the Qin army captured the Chu capital. Seeing his homeland invaded, Qu Yuan was heartbroken, but he could not bear to abandon his country. On May 5th, after writing his final work, "Huai Sha," he threw himself into the Miluo River with a stone, composing a magnificent patriotic symphony with his life.

Legend has it that after Qu Yuan's death, the people of Chu mourned deeply and flocked to the Miluo River to pay their respects. Fishermen rowed their boats up and down the river, searching for his body. One fisherman tossed rice balls, eggs, and other food he had prepared for Qu Yuan into the river with a thumping sound, saying that once the fish, lobsters, and crabs were full, they would stop biting Qu's body. People followed suit. An old doctor then poured a jar of realgar wine into the river, claiming it would stun dragons and other water creatures, preventing them from harming Qu Yuan. Later, to prevent the dragons from eating the rice balls, people devised the idea of ​​wrapping the rice in neem leaves and wrapping them with colored silk, which evolved into rice dumplings.

Ever since then, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the custom of dragon boat racing, eating rice dumplings, and drinking realgar wine has been celebrated to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

Originated from the commemoration of Wu Zixu

The second legend of the Dragon Boat Festival, widely spread in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, commemorates Wu Zixu, who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). Wu Zixu was a native of Chu. His father and brother were both killed by the King of Chu. Later, Zixu abandoned his allegiance and fled to the State of Wu, aiding Wu in its campaign against Chu. After five battles, he captured the Chu capital, Yingcheng. At the time, King Ping of Chu had already died. Zixu exhumed his tomb and whipped his corpse three hundred times to avenge the murder of his father and brother. After the death of King Helu of Wu, his son Fuchai succeeded him. The Wu army was high-spirited and victorious in every battle. The State of Yue was severely defeated. King Goujian of Yue requested peace, and Fuchai agreed. Zixu suggested the complete destruction of the State of Yue, but Fuchai refused. A prime minister of Wu, bribed by the State of Yue, slandered Zixu, who believed his advice and gave him a sword, which led to his death. Zixu was a loyal and righteous man who faced death with equanimity. Before his death, he told his neighbors, "After I die, gouge out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Wujing, so that I can watch the Yue army enter and destroy Wu." He then committed suicide. Upon hearing this, King Fuchai was furious and ordered Zixu's body to be wrapped in leather and thrown into the river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Therefore, it is said that the Dragon Boat Festival is also a day to commemorate Wu Zixu.


Origin of the commemoration of the filial daughter Cao'e


The third legend of the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the story of Cao'e, a filial daughter who, during the Eastern Han Dynasty (23-220 AD), jumped into the river to save her father. Cao'e, a native of Shangyu during the Eastern Han Dynasty (23-220 AD), lost her father's body after drowning in the river. Fourteen years old, Cao'e wept day and night along the river. Seventeen days later, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, she herself jumped into the river and recovered her father's body five days later. This legend became legendary, and the story spread to the county governor, who ordered Du Shang to erect a monument and had his disciple Handan Chun compose a eulogy in praise of the story.

The tomb of the filial daughter Cao E is located in present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang. It is later said that the Cao E stele was inscribed by Wang Yi of the Jin Dynasty. To commemorate Cao E's filial piety, later generations built a Cao E Temple at the spot where she drowned herself in the river. The village where she lived was renamed Cao E Town, and the spot where she died for her father was named Cao E River.


Originating from the totem worship of the ancient Yue people


A large number of recent unearthed artifacts and archaeological research confirm that during the Neolithic Age, a cultural relic characterized by geometrically stamped pottery existed throughout the vast area of ​​the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Experts infer that the ethnic group responsible for these remains was a tribe that worshipped the dragon totem, known historically as the Baiyue. The patterns on the unearthed pottery and historical legends indicate that they practiced the custom of cutting their hair and tattooing their bodies. Living in waterside communities, they considered themselves descendants of the dragon. Their tools were largely stone, but smaller bronze artifacts such as shovels and chisels were also used. Among the pottery vessels used for daily life, the stamped pottery tripod used for cooking was unique to the Baiyue and became one of their ethnic symbols. The Baiyue people still existed until the Qin and Han dynasties, and the Dragon Boat Festival was a festival they established to honor their ancestors. Over thousands of years, most of the Baiyue people assimilated into the Han ethnic group, while the remainder became part of the numerous southern ethnic minorities. As a result, the Dragon Boat Festival became a national holiday for the entire Chinese nation.


Dragon Boat Festival Customs


The Chinese celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival with great ceremony, featuring a variety of activities. The most common ones include the following:


Dragon Boat Racing:


Dragon boat racing is a major custom of the Dragon Boat Festival. Legend has it that it originated in the ancient Chu State, where people, reluctant to see the virtuous minister Qu Yuan drown himself in the river, rowed boats in pursuit of him. Their scramble to reach Dongting Lake resulted in his disappearance. Since then, dragon boat racing has been held annually on May 5th to commemorate his death. The practice of dragon boat racing was used to disperse fish from the river to prevent them from devouring Qu Yuan's body. The practice of dragon boat racing was prevalent in the Wu, Yue, and Chu states.


In fact, dragon boat racing dates back to the Warring States Period. Paddling dragon-shaped canoes to the sound of drums, racing to entertain both the gods and the people, became a semi-religious, semi-entertainment ritual.

Later, dragon boat racing, in addition to commemorating Qu Yuan, was given different meanings in different regions.

In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, dragon boat racing also served to commemorate Qiu Jin, a modern female democratic revolutionary born there. The nighttime dragon boats, adorned with lights and colorful decorations, shuttled back and forth, both above and below the water, creating a captivating and uniquely charming scene. The Miao people of Guizhou hold the Dragon Boat Festival from the 25th to the 28th day of the fifth lunar month to celebrate the success of rice planting and to wish for a good harvest. The Dai people of Yunnan race dragon boats during the Water Splashing Festival to commemorate the ancient hero Yan Hongwo. The legends surrounding dragon boat racing vary among different ethnic groups and regions. To this day, many areas of southern China bordering rivers, lakes, and seas hold unique dragon boat races each year during the Duan Festival.

Dragon boat races began in Taiwan in 1736, the 29th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty. At the time, Taiwan's governor, Chiang Yuan-jun, hosted a friendly competition at the Half Moon Pond at the Fahua Temple in Tainan City. Dragon boat races are now held annually in Taiwan on May 5th. Races are also held in Hong Kong.

Dragon boat racing has also spread to neighboring countries such as Japan, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom. In 1980, dragon boat racing was included in China's national sports program, and the "Qu Yuan Cup" Dragon Boat Race is held annually. On June 16, 1991 (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month), the first International Dragon Boat Festival was held in Yueyang, Hunan Province, China, Qu Yuan's adopted hometown. Before the race, a "Dragon Head Sacrifice" ceremony was held, preserving traditional rituals while infusing them with modern elements. The dragon head was carried into the Quzi Temple. After athletes adorned it with a red ribbon, the officiating priest read a sacrificial text and "opened the eyes" (lit., illuminated the sky) of the dragon head. Afterward, all participants in the dragon sacrifice bowed three times, and the dragon head was carried across the Miluo River to the dragon boat race venue. Over 600,000 people participated in the races, trade fairs, and galas, creating an unprecedented spectacle. Hunan subsequently held regular International Dragon Boat Festivals, and dragon boat racing became a worldwide phenomenon.


Eating Zongzi (rice dumplings) during the Dragon Boat Festival


Eating zongzi (rice dumplings) during the Dragon Boat Festival is another traditional Chinese custom. Zongzi, also known as "jiaoshu" (corner stalks) or "tongzong" (tube stalks), has a long history and a wide variety of variations.


According to records, as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, millet was wrapped in cattail leaves (茭白叶) into the shape of ox horns, known as "jiaoshu" (corner stalks); rice was sealed and baked in bamboo tubes, known as "tongzong" (tube stalks). In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, millet was soaked in wood ash water. Because the water contained alkali, it was wrapped in cattail leaves into a square shape and then cooked, creating the Guangdong alkaline zongzi.

During the Jin Dynasty, zongzi (Chinese rice dumplings) were officially designated as a Dragon Boat Festival food. At this time, in addition to glutinous rice, the traditional Chinese medicine alpinia oxyphylla was added to the zongzi. The cooked zongzi was called "yizhi zongzi." Zhou Chu, a contemporary of the time, recorded in his "Yueyang Customs and Local Records": "It was customary to wrap millet in cattail leaves... and cook it until it was soft. It was eaten from May 5th to the summer solstice. It was called zongzi and also called shuzi." During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, mixed zongzi appeared. Rice was mixed with meat, chestnuts, red dates, and red beans, and the variety increased. Zongzi was also used as a gift for socializing.

By the Tang Dynasty, the rice used in zongzi had become "white and translucent like jade," and its shape began to take on conical and diamond shapes. Japanese literature mentions "Da Tang Zongzi." During the Song Dynasty, "candied zongzi" (a type of zongzi)—a type of zongzi with fruit added to it—was already in use. The poet Su Dongpo coined the line, "Sometimes I see bayberries in zongzi." At this time, advertisements depicting zongzi stacked in the shape of pavilions, wooden carts, and horses appeared, demonstrating that eating zongzi was already fashionable in the Song Dynasty. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, the wrapping material for zongzi evolved from cattail leaves to reed leaves, and later, reed leaves appeared. Additions included red bean paste, pork, pine nuts, dates, walnuts, and other fillings, further enriching the variety.

To this day, every Chinese household soaks glutinous rice, washes the leaves, and wraps the zongzi, creating an even greater variety of designs and colors. In terms of fillings, the northerners favor Beijing jujube zongzi, which is filled with small dates, while the southerners offer a variety of fillings, including red bean paste, fresh meat, ham, and egg yolks, with Jiaxing zongzi from Zhejiang being a prime example. The custom of eating zongzi has been prevalent in China for thousands of years and has spread to Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries.


Wearing sachets:

Children wear sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival, which are said to ward off evil spirits and plague, but are actually used as decorative embellishments on their collars. Sachets contain cinnabar, realgar, and other fragrant herbs, wrapped in silk cloth, emitting a fragrant aroma. These are then strung with five-colored silk thread into ropes, fashioned into various shapes, and tied together into a string, creating a variety of exquisite and lovely designs.

Hanging Mugwort and Calamus:

A folk proverb says, "Plant willows during Qingming Festival, and mugwort during Dragon Boat Festival." During the Dragon Boat Festival, planting mugwort and calamus is a key part of the festival. Every household sweeps their yards and places calamus and mugwort sticks on their door lintels and hangs them in the hallway. People also use calamus, mugwort, pomegranate flowers, garlic, and dragon boat flowers to create human or tiger figures, known as mugwort men and mugwort tigers. These are then made into beautiful and fragrant garlands and pendants, and women eagerly wear them to ward off malaria.

Mugwort, also known as Artemisia selengensis or Artemisia argyi, contains volatile aromatic oils in its stems and leaves. The unique fragrance it produces repels mosquitoes, flies, insects, and ants, and purifies the air. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, mugwort is used as a medicinal herb to regulate qi and blood, warm the uterus, and dispel cold and dampness. Processed into moxa wool, mugwort leaves are an important ingredient in moxibustion.

Acorus calamus is a perennial aquatic herb whose narrow leaves contain volatile aromatic oils, known for their refreshing properties, bone strengthening, relieving stagnation, and insecticide.

It can be seen that the practice of inserting mugwort and calamus in ancient times had a certain preventative effect. The Dragon Boat Festival is also a traditional "hygiene festival." On this day, people sweep their courtyards, hang mugwort branches and calamus, and sprinkle realgar water and drink realgar wine to invigorate the body, eliminate rot, and prevent disease. These activities reflect the fine traditions of the Chinese nation. Gathering herbs in the mountains during the Dragon Boat Festival is a common custom among all ethnic groups in China.