Dragon Boat Festival and its tragic ancient origins

The Dragon Boat Festival is an annual Chinese public holiday that commemorates the memory of an ancient patriot with boat races and pyramid-shaped dumplings.

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Held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (May/June), the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival date back thousands of years to around 300 BCE, during the Warring States period[1] of ancient China.

[1]the Warring States period 战国时期

According to common folk stories, the festival honours an ancient Chinese patriotic poet named Qu Xuan, who was a gifted court official of the State of Chu—the present-day provinces of Hubei and Hunan.

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The poet had raised a number of proposals for the benefit of the country, but his ideas went against the interests of nobles and he was exiled to the border of the country.

Years later, the State of Chu was invaded and conquered by General Bai Qi of the neighbouring State of Qin. When Qu Yuan heard that the capital city of Ying had been occupied, he was heart-broken.

Picking up a rock, he walked into the Miluo River, located in Hunan Province, in an attempt to commit ritual suicide. Beating drums and sounding gongs[2], his fellow countrymen rowed to save him, but they were not successful. Qu Yuan had sadly drowned.

[2]gong：a round piece of metal that is hung in a frame and hit with a stick to produce a sound as a signal, also used as a musical instrument （通常是作为乐器但有时作发信号用的）锣

In order to prevent fish and shrimp[3] from doing his body any harm, it is believed that people fed them glutinous rice dumplings, which is why Chinese families traditionally eat pyramid-shaped dumplings named zongzi. The race to rescue him is also honoured with rowing dragon boats.

[3]shrimp [ʃrɪmp]

a very small sea creature similar to a prawn but smaller, or its flesh eaten as food 小海虾；（食用的）小虾仁

Aside from eating special dumplings and boat racing, different regions have their own traditions on this day, such as climbing a mountain early in the morning to collect an oriental plant called Chinese mugwort[4] to hang outside before sunrise.

[4]mugwort ['mʌgwɜ:t]

a plant of the daisy family with dark green leaves. There are several species (= types) of mugwort, some of which are used in herbal medicine or to flavour food. In the past mugwort was sometimes thought to have magic properties.艾蒿；艾草；艾属植物；艾叶

In parts of Northern China, their tradition is to eat boiled eggs and areas of Southern China prefer to drink realgar wine[5], an alcoholic drink that consists of Chinese cereal wine.

[5]realgar wine 雄黄酒
 
All of these customs are aimed at ridding the body of illnesses before summer, as well as the hope for happiness.

When is the Dragon Boat Festival?

2017: Tuesday, May 30
2018: Monday, June 18
2019: Friday, June 7
2020: Thursday, June 25

节日快乐!