Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, has had a history of more than 2,000 years in China. There are some traditional activities on this Chinese annual festival.

Holding Dragon Boat Racing

The most well-known activity is Dragon Boat Racing.   This activity is to memorise a famous scholar-statesman named Chu Yuan. He was a royal minister. At the beginning he worked well with the king. the country was strong. later the king believed someone else, and did not trust him anymore.The king drove him faraway from the capital. The country was in a mess. At last the capital was occupied by the enemies, the king was killed. Chu Yuan was so sad and so disappointed. He jumped into the Mi Luo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Respecting the minister as an upright and honest man, the people who lived in the area jumped into their boats and rushed out search for him. This unsuccessful rescue attempt is a part of what the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates every year.

Eating Zong-Zi

 Another activity of the Festival is the making and eating of a kind of an especial food named Zong-Zi. Zong-Zi is connected with Chu Yuan too. When people found Chu Yuan had jumped into the river, It’s too late to save him. They couldn’t find his body. In case fish eating his body, they made and threw Zong-Zi into the river to feed the fish. Zong-Zi has a form of pyramid. It is filled with meat, nuts and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Now, Zong-Zi is a general food in our daily life. There are hundreds different kinds of Zong-Zi. They are very delicious.

Using Folk Medicines

Since antiquity, they have believed that this month is a danger-fraught period. people tend to concentrate their efforts during this time attempting to protect their families from ills and misfortune. Most families hang calamus and Artemisia above their doors. On this day the children love to collect the colourful Hsiang Bao. Hsiang Bao is a kind of handmade craft filled with folk medicines sometime.

                                   

The Meaning of the Dragon Boats Festival

Probably the most exciting and interesting aspect of the festival is the racing of the Dragon Boats. These races not only symbolise the people's attempt to save Chu Yuan, they also demonstrate the Chinese virtues of cooperation and teamwork.