In 278 BC, the Qin army broke through the capital of Chu, Qu Yuan saw his motherland was invaded, heart like a knife, but always can not bear to give up their motherland, on the fifth of May, in the writing of the final work "Huai Sha", hold the stone cast Miluo River, to his own life composed a magnificent patriotic music.

After Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River, the local people immediately rowed their boats to rescue him, but they never saw his body until they reached the Dongting Lake. At that time, coinciding with the rainy day, the lake boat together gathered in the shore of the pavilion.

When people learned that it was to salvage the wise minister Qu Daifu, once again braved the rain, scrambling to row into the vast Dongting Lake. In order to send their condolences, people swung their boats over the river, which has since gradually developed into a dragon boat race.

The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. Duanwu Festival is the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar every year, and the festival custom of driving away poison and evil spirits has given rise to colorful rituals, amusements, health care, and other folk activities in various places, including worshiping Qu Yuan, commemorating Wu Zixu, inserting mugwort, hanging calamus, drinking xionghuang wine, eating zongzi, dragon boat racing, and getting rid of the five poisons, etc. The festival is also known as the "Dragon Boat Festival".

In May 2006, the State Council included it in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list; in September 2009, UNESCO formally considered and approved the inclusion of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival in the World Intangible Cultural Heritage,

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