Qu Yuan was a minister of Chu Huaiwang in the Spring and Autumn Period. He advocated the promotion of talents and empowerment, made Qiang Bing rich, and urged the joint efforts against Qin, which was strongly opposed by Zilan and others, and Qu Yuan was exiled to Yuan and Xiang basins. Later, Qin Jun attacked Kyoto, Chu, and Qu Yuan saw his motherland being invaded. On May 5th, after writing his masterpiece Huai Sha, he threw himself into the Miluo River and died, composing a magnificent patriotic movement with his own life.

The people of Chu learned that Qu Yuan's death was very sad, and they threw rice balls in succession to prevent fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. Later, people wrapped rice with neem leaves, wrapped in colored silk, and developed into brown seeds. And on the fifth day of May every year, dragon boat races, eating zongzi and drinking realgar wine are held to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

2. Wu Zixu said

In Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it means to commemorate Wu Zixu in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC).

Wu Zixu has great talents and won the trust of He Lv, the king of Wu. He was loyal to help the king of Wu break the strong Chu in the west, join forces with Jin in the north and serve the Vietnamese in the south, and the national strength of Wu reached its peak. After the death of Yan Lu, the king of Wu, he continued to assist Fu Cha in his accession to the throne and helped the State of Wu defeat Yue. Wu Zixu analyzed that due to natural conditions, wuyue can only have one of the two, so he advocated that the country of Yue must be destroyed.

Fu Cha rejected his proposal, and Wu Dazhai was bribed by the State of Yue, and slanderers framed Zi Xu. Fu Cha believed him and gave him a sword, so Zi Xu died. Zi Xu, a loyal man, regarded death as death. Before he died, he said to his neighbors, "After I die, I will gouge out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Wujing to watch the Vietnamese army enter the city and destroy Wu." He committed suicide. Fu Cha was furious when he heard this, so he ordered Zi Xu's body to be put into the river on May 5.

The people of Wu miss Wu Zixu, the pillar of the country. For thousands of years, it has been said in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces that after Wu Zixu's death, the loyal soul will never die and become a Taoshen, and the Dragon Boat Festival is the day to commemorate Wu Zixu.

3. The dutiful daughter Cao E said

Cao E was a native of Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Her father drowned in the river and didn't see her body for several days. At that time, Cao E, the filial daughter, was only fourteen years old and was crying along the river day and night. Seventeen days later, he also threw himself into the river on May 5, and took out his father's body five days later. This was passed down as a myth, and then passed on to the governor of the county government, who made it a monument and let his disciple Han Danchun make a eulogy.

The tomb of Cao E, a dutiful daughter, was in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province today, and later Cao E tablet was written by Jin Wangyi. Later, in order to commemorate Cao E's filial piety, Cao E Temple was built in the place where Cao E threw himself into the river. The village where she lived was renamed Cao E Town, and the place where Cao E died was named Cao E River.