Introduction to the Dragon Boat Festival

The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the traditional Chinese folk festival - the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as "Duan Yang", "Pu Festival", "Tianzhong Festival", "Dachang Festival", "Mulan Festival", "Girls' Festival" and "Children's Festival". It is one of the traditional festivals of the Han people. The Dragon Boat Festival is also called Dragon Boat Festival and Duanyang. In addition, the Dragon Boat Festival has many other names, such as: Wu Day Festival, Chongwu Festival, May Festival, Bath Orchid Festival, Girl's Day, Tianzhong Festival, Di La, Poet's Day, Dragon Day, AI Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Summer Festival, etc. Festival and so on. Although the names are different, generally speaking, the festival customs of people in various places are more similar than different. To this day, the Dragon Boat Festival is still a very popular and grand festival among the Chinese people.

Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival has been a traditional habit of the Chinese people for more than 2,000 years. Due to the vast territory and numerous ethnic groups, some Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Miao, Yi, Zhuang, Buyi, Korean, Dong, and Yao , Bai, Tujia, Hani, She, Lahu, Shui, Naxi, Daur, Mulao, Qiang, Gelao, Xibo, Pumi, Ewenki, Yugu, Oroqen and other ethnic minorities also celebrate this festival, with many stories and legends. Not only have there been many different festival names, but there are also different customs in different places. The main contents include: when the daughter returns to her parents' home, hangs the statue of Zhong Kui, greets the ghost ship, hides from the afternoon, puts up the leaf talisman of the afternoon, hangs calamus and mugwort, travels from all diseases, wears sachet, prepares sweet wine for sacrifice, dragon boat race, martial arts competition, and bats. , playing on swings, coating children with realgar, drinking realgar wine, calamus wine, eating Wudu cakes, salted eggs, rice dumplings and seasonal fresh fruits, etc. Except for the superstitious activities that have gradually disappeared, the rest are still spread throughout China and neighboring countries. Some activities, such as dragon boat races, have achieved new development, breaking through time and geographical boundaries and becoming international sports events.

The Origin of the Dragon Boat Festival

There are many theories about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, such as: the theory of commemorating Qu Yuan; the theory of commemorating Wu Zixu; the theory of commemorating Cao E; the theory of starting from the Summer Solstice Festival of the Three Dynasties; The theory of warding off evil days in the moon, the theory of Wu Yue national totem sacrifice, etc. Each of the above statements has its origin. According to more than 100 ancient book records and expert archaeological research listed in the "Dragon Boat Test" and "Dragon Boat History Education" by scholar Wen Yiduo, the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival is a totem festival held by the Wuyue people in southern China in ancient China, earlier than Qu Yuan . However, for thousands of years, Qu Yuan's patriotic spirit and touching poems have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Therefore, people "cherish and mourn him, comment on his words from generation to generation, and pass them on from generation to generation." Therefore, the commemoration of Qu Yuan has the widest and deepest influence. occupy a mainstream position. In the field of folk culture, Chinese people associate dragon boat racing and eating rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival with the commemoration of Qu Yuan.

The Dragon Boat Festival is an ancient traditional festival that began in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in China and has a history of more than 2,000 years. There are many origins and legends of the Dragon Boat Festival. Here are only the following four:

Originally commemorates Qu Yuan

According to the "Biography of Qu Yuan and Jia Sheng" in "Historical Records", Qu Yuan was born in the Spring and Autumn Period. Minister of King Huai of Chu. He advocated the promotion of talents and empowerment, enriched the country and strengthened the military, and advocated uniting Qi to resist Qin. However, he was strongly opposed by the nobleman Zilan and others. Qu Yuan was dismissed from his post, expelled from the capital, and exiled to the Yuan and Xiang rivers. In exile, he wrote immortal poems such as "Li Sao", "Heavenly Questions" and "Nine Songs", which were concerned about the country and the people. They were unique in style and had far-reaching influence (therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival is also called the Poet's Day). In 278 B.C., the Qin Army conquered the capital of Chu. Seeing his motherland being invaded, Qu Yuan was heartbroken, but he still could not bear to abandon his motherland. On May 5, after writing his final work "Huaisha", he bouldered into the Miluo River and died, risking his own life. Composed a magnificent patriotic movement.

It is said that after Qu Yuan died, the people of Chu State were extremely sad and flocked to the Miluo River to pay their respects to Qu Yuan. The fishermen rowed their boats and fished for his true body back and forth on the river. A fisherman took out the rice balls, eggs and other food prepared for Qu Yuan and threw them into the river "plop, plop", saying that when the fish, lobsters and crabs were full, they would not bite Dr. Qu's body. People followed suit after seeing it. An old doctor took a jar of realgar wine and poured it into the river, saying it was to stun dragons and water animals so as not to harm Doctor Qu. Later, for fear that the rice balls would be eaten by dragons, people came up with the idea of ??wrapping the rice with neem leaves and wrapping it with colorful silk, which developed into rice dumplings.

Since then, on the fifth day of May every year, there has been the custom of dragon boat racing, eating rice dumplings, and drinking realgar wine to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

Commemorating Wu Zixu

The second legend of the Dragon Boat Festival is widely circulated in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It commemorates Wu Zixu during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC). Wu Zixu was a member of the Chu State, and his father and brother were both killed by the King of Chu. Later, Zixu abandoned the dark side and turned to the bright side, and rushed to the State of Wu to help Wu attack Chu. After five battles, he entered Yingcheng, the capital of Chu. At that time, King Ping of Chu was dead, so Zixu dug up the grave and whipped the corpse three hundred times to avenge the death of his father and brother. After the death of King Helu of Wu, his son Fucha succeeded to the throne. The Wu army had high morale and won every battle. The country of Yue was defeated. King Goujian of Yue asked for peace, and Fucha agreed to it. Zixu suggested that the Yue Kingdom should be completely wiped out, but Fu Chai refused to listen, and the Wu State slaughtered him. He was bribed by the Yue Kingdom and framed Zixu with slanderous words. Fu Chai believed it and gave Zixu a sword, and Zixu died with it. Zixu was a loyal man and regarded death as home. Before he died, he said to his neighbors: "After I die, dig out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Wu Jing to watch the Yue army enter the city and destroy Wu." Then he committed suicide and died. After hearing this, he was furious and ordered Zixu's body to be packed in leather and thrown into the river on May 5th. Therefore, it is said that the Dragon Boat Festival is also a day to commemorate Wu Zixu.

Commemorating the filial daughter Cao E

The third legend of the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E who saved her father and threw herself into the river in the Eastern Han Dynasty (23-220 AD). Cao E was a native of Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Her father drowned in the river and her body was not seen for several days. At that time, her filial daughter Cao E was only fourteen years old and cried along the river day and night. Seventeen days later, he also threw himself into the river on May 5th. Five days later, he took out his father's body. This was passed down as a myth, and then passed down to the county governor, who ordered Du Shang to erect a monument for it and his disciple Handan Chun to write a memorial in praise of it.

The tomb of the filial daughter Cao E is located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province today. It is later said that the stele of Cao E was written by King Yi of the Jin Dynasty. In order to commemorate Cao E's filial piety, later generations built the Cao E temple where Cao E threw herself into the river. The village and town where she lived was renamed Cao E town, and the place where Cao E died for her father was named Cao E river.

Origined from the ancient Yue national totem sacrifice

A large number of unearthed cultural relics and archaeological research in modern times have confirmed that in the vast areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, in the Neolithic Age, there was a culture characterized by geometrically printed pottery. remains. Experts infer that the tribe that remains is a tribe that worships the dragon totem - known as the Baiyue tribe in history. The patterns on the unearthed pottery and historical legends indicate that they had the custom of breaking their hair and getting tattoos, lived in water towns, and compared themselves to being descendants of dragons. The tools they produce include a large number of stone tools, as well as small bronze tools such as shovels and chisels. Among the pots and jars used as daily necessities, the printed pottery tripods for cooking food are unique to them and are one of the symbols of their ethnic group. Until the Qin and Han Dynasties, there were still Baiyue people, and the Dragon Boat Festival was a festival created by them to worship their ancestors. In the course of thousands of years of historical development, most of the Baiyue people have integrated into the Han nationality, and the rest have evolved into many ethnic minorities in the south. Therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival has become a festival for the entire Chinese nation.

Customs of the Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is a grand celebration in our country, and there are various celebration activities. The more common activities include the following forms:

Dragon boat racing

Dragon boat racing is the main custom of the Dragon Boat Festival. According to legend, it originated from the ancient Chu people who were reluctant to leave their virtuous minister Qu Yuan and threw himself into the river. Many people rowed boats to chase and save him. They scrambled to catch up and disappeared when they reached Dongting Lake. After that, dragon boat racing was held every May 5th to commemorate the event. He rowed dragon boats to disperse the fish in the river to prevent them from eating Qu Yuan's body. The custom of racing was popular in Wu, Yue and Chu.

In fact, "dragon boat racing" has been around since the Warring States Period. Carving a canoe into the shape of a dragon amidst the sound of drums and playing a boat racing game to entertain gods and people is a semi-religious and semi-entertaining program in the ritual.

Later, in addition to commemorating Qu Yuan, people in various places also attached different meanings to the dragon boat race.

Dragon boat racing in Jiangsu and Zhejiang also has the significance of commemorating Qiu Jin, a modern female democratic revolutionary born there. On the night dragon boat, lights are decorated, and people shuttle back and forth. The scenes on the water and under the water are moving and unique. The Miao people of Guizhou hold the "Dragon Boat Festival" from the 25th to the 28th of the fifth lunar month to celebrate the success of rice transplanting and wish for a good harvest. Compatriots of the Dai ethnic group in Yunnan compete in dragon boats during the Water Splashing Festival to commemorate the ancient hero Yan Hongwo. Different ethnic groups and different regions have different legends about dragon boat racing. To this day, in many areas in the south near rivers, lakes and seas, dragon boat races with their own characteristics are held every year during the Dragon Boat Festival.

In the 29th year of Qianlong’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1736), dragon boat racing began in Taiwan. At that time, the prefect of Taiwan, Chiang Yuan-jun, hosted a friendly match at the Half-Moon Pool of Fahua Temple in Tainan City. Taiwan now holds a dragon boat race every May 5th. In Hong Kong, ferry races are also held.

In addition, dragon boat racing has also been introduced to neighboring countries such as Japan, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. In 1980, dragon boat racing was included in China's national sports competitions, and the "Qu Yuan Cup" dragon boat race is held every year. On June 16, 1991 (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month), the first International Dragon Boat Festival was held in Qu Yuan's second hometown, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, China. Before the race, a "Dragon Head Sacrifice" was held that not only preserved the traditional ceremony but also injected new modern elements. The "dragon head" is carried into the Quzi Temple. After the athletes "glamorize" (put on a red belt) the dragon head, the officiant reads the sacrificial text and "consecrates" (i.e. lights up) the dragon head. Then, all the people participating in the dragon ceremony bowed three times, and the dragon's head was carried to the Miluo River and rushed to the dragon boat racing venue. More than 600,000 people participated in the competitions, trade fairs and party activities this time, which was an unprecedented event. Since then, Hunan has held the International Dragon Boat Festival regularly. Dragon boat racing will be popular all over the world.

Eating rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival

Eating rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival is another traditional custom of the Chinese people. Zongzi, also called "corner millet" and "tube rice dumpling". It has a long history and has many variations.

According to records, as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, rice was wrapped in wild rice leaves (wild rice leaves) into the shape of horns, which was called "horn millet"; rice was packed in bamboo tubes, sealed and roasted, called "tube rice dumplings". At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, millet was soaked in plant ash water. Because the water contained alkali, the millet was wrapped in wild rice leaves into a square shape and cooked to become Guangdong alkaline rice dumplings.

In the Jin Dynasty, rice dumplings were officially designated as the Dragon Boat Festival food. At this time, in addition to glutinous rice, the raw materials for making rice dumplings were also added with the traditional Chinese medicine Yizhiren. The cooked rice dumplings were called "Yizhizong". Zhou Chu's "Yueyang Fengtu Ji" records: "It is customary to wrap millet with wild rice leaves,...boil it, combine it thoroughly, and eat it from May 5th to the summer solstice. It is called rice dumplings and millet." During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Zongzi appears. Rice is adulterated with animal meat, chestnuts, red dates, adzuki beans, etc., and the varieties are increasing. Zongzi is also used as a gift for social interactions.

By the Tang Dynasty, the rice used for rice dumplings had become as white as jade, and its shape appeared cone-shaped and rhombus-shaped.

"Datang Zongzi" is recorded in Japanese literature. In the Song Dynasty, there was already "preserved rice dumplings", that is, rice dumplings with fruits. The poet Su Dongpo once wrote a poem: "Sometimes I see bayberry in rice dumplings." At this time, there were also advertisements using rice dumplings to build pavilions and pavilions, wooden carts and horses, indicating that eating rice dumplings had become fashionable in the Song Dynasty. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the wrapping material of Zongzi changed from wild rice leaves to Ruo leaves. Later, Zongzi wrapped in reed leaves appeared. The additional ingredients include bean paste, pork, pine nuts, dates, walnuts, etc., and the varieties became more colorful.

To this day, every year in early May, Chinese people soak glutinous rice, wash rice dumpling leaves, and make rice dumplings, with more varieties of colors. In terms of fillings, in the north there are many Beijing date rice dumplings stuffed with jujubes; in the south there are various fillings such as bean paste, fresh meat, ham, egg yolks, etc., among which Jiaxing rice dumplings in Zhejiang are the representative ones. The custom of eating rice dumplings has been popular in China for thousands of years and has spread to North Korea, Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.

Wearing sachets

Children wear sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival. Legend has it that they are meant to ward off evil spirits and repel plague. They are actually used to decorate their lapels. The sachet contains cinnabar, realgar and fragrant medicine, and is wrapped with silk cloth, which overflows with fragrance. Five-color silk strings are then tied into ropes and made into various shapes to form a string. They are colorful, exquisite and cute.

Calamus with moxa leaves

Folk proverb says: "Put willows during the Qingming Festival and moxa during the Dragon Boat Festival." During the Dragon Boat Festival, people regard planting mugwort and calamus as one of the important contents. Every family sweeps the courtyard, inserts calamus and moxa sticks in the eyebrows of the door, and hangs them in the hall. They also use calamus, mugwort leaves, pomegranate flowers, garlic and dragon boat flowers to make human or tiger shapes, which are called mugwort people and mugwort tigers. They are also made into garlands and ornaments, which are beautiful and fragrant. Women rush to wear them to drive away miasma.

Ai, also known as mugwort and mugwort. Its stems and leaves contain volatile aromatic oils. The peculiar aroma it produces can repel mosquitoes, flies, insects and ants, and purify the air. In traditional Chinese medicine, moxa moxa is used as medicine to regulate qi and blood, warm the uterus, and remove cold and dampness. The moxa leaves are processed into "moxa velvet", which is an important medicinal material for moxibustion treatment.

Calamus is a perennial aquatic herb. Its long and narrow leaves also contain volatile aromatic oils, which are medicines that can refresh the mind, strengthen bones, eliminate stagnation, and kill insects and bacteria.

It can be seen that the ancients planted moxa and calamus to prevent diseases to a certain extent. The Dragon Boat Festival is also a "health festival" passed down from ancient times. On this day, people sweep the courtyard, hang mugwort branches, hanging calamus, sprinkle realgar water, and drink realgar wine to stimulate turbidity, remove decay, and kill bacteria and prevent diseases. These activities also reflect the fine traditions of the Chinese nation. Going to the mountains to collect herbs during the Dragon Boat Festival is a common custom among all ethnic groups in my country.

The hanging statue of Zhong Kui

Zhong Kui catching ghosts is a Dragon Boat Festival custom. In the Jianghuai area, every house hangs a statue of Zhongkui to protect the house and ward off evil spirits. During the reign of Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty, when he returned to the palace from a martial arts lecture at Mount Li, malaria broke out. He dreamed of two ghosts, one big and one small. The little ghost wore bright red crotchless pants, stole Concubine Yang's sachet and Emperor Ming's jade flute, and ran around the palace. The big ghost wore a blue robe and a hat, caught the little ghost, gouged out its eyes, and swallowed them in one gulp. Emperor Ming asked, and the ghost said: My surname is Zhong Kui. I failed in the martial arts examination, and I would like to eliminate demons for your majesty. After Emperor Ming woke up, he recovered from the malaria, so he ordered the painter Wu Daozi to paint a picture of Zhong Kui catching ghosts based on what he saw in his dream. The portraits were ordered to be posted all over the world during the Dragon Boat Festival to drive away evil spirits.

Hanging purses and tying five-color silk thread

Ying Shao's "Customs" records: "On May 5th, colorful silk is tied to the arm, and the name will be long-lived, and the name will be continued. One life is to protect soldiers, one is Wu Selu, and the other is Zhu Suo, which is to protect soldiers and ghosts, and protect people from diseases."

In ancient China, five colors were worshiped and regarded as auspicious colors. Therefore, in the early morning of the festival, the first important thing that adults do after getting up is to tie five-colored threads on their children's wrists, ankles, and necks. When tying the thread, children are prohibited from speaking. The five-colored thread cannot be broken or discarded at will. It can only be thrown into the river during the first heavy rain in summer or the first bath. It is said that children wearing the five-colored thread can avoid harm from poisonous insects such as snakes and scorpions; throwing it into the river means that the river water will wash away plagues and diseases, so that the children can stay safe and healthy.

Volume 8 of Meng Yuanlao's "Tokyo Menghua Lu" records: Dragon Boat Festival items include Bai Suo, moxa flowers, silver drums, colorful painted fans, fragrant candies, small rice dumplings, and white balls. Perilla, calamus, and papaya are all cut into velvet velvet, mixed with fragrant herbs, and wrapped in a plum-red box. Starting from May 1st and the day before the Dragon Boat Festival, peaches, willows, sunflowers, cattail leaves, and Buddha moxa are sold. The next day, every family laid it out at the front of the door and offered it with five-color water balls, tea and wine. He also nailed Ai Ren to the door, and the scholars and common people gave each other a feast.

Chen Shiliang's "Sui Sui Guang Ji" quoted from "Sui Sui Za Ji" mentioned a kind of "Duanwu Festival made of red and white colors like a bag, with colorful threads running through it, making it look like a flower shape, or with or Nailed on the door with a red tongue and a white tongue, it is also called money-making." And another kind of "clam powder bell": "On the Dragon Boat Festival, put clam powder into the silk, and decorate it with cotton, like a few beads. Let the children wear it to absorb sweat." The contents of these portable bags have changed several times, from Clam powder to absorb sweat, talismans to ward off evil spirits, copper coins, and realgar powder to repel insects have developed into sachets containing spices, and their production has become increasingly sophisticated, becoming unique folk arts and crafts of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Similarly, there is drinking realgar wine: this custom is very popular among people in the Yangtze River Basin. Traveling with all kinds of diseases: This custom is popular in the Dragon Boat Festival customs in Guizhou area.

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It is laughable that the Chu River is empty and indistinct, and cannot wash away the grievances of the direct ministers.

Qilu. Dragon Boat Festival

(Tang Dynasty) Yin Yao Fan

Young people are more sentimental during the festival, but who knows how emotional they will be when they grow old;

If you don’t follow the example of Ai The talisman is more customary, but praying for wine will lead to peace.

The hair on the temples grows whiter day by day, and the pomegranate brocade illuminates the eyes every year;

Thousands of years of virtuous and foolish people are the same in the blink of an eye, and a few people are forgotten and few are famous.

The Song of the Race (Excerpt)

(Tang Dynasty) Zhang Jianfeng

The sky was bright and clear on May 5th, and the poplars circled the river and sang the dawn eagle;

Before the envoys left the county, the chorus of harmony had been heard on the river;

The envoys were all right when they left, and the horses were already led by red flags;

Roads on both sides of the bank were The clothes smell fragrant, and the silver hairpin shines on the sun like a blade of frost;

The red flag opens three times with the sound of drums, and two dragons leap out of the floating water;

The shadows cast off the waves and thousands of swords fly, and the sound of drums Thousands of thunders crackle the waves;

The sound of drums becomes more urgent and the mark is approaching, and the two dragons look at the mark as if in an instant;

The people on the slope are shouting thunderbolts, and the poles are hung with rainbow colors;

The boat in front grabbed the water and won the bid, but the boat behind lost momentum and was left empty-handed.

Jie Lingmen. Duanyang Festival

(Qing Dynasty) Li Jingshan

Cherry mulberries and calamus, and a pot of realgar wine.

There is a yellow paper sticker hanging high outside the door, but it is suspected that the account owner is afraid of the magic talisman.

Qilu. Dragon Boat Festival

Lao She

The Dragon Boat Festival happens to be windy and rainy, and the village children are still wearing old clothes;

Invite each other to share the love Coir raincoat hat, dare to be mud and fall deeply in love with the thatched cottage;

There are guests who treat each other as flesh and blood, and have no money to buy wine and sell articles;

In those days, the fish were three feet away, and the beans were not as fragrant as today.

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the four major festivals throughout the year. May is the poisonous month, the fifth day is the poisonous day, and the noon on the fifth day is the poisonous time, ranking at the top of the three poisons. The Dragon Boat Festival is also called "May Dragon Boat Festival". May is the beginning of the hot weather. The five venomous snakes become active and ghosts and monsters become rampant. These will bring disaster to people, especially children who are unscrupulous and unable to resist. We must concentrate on this day at the end of May. To prevent disasters and viruses for children, people also call the end of May as "Children's Day" or "Doll's Day".

There are many activities during the Dragon Boat Festival, which start at dawn in the morning and last until noon.

On the morning of the end of May, every family eats rice dumplings to commemorate Qu Yuan. They usually wrap the rice dumplings the day before, cook them at night, and eat them in the morning. Zongzi is mainly made of tender reed leaves that are abundant along river ponds. Bamboo leaves are also used, collectively called zongzi leaves. The traditional form of rice dumplings is triangular, and they are generally named according to the inner pulp. Those made with glutinous rice are called rice dumplings, those with adzuki beans mixed in rice are called adzuki rice dumplings, and those mixed with red dates are called jujube rice dumplings. At most, children who want to study can get the top prize early by eating it. In the past, scholars would eat jujube rice dumplings in the morning on the day they took the imperial examination. Today, parents also make jujube rice dumplings for candidates to eat on the morning of the entrance exams for middle schools and universities.

Be sure to boil eggs in the pot for cooking rice dumplings, and if possible, boil some duck eggs and goose eggs. After eating sweet rice dumplings dipped in sugar, you should eat eggs dipped in salt to top them off. It is said that eating boiled eggs in the rice dumpling pot in May will prevent you from getting sores in the summer; putting duck eggs and goose eggs boiled in the rice dumpling pot in the sun at noon for a while before eating will prevent headaches throughout the summer.

The Dragon Boat Festival has been officially applied by South Korea to be an intangible cultural heritage and has been successful. This is also a profound lesson for us Chinese in the protection of our own cultural heritage.