On the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, summarized, there are roughly the following: Qu Yuan

In memory of Qu Yuan

This is the earliest from the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, Wu Jun, "renewed Qiharmonic Records", and the Southern Dynasties of the Zong Security Department, "Jingchu chronicle". It is said that 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, it was a rainy day, and the boats on the lake gathered together by the pavilion on the shore. 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 swing boat on the river, and then gradually developed into a dragon boat race. Hundreds of people are afraid of the river fish eat his body, they have to go home to bring the rice ball into the river, so as not to spoil the fish and shrimp Qu Yuan's body, and later became the custom of eating rice dumplings. It seems that the Dragon Boat Festival to eat zongzi, dragon boat racing and commemorate the Qu Yuan related to the Tang Dynasty Wenxiu "Dragon Boat Festival" poem as evidence: "Festival points Dragon Boat Festival since who said that the rumors of the ancient for Qu Yuan. I can laugh at the empty Chu River, can not be washed straight minister injustice."

In honor of the filial daughter Cao E

This is from the "Cao E Stele" of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Cao E was a native of Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Her father was drowned in the river and his body was not seen for several days, so Cao E, a filial daughter, was only 14 years old and cried along the river day and night. After seventeen days, she threw herself into the river on May 5, and five days later, she carried out her father's body.

Welcoming Tao God

Wu Zixu, a loyal minister of Wu in the Spring and Autumn Period, died of injustice, and then turned into a Tao God, and the world mourned and sacrificed to the god, so there is the Dragon Boat Festival. This legend is widely circulated in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Wu Zixu, a native of Chu, his father and brother were killed by the king of Chu, and then Zixu defected to Wu, helped Wu to conquer Chu, and entered Ying City, the capital of Chu, in five battles. At that time, King Ping of Chu was already dead, so Zixu dug up his grave and whipped his body 300 times to avenge the killing of his father and brother. After the death of King Helu of Wu, his grandson Fu Chai succeeded to the throne. The Wu army had high morale and won a hundred battles, and the Yue kingdom was defeated, so King Goujian of Yue asked for peace, and Fu Chai agreed to it. Zixu suggested that the state of Yue should be completely destroyed, but Fu-chai refused to listen to him. The governor of Wu, who was bribed by the state of Yue, framed Zixu with slanderous rumors, and Fu-chai believed him and gave Zixu a sword, which he used to kill him. Zixu was a loyal man, and he was very happy to die. Before he died, he said to his neighbors, "When I die, I will dig out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Wu Jing to see the Vietnamese army enter the city to destroy Wu", and then he cut his own throat, and Fu Chai was furious, and he ordered to take Zixu's body and put it into a leather bag to throw it into the river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

The Dragon Festival

This theory comes from Wen Yiduo's Duanwu Kao and Historical Education of Dragon Boat Festival. He believed that the fifth day of the fifth month was the day on which the "dragons" of the ancient Wu-Yue region, Yuan-Wu Tinghui: Dragon Boat Raiders

[1], held their totem sacrifices. The main reasons for this are; (a) the two most important activities of the Dragon Boat Festival, eating zongzi and racing, are related to the dragon. Zongzi put into the water is often stolen by the dragon, while the race is used in the dragon boat. (B) the race and the ancient wu yue local relationship is particularly deep, and wu yue people also have broken hair tattoo "to like the dragon" custom. (C) in ancient times on the fifth day of May, there are "colorful silk arm" folk custom, which should be "like the Dragon" tattoo custom remains.

Evil Day

In the pre-Qin era, it is generally believed that May is a poisonous month, the fifth is evil, according to legend, the day of the evil sycophants, five poisons and out. According to the Book of Rites, the Dragon Boat Festival originated in the Zhou Dynasty from the storage of orchids to bathe. The chapter "Zhong Xia Ji" in "Lu Shi Chun Qiu" stipulates that people should abstain from sex and fast in the month of May. In the Xia Xiaozheng, it is written, "This day is for storing medicines in order to remove poisonous qi." The Dai Dai Rites recorded, "the fifth day of the fifth month to store orchids for the bath" to bathe to drive away evil spirits that the fifth day of the year is the day of death of the legend is also a lot of. The Historical Records of the Grand Historian (史记-孟尝君列传) recorded that the famous Grand Historian Meng Chang Jun (孟尝君) was born on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. His father asked his mother not to give birth to him, believing that "the son of the month of May, longer than the household Qi, will be unfavorable to his parents." According to an anonymous article in the book "Customs", "It is said that if a child is born on the fifth day of the fifth month, the male will harm his father and the female will harm her mother. Wang Chong, author of "Lun Heng", also recorded: "taboo to lift the first month, May son; to the first month, May son to kill the father and mother, shall not be lifted also." In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the great general Wang Zhenxiao was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, so his grandfather named him "Zhenxiao". Song Huizong Zhao Ji was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, from childhood foster outside the palace. It can be seen that the ancient May 5 as a bad day, is a common phenomenon. Can be seen from the pre-Qin later, this day are unlucky day. In this way, in this day plug calamus, moxa to drive away ghosts, lavender atractylodes, Angelica dahurica and drink andrographis wine to avoid the epidemic, is a logical thing. And people also avoid the "five" taboo, called "Dragon Boat Festival".

Summer Solstice

Liu Deqian, who holds this view, in the ""Dragon Boat Festival"" and ""Chinese traditional festivals"", puts forward three main reasons: (a) the authoritative work of years and times, "Jingchu years and times" does not mention the May 5 to eat dumplings of the festival custom, but to eat dumplings written in the summer solstice. Festival. As for the ferry race, the Sui dynasty Du Taiqing made the "jade candle BaoDian" it into the summer solstice recreational activities, see is not necessarily for the salvage of the great poet Qu Yuan cast into the river. (b) Some of the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, such as "treading on a hundred grasses", "fighting with a hundred grasses", and "picking miscellaneous medicines", actually have nothing to do with Qu Yuan. (C) The first explanation of the Dragon Boat Festival in the Times and Fashions of Huajili is: "The sun is shining, and the Dragon Boat Festival is in the middle of summer, so the Dragon Boat Festival is also known as the Festival of the Day. The earliest origin of the Dragon Boat Festival is the summer solstice. Tui Dang out, and to commemorate the Qu Yuan said the most extensive impact. As a result of Qu Yuan's personality and artistic excellence, people are also willing to attribute this anniversary to him.

Memorial female poet Qiu Jin

Qiu Jin word Ruiqing Jingxiong, the number of Jianhu female warrior, the small word Yugu, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, good at poetry, lyrics, songs, Fu, and like horseback riding and fencing, with flowers Mulan, Qin Liangyu in the world's title. 28 years old to participate in the revolution, the influence of a great deal of the planning of an uprising for the Qing soldiers arrested, to the end of the yielding, in the thirty-third year of the light of the fifth of June in the Shaoxing Xuan Hengkou She was arrested by the Qing soldiers while planning the uprising and died on June 5, 33rd year of Guangxu in Xuanhengkou, Shaoxing. Posterity for the admiration of her poetry, mourning her loyalty and courage, so, with the Poet's Day to commemorate her, and the Poet's Day is to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan and designated as the Dragon Boat Festival.

Edit this section of the festival customs

Pearly jewelry

Old times in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other areas of the Dragon Boat Festival, a kind of women's ornaments. Generally made of gold and silver wire or copper wire gold foil, the shape of a small man riding a tiger, there are also added bells, bells, tassels and garlic, dumplings and so on. Inserted in the women's hair buns, also used for gifts. Qingjiazhu" cloud: "(May 5) city people made of gold and silver wire for the complex tassels, bells, bells and so on, riding on a tiger, very fine, decorated with a small hairpin, through for the string, or with copper wire gold foil, for women to insert the sideburns. And they offer each other gifts, and their name is Jianren." Jianren a said and Ai people agree, just with the silk easy to Ai, Wu Man Yun "Jiangxiang Festival words - a small preface" cloud: "Hangzhou custom, Jianren that Ai people, and easy to the silk, for the camel tiger, women are wearing," like this when there is a role in driving away evil spirits to ward off the disease; said that the ancient time of the rock, purely for women's decorations (Cai Yun, "Wu Dedication" note). Children's heads will also be drawn on a "king" with xionghuang wine Dou Niang, the old end of the five women's headdress. Mostly found in Jiangnan. In some areas, it is also called Jianren. This object is said to have originated from the ancient walking rock, and said that it is a different form of Ai Ren. Qingjiazhu" cited "Tang and Song dynasty records" cloud: "Jiang who north and south, five hairpin color wins the system, ready to very clever. Where the fabric pin Jian system Ai leaves, or save embroidery Xian, Buddha, Hop, Wu, insects, fish, the shape of the beasts, eight treasures such as flowers. Crepe spiders, Cherry Fenglin, cocoon tiger fluffy dor, rows of grass lizards, and praying mantis spider cicada scorpion, and gourd fruits and gourds, color and realism. To add streamers, embroidered balls and tassels, bells and whistles, or coherent to string, the name is Dou Niang, can not be described."　Ai tiger, the old Dragon Boat Festival to drive away evil spirits, but also for decorations. China's ancient view of the tiger as a sacred animal, commonly thought to be able to suppress the evil spirits, blessing peace. "Customs" cloud: "Tiger Yang thing, the longest of the beasts. Can devour food ghosts, ...... also open up the evil. Therefore, more folk take tiger for the use of evil, especially the Dragon Boat Festival for the most characteristic of the tiger. Ai tiger or to Ai braided and cut, or cut color for the tiger, stick to Ai leaves, worn in the hair body. The Dragon Boat Festival custom of wearing Ai Hu has a history of more than a thousand years. Song Chen Yuan-gui, "the time of the year wide record" cited "the time of the year miscellany": "the Dragon Boat Festival in the shape of a tiger, up to as big as a black bean, or cut color as a small tiger, sticky mugwort leaves to wear. Wang Yigong 'Dragon Boat Festival Post' poem: 'Hairpin head of the tiger to ward off the evils of the group, the dawn driving auspicious clouds seven treasures car'." And Qing Fu-cha Dun Chong, "Yanjing times": "Every Duanyang, the boudoir of the clever, with damask made of small tiger and dumplings ...... to colorful thread, hanging in the head of the hairpin, or tied to the back of the children, the old poem: 'Jade Swallow hairpin Ai Tiger light! ', that is, this meaning."　

Painting the forehead, the Dragon Boat Festival, the custom of smearing the forehead of the child with the male yellow, the cloud can be driven away from poisonous insects. Typical method is to use the male yellow wine in the children's forehead painting "king" word, a borrowing of the male yellow to drive away poison, the second borrowing tiger ("king" like the tiger's forehead, and tiger for the king of the beasts, because of the substitution of the tiger) in order to suppress the evil. Qing Fuzha Duncan "Yanjing times and years": "Each to the Danyang, since the first day of the day, take andrographis sprinkled with wine, coated with children's collars and between the nose and ears, in order to avoid poisons." In addition to the forehead, nose and ears coated, can also be coated elsewhere, with the same intention. Shanxi "Hequ County Zhi" cloud: "Dragon Boat Festival, drink xionghuang wine, coated with children's forehead and two hands, feet heart, ...... that can be sick to prolong life."　Long life wisp, Dragon Boat Festival, tired of winning jewelry. Also known as renewal of life strand, renewal of life silk, prolonged life strand, longevity line, also known as the "Hundred Suo", "Pai Bing Shao", "colorful strand" and so on, the name varies, the shape, the function is largely the same. The custom in the Dragon Boat Festival to five-color silk knot and into the rope, or hanging in the door, or wear children's necks, or tie children's arms, or hanging in the bed net, cradle, etc., is said to be able to avoid disaster in addition to the disease, blessing of health and well-being, longevity. The shape of such festivals are generally five: a simple five-color silk thread into a rope, tied to the arm; in the colorful rope decorated with gold and tin ornaments, hanging on the neck; colorful rope folded into a square win, decorated in front of the chest; colorful rope knots for the portrait of the wearer; colorful silk embroidered and painted the sun, moon, stars, beasts and other things, to honor the elders. This custom began in the Han Dynasty. East Han Ying Shao "customs - anonymous text": "noon, to colorful silk tie arm, to avoid ghosts and soldiers, people do not disease plague, a long life wisp, a Pai Bing Shao". Afterwards, it has become a custom until recent and modern times. Qing Fuzha Dunsun "Yanjing times" record of the custom: "Every year to the Danyang, the Cabinet of the clever, with the continued Luo made of small tiger and dumplings, pots and pans, cherries, mulberries, and so on, to color threads, hanging in the hairpin, or tied to the back of the child." In which the Tang and Song dynasties, there are more court to give ministers of such festivals. History of the Tang dynasty emperor xingyuan yuan year end of the festival, the court had given a hundred rope a shaft. And "Song history - rites of fifteen": "the day before, to the gold strands of longevity belt, color silk renewed life strands given to the hundred officials. Festival wear to enter." The bag of incense

Wearing a bag of incense, also known as the bag of incense, scented bag, purse, etc., there are five-color silk thread wrapped, there are rags of cloth sewn together, filled with spices (made of the Chinese herbs Angelica dahurica, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, Scutellaria baicalensis, Pai Cao, Shan Nai, Gan Song, Gao Beng Xing), worn in front of the chest, the aroma of the nose. Chen Shiliang's "Guangji of the Years and Seasons," citing the "Miscellaneous Records of the Years and Seasons," mentions a type "made on the fifth day of the fifth month in red and white colors like a capsule, threaded with colored threads, and made to resemble a flower in a convulsive manner." As well as another "clam powder bell": "the fifth day of the end of the clam powder in the silk, decorated with sheep, as a number of beads. So that children with to absorb sweat also". These carry bags, the contents of several changes, from the sweat of the clam powder, to drive away evil spirits, copper, andrographis powder, the development of spices into the scent of the capsule, the production is also becoming more and more sophisticated, become the Dragon Boat Festival unique folk art.　Wearing a scented bag is quite delicate. The elderly in order to prevent disease and fitness, generally like to wear plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, peaches, apples, lotus, dolls riding a fish, dolls holding a rooster, double lotus and other shapes, symbolizing the birds and flowers, all the best, couples love, family harmony. Children like the birds and animals, such as tigers, leopards; monkeys on the pole, cockfighting rabbits and so on. Young people to wear the most delicate package, if it is a passionate lover, that sentimental girl early to elaborate one or two chic package, rushed to send their lover before the festival. The young man wearing a sweetheart to give the bag of incense, naturally, to cause the surrounding men and women's comments, straight to praise the object of the young man's dexterity.

Superstitions, elimination and avoidance of five poisons

Five poisons

As mentioned above, the Dragon Boat Festival was a poisonous day in the minds of the ancients, and this idea has been passed down in folk beliefs, which is why there are all sorts of customs for seeking peace and avoiding calamities. In fact, this is due to the hot summer weather, people are prone to disease, plague is also easy to epidemic; coupled with the multiplication of snakes and insects, easy to bite people, so be very careful, which is the formation of this custom. Various festive customs, such as picking herbs, sprinkling walls and doors with xionghuang wine, drinking bushels of wine, etc., may seem superstitious, but it is a hygienic activity that is beneficial to health. The Dragon Boat Festival can really be considered a traditional medicine and health festival, a festival in which the people fight against diseases and poisonous insects. Today, these hygiene practices should still be developed and carried forward.　Dragon Boat Festival health practices ① Picking herbs. This is one of the oldest Dragon Boat Festival customs. The Xia Xiaozheng reads, "On this day, medicines are stored to remove poisonous gas." "Years and Times" Volume 22 "picking miscellaneous medicines" cited "Jing Chu Years and Times" anonymous text: "May 5, competing to pick miscellaneous medicines, can cure a hundred diseases." Wei "Qimin Yaojutsu - miscellaneous records", there are May catch toad records, is also a pharmaceutical. Later, there are many regions have the custom of catching toads at the Dragon Boat Festival, such as Jiangsu in the Dragon Boat Festival collection of toads, pricked its foam, the production of traditional Chinese medicine toadstools; Hangzhou people also give small children to eat toads, said that the fire can be eliminated to cool, no sores in summer. There are also five days in the mouth of the toad plug ink ingots, hanging up to dry, that is, into the toad ingots, coated in pus sores can be dissipated. The custom of catching toads to make medicine originated from the Han Dynasty "toads and soldiers" legend. Another example is Hubei Jianli in the Dragon Boat Festival "picking grass", also picking herbs custom. Picking medicine is because before and after the Dragon Boat Festival herb stems and leaves mature, medicinal properties, only on this day to form this custom.　② bathing orchid soup, the Dragon Boat Festival bathing orchid soup is the ancient custom recorded in the "Dai Dai Li". At that time, the orchid is not the current orchid, but the chrysanthemum orchid, fragrant, can be decocted and bathed. There is also a line in "Nine Songs - The King of the Clouds" that says "Bathing in orchid soup is a great opportunity to bathe in fragrance". The Jing Chu Chronicle: "The fifth day of the fifth month is called the Orchid Bathing Festival." The Five Miscellaneous Chopsticks recorded that people in the Ming Dynasty bathed in orchid soup because it was unavailable, so they took five-colored grasses at noon and bathed in them. Later, they usually fried bushes, mugwort and other herbs to take a bath. In Guangdong, the use of Ai, Pu, Fenxian, Magnolia and other flowers and grasses; in Hunan, Guangxi and other places, the use of cypress leaves, wind root, Ai, Pu, peach leaves and other boiled into a medicinal water bath. Regardless of men and women, young and old, the whole family washed, this custom still exists, it is said to cure skin diseases, go to the evil spirit.　③ Drink bushels of wine, andrographis and vermilion wine, and sprinkle the spray with wine. Jing Chu Shou Shi Ji": "Calamus (perennial herbaceous plant, born at the water's edge, with reddish rhizomes under the ground, leaves shaped like swords, and fleshy inflorescences. The rhizome can be used as a spice or medicine) or skeletonized or crumbled to cold wine." Pu wine has an aromatic flavor and a refreshing taste, and later on, andrographis and vermilion sand were added to the wine. Ming Xie Zhaozhuang "five miscellaneous Tsui": "drink calamus wine also ...... and andrographis into the wine to drink." Ming Feng Yingjing "Moon Order Guangyi": "five days with cinnabar wine, to ward off evil spirits and detoxification, with wine dye forehead chest hands and feet heart, no will be venomous (ancient books say a poisonous snake) snake's disease. And to sprinkle the walls, doors and windows to avoid poisonous insects." This custom is widely spread. To date, such as Guangxi Binyang, every Dragon Boat Festival will have packets of medicine for sale, including Xionghuang, Zhu Lei, cypress, peach kernel, bushels, mugwort leaves, etc., people soaked in wine and then dipped in calabash and sprinkle the corners of the walls, doors, windows, under the bed, etc., and then wine coated with children's ears, nose and navel to drive away the venomous insects, and pray for the peace of the children. In addition, some areas also use staghorn wine in the end of the child forehead painting "Wang" word, so that children with the mark of the tiger to use the tiger to ward off evil spirits. These activities, from the health point of view, or scientific reasoning. Andrographis plus water and wine sprinkled indoors can be disinfected and sterilized, drinking bushels of sprinkles is also quite beneficial.　④ picking tea, making herbal tea. Some areas in the north, like the Dragon Boat Festival to pick young leaves, wild vegetables steamed and dried, made of tea. Guangdong Chaozhou area, people go to the countryside to pick herbs, boil herbal tea to drink. This is also good for health.

Hanging Mugwort, Calamus and Banyan Branches

There are other reasons to hang Mugwort, Calamus or Pomegranate and Garlic on the doorsteps during the Dragon Boat Festival. Usually will Hang moxa, calamus, banyan branches

Ai, banyan, calamus tied into a bundle with red paper, and then inserted or hung on the door. Because calamus days in the first of the five Rui, a symbol of the sword to drive away bad luck, because the growing season and shape is regarded as a sense of "hundred yin gas", the blade is sword-shaped, inserted in the door to ward off evil spirits. The leaves are sword-shaped and can be inserted in the doorway to ward off evil spirits. Therefore, it was called "Water Sword" by the priests, and later on, it was extended to "Pu Sword" by the custom, which can cut off a thousand evil spirits. Qing Dynasty Gu Tieqing in the "Qing Jia Record" has a paragraph "cut off the bushes for the sword, cut Peng as a whip, vice peach stalks and garlic, hanging in the bed, all to but ghosts". And the Jin Dynasty, "the land and customs" in the "to Ai for the tiger, or cut color for the tiger, post to the Ai leaves, the inner people scramble to cut it. Later more calamus, or as a human figure, or Xiao sword-like, named Pu Jian, in order to drive away evil but ghosts.　Mugwort represents inviting hundred blessings, is a kind of herb that can cure diseases, inserted in the doorway, can make the body healthy. It has been used as a medicinal plant in ancient China. The moxibustion method in acupuncture uses mugwort as the main ingredient and puts it on the acupuncture points to be burned to cure diseases. Legends that wormwood can drive away evil spirits have been passed down for a long time, mainly because it has the function of medicine, like the security hours of the "Jing Chu chronicles" recorded that "the chicken is not yet crowing, picking the wormwood looks like a man, and take it, collected to moxibustion disease, very effective. This is the day to pick the wormwood in the shape of a man and hang it over the house to avoid poisonous gas.　Duanwu (Dragon Boat Festival) is a custom of the Dragon Boat Festival, which refers to picking up a newly married woman or a woman who has already married to go home for the festival. It is called "Ducking Wu" for short, also known as "Ducking Duanwu". Commonly in May, May 5 for the evil month, evil day, all things need to be avoided, because there is a woman home to avoid the custom of Dragon Boat Festival. This custom seems to have been formed in the Song Dynasty, Lu You "rich years" poem has "goat cavity wine stretcher to meet the woman, the drums and dragon boat * * * race God" line. Jiajing Longqing Zhi" also recorded cloud: "married women called back to the festival". And, "Luanzhou Zhi": "women's new marriage, and then the month are welcome to return, called 'hiding Dragon Boat Festival'".　Dragon Boat Festival rain, when the folk years accounted for the custom. Common belief that the Dragon Boat Festival rain, unlucky; the opposite is auspicious. This kind of popular belief in the song dynasty has existed. Chen Yuanliang "times and years wide record" cited "summary record" cloud: "May 5 whistle, people exposure medicine, the year without disaster. Rain is a ghost exposure medicine, people are sick. This Minzhong proverb." Xu Yueqing "second rhyme Shu Li Shizhou open Dragon Boat Festival" Note to the cloud: "Linchuan people said that the rain on the Dragon Boat Festival, the ghosts Wang people disaster. Zhao Huaiyu's poem also quoted the proverb "no rain on the Duanwu day is a good year".

Dragon Boat Racing and Sacrificing Qu Yuan and Cao E

The term "dragon boat" was first used in the pre-Qin book Mu Tian Zi Biography, Volume 5: "The Son of Heaven took a bird boat and a dragon boat to float in the Great Marsh." In the "Nine Songs - Xiangjun", scholars believe that "flying dragons" are dragon boats, because they are not traveling to the north, but are not making progress in the Dongting area, and "the stone is shallow, and the flying dragons are fluttering around. Xiangjun" is a poem that describes Xiang people driving a dragon boat and sinking a jade pendant into the river (similar to throwing a trailer into the river) in memory of a historical figure. This is with the "soul boat" allusion, and the state of Chu "characters of the Dragon Palm painting" of the image of the allusion, can be mutually corroborated. The Jing Chu Chronicle of the Years and Seasons reads: "The fifth day of the fifth month is known as the Orchid Bathing Festival. ...... is the day, the race to the ferry, the race to pick miscellaneous medicines." Since then, through the ages, poems and fugues, notes, books and other records of the race is countless.　Dragon boat, and ordinary boats are not quite the same, different sizes, the number of radials vary. Such as Guangzhou, Huangpu, suburbs around the dragon boat, 33 meters long, there are 100 people on the road, radial hand about 80 people. Nanning dragon boat more than 20 meters long, each boat about 50 or 60 people. Hunan Miluo city dragon boat, on the other hand, is 16-22 meters long, with 24-48 scratchers. Fuzhou, Fujian Dragon Boat is 18 meters long and has 32 scratchers. The dragon boat is usually long, narrow and narrow, with a dragon head on the bow and a dragon tail on the stern. The colors of the dragon's head are red, black, gray and other colors, all similar to the head of the dragon lantern, with different postures. Generally carved from wood, painted (also with paper, yarn). Dragon tail more whole wood carving, carved scales and armor.　Dragon boat racing before, first to invite the dragon, sacrificing to the gods. Such as Guangdong dragon boat, in the Dragon Boat, before the Dragon Boat Festival from underwater, sacrificed in the South China Sea Temple in the South China Sea God, after the installation of the dragon, dragon tail, and then ready to race. And buy a pair of paper roosters placed on the dragon boat, that can bless the boat safe (vaguely corresponding to the ancient bird boat). Min, Taiwan is to the Mazu Temple worship. Some directly in the river to sacrifice the dragon head, kill the chicken dripping blood on top of the dragon head, such as Sichuan, Guizhou and other individual areas.　Miluo City, Hunan, before the race must first go to the Qu Zi Temple towards the temple, the dragon head for worship in the words of the gods in the Weng, Phi red cloth on the dragon head, and then installed the dragon head on the boat race, both to worship the Dragon God, but also to commemorate the Qu Yuan. In zigui, hometown of qu yuan in hubei province, there are also rituals to worship qu yuan circulated. The custom of worshipping Qu Yuan is recorded in "Sui Shu - Geography": "The swift oars and oars are speeding together, and the rowing and singing is chaotic, clamor vibrates on land and water, and the spectators are like clouds." Liu Yuxi of Tang Dynasty, "Race for the ferry" self note: "Race for the ferry began in Wuling, and now lifting oars and the phase and the sound of the salty call: 'Why in', the meaning of the Swamp Qu." Visible two lakes region, sacrifice qu yuan and dragon boat racing is closely related. Possible Qu Yuan (and Cao E, Wu Zixu, etc.) died, the local people have also been soul boat to send its soul to burial, so this custom.　Another example is the Zhejiang area, where the dragon boat race is held in honor of Cao'e. In the book of the Later Han Dynasty, Cao E died by throwing herself into the river, and folklore has it that she went down to the river to look for her father's body. In Zhejiang, many people worship Cao E. The "Points and Stones Pictorial - Pious Worship of Cao E" depicts the scene of people worshiping Cao E in the Huijie area.　Qingjiazhu" in the record of Wu Di (Jiangsu area) race, is derived from the commemoration of Wu Zixu, Suzhou, therefore, there is a Dragon Boat Festival of Wu Zixu's old habits, and held on the water in honor of the race. There are also ceremonies in Guangxi to commemorate Ma Yan, Fuzhou to commemorate Yan Wang Shenzhi and so on.　Various sacrifices, commemorative ceremonies, is nothing more than pointing incense and candles, burning paper money, offerings to chicken, rice, meat, fruit offerings, dumplings and so on. Nowadays, these superstitious rituals have been rare, but in the past, people sacrificed to the Dragon God Temple in a very serious atmosphere, and prayed for a good harvest, wind and rain, to go to the evil spirits, to make trouble, all the best, but also to bless the boating safety. In people's words, "for good luck", expressing people's inner good wishes.　At the beginning of the official race, the atmosphere is very warm. Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Jianfeng "ferry race song": "...... both sides of the Luo Yi pungent fragrance, silver hairpin shining sun such as frost blade. The drums beat three times and the red flag opened; two dragons jumped out of the floating water. The two dragons jumped out of the floating water. Anchorage shadows of the waves flew ten thousand swords, and the drums split the waves and sounded a thousand thunderbolts. The sound of drums is getting faster and faster, and the two dragons are looking at the mark as if they were in a flash. People on the slope call for thunderbolt and thunder, and the pole head hangs a rainbow of colors. May Dragon Boat Racing

There are some other activities for dragon boat racing. For example, the dragon boat tour of the township, is in the dragon boat race paddle dragon boat to the nearby familiar villages to play, gatherings. Sometimes the dragon boat also has various patterns of paddling, with the meaning of performance. For example, the dragon boat in Guangzhou, the hand with the paddle blade into the water, and then up to pick, so that the splash; the bow and stern of the people are rhythmic foot pressure boat, so that the dragon boat undulation such as swimming dragons playing in the water in general. Zhejiang Yuhang County dragon boat, some people let the dragon tail step down, so that the dragon head high, the bow of the rapid waves from the dragon's mouth spit out, such as the dragon swallowed clouds and spit out rain in general.　There are also boat racing. Such as "huainanzi - this training" "dragon boat 鷁 head, floating blow to entertain", is rowing the dragon boat, rocking the boat on the water to play music, play. In the "dream sorghum record" recorded in Hangzhou in the Southern Song Dynasty "dragon boat six, play in the lake". There are dragon boats on the lake, just a part of the boat cruise.　Tang, song, yuan, ming, qing dynasty emperors, there are near the water's edge to watch the dragon boat entertainment, also belongs to the game and so on. The old tangshu recorded mu zong, jing zong, all have "watch the race" thing. Tokyo dream record" volume 7, recorded in the northern song dynasty emperor in the water temple to see jinming pond dragon boat racing custom. One of the colorful boat, music boat, small boat, painting cabin, small dragon boat, tiger boat for viewing, music, there is a long forty feet of the big dragon boat. In addition to the big dragon boat, other boats in formation, competing bidding, as entertainment. Song zhang zeduan "jinming pond to capture the map" that depicts this scene. And the Ming Dynasty Emperor, in Zhongnanhai Ziguangge to watch the dragon boat, to see the Royal Archery Supervisor warriors running horseback archery. The Qing Dynasty in the Yuanmingyuan Fuhai held a race, Qianlong, Jiaqing Emperor, etc. are to watch.　There are also night dragon boat. In Zhejiang Wujin, there used to be night dragon boat, hanging up small lights on all sides to race. Sichuan Wutongqiao from 1982 onwards, there is a night dragon boat, electric lights on the boat, with fireworks, floating river lamps, brilliant and eye-catching. A few places in zhejiang also set up on the water heaps of floating flames, let the dragon boat from the flames through the lights and colors.　There are also dry dragon boat, is on land to simulate the activities of the dragon boat race. Such as the "Nanchang Province," which reads: "May 5 for the dry dragon boat, so that a number of people under the different, pass the drum on behalf of the people, fill the overflow of the thoroughfares, the ladies give money to pray for blessings, competing with the firecrackers to get rid of the ominous." Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, in the past, there is also a dry land to push the custom of Dragon Boat, but also that can remove evil spirits. Another Guangdong Foshan, Dongguan, Xinyi have dry land dragon boat custom, is actually a dance, but the date is not necessarily in the Dragon Boat Festival. Foshan autumn fall color when the dry-land dragon boat is the most spectacular. Another example is the "Huizhou Fu Zhi" in: "May 5, welcome the god boat chasing the epidemic, the boat with bamboo for the, attack painting like loach, to twelve people as God, carry and swim in Ogushi city." Another small dry dragon boat to children as toys.　In rowing dragon boat, and more singing to cheer the dragon boat song circulated. Such as zigui in hubei province rowing dragon boat, there is a complete singing, words and music according to the local folk songs and horns fusion and become, singing sound majestic and magnificent, heart-stopping, that is, "lifting the bow and the phase and the" of the legacy of the wind. Another example is the Dragon Boat Song of Nanxiong County, Guangdong Province, which is sung after the launching of the dragon boat in April until the end of the Dragon Boat Festival, with a wide range of performance content.

Bell Kui

Jumping Bell Kui, Bell Kui: Since the Jin Dynasty, jumping Bell Kui, Bell Kui, blessing the house is the Dragon Boat Festival and the Spring Festival is an important content.

Fighting grass

Before the Han Dynasty, there was no fighting grass. ("Social and common things through the ages - Shang Bing He") origin is not tested, it is generally believed that with the emergence of Chinese medicine. Ancient ancestors struggled to survive and lived a monotonous life, entertaining themselves by fighting insects, grasses and animals in their spare time, and after the legendary "Shen Nong tasted a hundred herbs" formed the science of traditional Chinese medicine, groups of people went out to the countryside every year to collect medicines at the Dragon Boat Festival, and plugged in Ai on the door in order to solve the muggy poisonous disease, which was a stereotypical custom; after harvesting, they would often hold competitions to report the name of the flower and the name of the herb to each other in the form of a battle, and those with more would win. After the harvest, competitions were often held in which the names of flowers and grasses were given to each other in the form of duets, with the winner being the one who had the most knowledge of plants and literature, which was a wonderful combination of botanical and literary knowledge. Bai Juyi's poem Watching Children's Play reads: "Make dust or fight grass, and enjoy playing all day long."　The original text of the book says, "It began with Han Wu". According to the Liang Dynasty's Zong Security Department in the "Jing Chu Years and Seasons", "On the fifth day of the fifth month, the four people step on a hundred grasses, and there is also the play of fighting grass." Nianhua Ji Li ":" Dragon Boat Festival hut storage medicine, fighting grass, wrapped in five silk."　North and South Dynasty, called "step on the grass", the Tang Dynasty, called "fight grass" or "fight grass". Liu Bin Gu Jiayu" said: "Tang Zhongzong Dynasty, Anle Princess five days to fight a hundred grasses." The Song Dynasty expanded to weekdays at any time. There are many descriptions of this in the works of the literati throughout the ages.　Beijing Palace Museum collection of "group of infants fighting grass", the game is roughly as follows: both sides of the competition first pick their own grass with a certain toughness, (Loulan case: more for the plantain, plantain perennial herbaceous plants, mostly born on the side of the road, ditch side, ridge, etc.). No stem, with most of the slender fibrous roots; leaves from the inter-root tufts, thin papery, with five main veins, entire or undulate, or sparse blunt teeth, up to 15-30 centimeters; with greenish-white sparsely flowers, corolla four-lobed, four stamens; fruit ripening will be lifted like a lid, releasing four to six brownish-black seeds, and its long flower axis, used to fight the grass of a good material.) Then cross each other into a "cross" shape and each pull with all their strength, in order to continue to win.　This kind of human pull and the strength of the pull of the grass to determine the winners and losers of the grass fight, known as "wudou". Wang Jian "Palace Lyrics", aria fighting grass game situation: "celery leaves in the water, flowers in the soil, pick up will also be avoided, always waiting for other people like the number of exhaustion, sleeve flicked out of the yukon gold buds" fighting grass in addition to "martial arts", there is also a "literary fight The so-called "literary fight". The so-called "Wen Dou", is the name of the flowers and plants, "Dream of Red Mansions" 62: "Baoyu birthday day, the sisters were busy sitting and drinking and doing poetry. The maid of each house also with the master for fun, Xue Pan's concubine Xiangling and a few maids each picked some flowers and plants, fight grass for fun. This said, I have Guanyin willow; that said I have Luohansong

Eat five yellow

Jiangsu and Zhejiang have a Dragon Boat Festival to eat "five yellow" custom. Five yellow refers to cucumber, eel, yellow fish, salted duck egg yolk, and xionghuang wine. In addition, northern Zhejiang Dragon Boat Festival also eat tofu.