Legend has it that the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates Qu Yuan, a Chu poet in the Warring States Period, who committed suicide by throwing himself into the Miluo River on the fifth day of May. Qu Ping, formerly known as Qu Yuan, was born in Danyang (now Zigui, Hubei Province) in the late Warring States period, a descendant of Qu Xian, the son of Xiong Tong in Chu Wuwang.

Although Qu Yuan was loyal to Chu Huaiwang, he was repeatedly ostracized. After the death of King Huai, he was exiled because King Xiang listened to slanders, and finally died in Miluo River. It is said that after Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River, the local people immediately rowed for rescue and went all the way to Dongting Lake, but Qu Yuan's body was never seen. At that time, it was rainy, and the boats on the lake gathered together beside the pavilion on the shore.

When people learned that it was to salvage the virtuous minister Dr. Qu, they went out in the rain again and rushed into the vast Dongting Lake. In order to mourn, people rowed on the rivers, and then it gradually developed into a dragon boat race.

The people were afraid that the fish in the river would eat his body, so they went home to bring rice balls and throw them into the river to prevent fish and shrimp from ruining Qu Yuan's body. Later, it became the custom to eat zongzi. It seems that eating zongzi and racing dragon boats on the Dragon Boat Festival are related to commemorating Qu Yuan, as evidenced by Wen Xiu's poem "Dragon Boat Festival" in the Tang Dynasty: "The festival is divided into the Dragon Boat Festival, and it is rumored that it is Qu Yuan. It' s ridiculous that the Chu River is empty and can' t be washed straight. "

Qu Yuan's custom of Dragon Boat Festival:

1, Dragon Boat Race

Dragon boat race is the most important custom of Dragon Boat Festival. According to legend, after the death of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet of Chu, the people of Chu did not give up his death, and rowed after him until they rowed to Dongting Lake. At the same time, people also hoped to disperse the fish and shrimp in the river by rowing dragon boats to avoid Qu Yuan's body being hurt by fish.

2. Eat zongzi

Most people eat zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival, or buy or make it themselves, and almost zongzi has become a standard on the Dragon Boat Festival. Eating zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival is still related to the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. After Qu Yuan's death, the people of Chu threw zongzi into the river with the main purpose of hoping that the fish would eat zongzi instead of hurting Qu Yuan's body. Eating zongzi slowly has also become an important activity on the Dragon Boat Festival.

3, wearing sachets

On this day, parents will wear sachets for their children. On the one hand, wearing sachets will make children look more lovely and make them feel more festive. On the other hand, it means to ward off evil spirits and plague, and it places a good wish on people, hoping that children will be happy and disease-free.

4. Hanging Acorus calamus

On the Dragon Boat Festival, planting mugwort and calamus is also an important thing. On this day, people will clean the courtyard early in the morning, and then insert calamus and moxa sticks on the gate to play a role in exorcising ghosts and pinning people's hopes for a better life.