Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanyang Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Zhengyang Festival and Tianzhong Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. There are many folk sayings about who the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate. The three most common sayings are that the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate Cao E, Wu Zixu and Qu Yuan.
The popular saying in Zhejiang is that the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E.
"The Biography of Nu Wa in the Later Han Dynasty" is recorded as follows: "Those who honor Cao E must remember Shangyu people. Father Xu Xu can string songs and make wishes for witches. On May 5, the second year of Han 'an, Jiang danced to meet God in Yuxian County and drowned, so no one was allowed to stay. /kloc-when she was 0/4 years old, she cried by the river. She cried day and night. Seven days out of ten days, she threw herself into the river. In the first year of Yuanjia, the county magistrate was still buried next to Jiangnan Road, which was a monument. "
Cao E was born in Shangyu, Shaoxing, Zhejiang during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Her father is a witch who specializes in offering sacrifices. Unfortunately, my father drowned in the river and the body disappeared for several days. At that time, Cao E, the filial daughter, was only fourteen years old and cried day and night by the river. Seven days later, she also died in the river.
Because she is a model of filial piety, it is widely circulated.
To commemorate Cao E's filial piety, later generations built Cao E Temple 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.
And a dragon boat race is held on May 5th every year as a memorial.
There are also rumors that the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate Wu Zixu.
Wu Zixu was originally from Chu, and his father and brother were both killed by the King of Chu. In order to get revenge, Wu Zixu went to Wu to help Wu cut Chu, and finally defeated Chu and avenged his father's death.
After the death of Prince He Lu, his son Fu Cha succeeded to the throne. Fu Cha listened to rumors and forced Wu Zixu to commit suicide. He wrapped Wu Zixu's body in leather and threw it into the river on May 5th. So May 5th is also called Wu Zixu Memorial Day.
According to folklore, after Wu Zixu's death, the Emperor of Heaven pitied his loyalty but was unjustly killed, so he was named the tide god of Qiantang River. "Cao E Monument" says: "Welcome Wu Jun on May 5th".
The most popular is the Dragon Boat Festival in memory of Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan is a great patriotic poet in the history of China. He is the founder and representative author of Songs of the South, and is called "the soul of poetry" by later generations.
Qu Yuan was a minister of the State of Chu at that time, and was highly valued by Chu Huaiwang, but it also aroused the envy of his colleagues. They slandered Qu Yuan in front of Chu Huaiwang and his successor King Qing Xiang, and finally he was alienated and exiled under the persecution of treacherous villains.
After the Chu State was attacked by Qin State, its political ideal was shattered and it was desperate for its future. So it was filled with grief and indignation, and it threw itself into the Miluo River with a full load of stones.
According to legend, Qu Yuan threw himself into the river on May 5th, and the State of Chu took this day as a day to commemorate Qu Yuan.
Folklore, and it is said to commemorate meson push, no matter who it is to commemorate, expresses people's respect and admiration for them.
What is the Dragon Boat Festival?
Dragon Boat Festival originated in China. Originally, it was a totem festival for the tribes who worshipped dragon totem in Baiyue area (the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the south area). Before the Spring and Autumn Period in Baiyue area, it was customary to hold totem festivals in the form of dragon boat races on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Later, because Qu Yuan, a poet of the State of Chu (now Hubei) in the Warring States period, threw a huge stone into the Miluo River that day, the ruler took the Dragon Boat Festival as a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan in order to establish the label of loyalty to the monarch and patriotism. In some areas, Wu Zixu and Cao E are also commemorated.
Dragon Boat Festival, Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and Mid-Autumn Festival are also called the four traditional folk festivals in China. Since ancient times, there have been festivals such as rowing dragon boats and eating zongzi. Since 2008, the Dragon Boat Festival has been listed as a national statutory holiday. In May 2006, the State Council listed it in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list; In September 2009, UNESCO formally considered and approved the inclusion of China Dragon Boat Festival in the world intangible cultural heritage, making it the first festival in China to be selected as the world intangible cultural heritage.
Folk songs of Dragon Boat Festival
On May 5th, when the wheat is ripe, dumplings are wrapped for the Dragon Boat Festival. In May, there was afternoon sunshine, and jiaozi fried dough sticks were soaked in realgar. On the fifth day of May, after the Dragon Boat Festival, sachets are hung and wormwood is inserted, and every family should worship their ancestors. On May 5th, after the Dragon Boat Festival, draw a king, drink realgar and celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival together. On May 5th, Dragon Boat Festival was celebrated with joy and encouragement. On the afternoon of May 5th, Qu Yuan rode Ai Hu. Armed with a calamus sword, exorcise demons and return to hell. On May 5th, it was Duanyang. The door is full of incense. Eat zongzi and sprinkle sugar. Dragon boat sails happily. It's hot on May Day, so put down your hoe and have a rest. The mountain is cold, and Yang Meihong is bleeding. May 5th, Dragon Boat Festival, carrying a bamboo basket into the valley. A hundred herbs are fragrant by the stream, and the most fragrant is Acorus calamus. After eating realgar wine, poisonous snakes swim far. Chongwu grass soup, wash away the scars. Eat wheat and eat wheat, learn words quickly. Eat five eggs and make a raw egg. Eat garlic, study, be an official. Zongzi is fragrant, fragrant kitchen. Folium Artemisiae Argyi smells fragrant. Peach branches are inserted in the grating, and you can see the wheat yellow when you go out. The sun is here, the sun is there, the sun is everywhere.