Dragon Boat Festival

■ The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Double Fifth Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon of the lunar calendar. It is one of the most important Chinese festivals, the other two being the Autumn Moon Festival and Chinese New Year.

The origin of this summer festival centers around a scholarly government official named Chu Yuan . He was a good and respected man, but because of the misdeeds of jealous rivals he eventually fell into disfavor in the emperor's court.

Unable to regain the respect of the emperor, in his sorrow Chu Yuan threw himself into the Mi Low river. Because of their admiration for Chu Yuan, the local people living adjacent to the Mi Lo River rushed into their boats to search for him while throwing rice into the waters to appease the river dragons.

Although they were unable to find Chu Yuan, their efforts are still commemorated today during the Dragon Boat Festival.

The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the May 5th Festival, Because the Dragon Boat Festival falls on May 5th of the lunar calendar, it is one of the three important Chinese festivals, the other two being the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year.

The origin of this festival is that there was a learned official in ancient China named Qu Yuan. He was an official who loved the people and was respected. However, he was framed by a jealous official and was banned from the court ever since. The emperor ignored him. Unable to gain the emperor's attention, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River in a melancholy state.

Because of their love for Qu Yuan, the residents along the Miluo River hurriedly rowed boats to search for Qu Yuan in the river, and threw rice into the Miluo River to appease the dragons in the Miluo River. Even though they did not find Qu Yuan at that time, their actions are still commemorated by people today during the Dragon Boat Festival.