1. The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival

(1) The Dragon Boat Festival is the oldest folk festival of the Chinese nation. It was originally a festival for totem sacrifices held by the ancient Baiyue tribes who worshiped the dragon totem. In ancient times, the land of Baiyue had the custom of worshiping the dragon ancestors in the form of dragon boat races.

(2) Because Qu Yuan, a poet of the Chu State during the Warring States Period, bouldered and jumped into the Miluo River to commit suicide on the Dragon Boat Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival was later regarded as a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan; some places also commemorate Wu Zixu, Cao E and Jie Zitui, etc. statement.

(3) Generally speaking, the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the totem sacrifice of Baiyue in the south. The Dragon Boat Festival is regarded as an "evil month and evil day". The commemoration of historical figures such as Qu Yuan's suicide by jumping into the river eventually formed the cultural connotation of the Dragon Boat Festival that has been passed down to this day.

(4) The word "Duan" means "initial", so "Duanwu" means "the fifth day of the lunar month". According to the calendar, May is the "noon" month, so "Dragon Boat Festival" gradually evolved into the current "Dragon Boat Festival". "Yanjing Suishiji" records: "The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month." The pronunciation of the word is also changed. ”

(5) In Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, the Dragon Boat Festival is divided into the Big Dragon Boat Festival and the Little Dragon Boat Festival. The Little Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month every year, and the Big Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month every year.

2. Customs of the Dragon Boat Festival

(1) In ancient times, in the land of Baiyue, dragon shapes were carved on the noonday of the lunar month when the yang energy was strong. The boat carried ancient rice dumplings and other tribute offerings in the form of a boat race to worship the dragon ancestor; to this day, the dragon boat festival is still an important activity of the Dragon Boat Festival.

(2) The earliest recorded appearance in classics. The Dragon Boat Festival food should belong to the Western Han Dynasty's "Owl Soup". "Historical Records" "Xiaowu Benji" notes Chunyan: "The Han Dynasty sent Xiao Wu to Dongjun, and on May 5th, he gave Owl Soup to all officials. It is an evil bird, so eat it." Zongzi, the main character of the Dragon Boat Festival, appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It was not until the Jin Dynasty that Zongzi became the Dragon Boat Festival food.

(3 ) Drink Pu wine, realgar, and cinnabar wine, and sprinkle it with wine. Feng Yingjing of the Ming Dynasty's "Yue Ling Guangyi" says: "Use cinnabar wine for five days to ward off evil spirits and detoxify. Use the wine to dye the forehead, chest, hands, feet, and heart, and there will be no aphids." Poisonous snake) Snake trouble. Also sprinkle the walls, doors and windows to ward off poisonous insects. "This custom is widely spread.

(4) Hang mugwort, calamus, and banyan branches. During the Dragon Boat Festival, hang mugwort, calamus (Pu Jian) ??or pomegranate, and garlic at the door. , tie calamus into a bunch with red paper, and then insert or hang it on the door because calamus is the first of the five auspicious signs in the sky, symbolizing the sword that drives away bad luck. Because the growing season and shape are regarded as feeling the "qi of a hundred yin", the leaves It is in the shape of a sword and can be inserted at the door to ward off evil spirits.

(5) Sachets are also called sachets, sachets, purses, etc. They are made of five-color silk threads or sewn from rags. It is filled with spices (made from Chinese herbs such as Angelica dahurica, Chuanxiong, Baicao, Paicao, Shannai, Spicy nard, and Gao Benxing). It is worn on the chest and has a fragrant aroma.

(6) It is a custom to hide the Dragon Boat Festival. , refers to taking a newly married or married daughter home to celebrate the festival, which is also called "Zangwu". It is customary to regard May and May 5th as evil months and days, and many things need to be avoided. , because there is a custom of taking girls home to hide in the Dragon Boat Festival.