THE fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar year is called the Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival. The festival dates back to about 2,000 years ago, with a number of legends explaining its origin. The best-known story centers on a great patriotic poet named Qu Yuan.

    Legend of Qu Yuan

    As a minister in the State of Chu — one of the seven warring states before the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) which was China’s first feudal dynasty — Qu supported the decision to fight against the powerful State of Qin, which was also one of the seven states during the Warring States Period (476-221 B.C.). He was slandered by the aristocrat Zi Lan and was subsequently exiled by the king. The State of Qin later conquered the other six states.

    The author of enduring poems such as “Li Sao” (“The Lament”), “Tian Wen” (“Asking Questions to Heaven”) and “Jiu Ge” (“Nine Songs”), Qu is regarded as a famous poet in China’s history. In 278 B.C., after finishing his last masterpiece — “Huai Sha” (“Embracing the Sand”) — Qu drowned himself in a river rather than see his country conquered.

    On hearing of Qu’s death, fishermen searched for his body by rowing their boats down the river, and others threw food such as eggs and zongzi into the river to distract fish and other animals from destroying Qu’s body.

    Festival customs

    Dragon Boat Festvial customs vary in different areas of the country, but many families hang a picture of Zhong Kui — a ghost that can exorcise — in their houses, along with calamus and moxa, Oriental plants that are believed to ward off evil. People have dragon boat races, eat zongzi — dumplings made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves — and carry a spice bag around with them.

    The boat races are said to represent the search for Qu’s body, with participants racing boats to the rhythm of beating drums.

    The tradition of throwing glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves into the water later evolved into the custom of eating zongzi.

    It’s believed that if you carry a small spice bag around with you during the festival, it not only drives away evil spirits but also brings fortune and happiness. (SD-Agencies)