Origins: The Legacy of Qu Yuan
The festival’s most famous origin story centers on Qu Yuan (屈原, 340–278 BCE), a revered poet-statesman of the Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period. Known for his lyrical masterpiece Li Sao (《离骚》, “Encountering Sorrow”)—one of China’s earliest poetic works—Qu Yuan advocated ethical governance but was exiled after opposing corruption. When his kingdom fell to invaders, he drowned himself in the Miluo River in an ultimate act of protest.
Legend claims villagers raced dragon-shaped boats to scare away fish from his body and threw zongzi (粽子) – glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves – into the water to feed his spirit. Historians note the festival likely predates Qu Yuan, originating from ancient rituals to ward off summer diseases and evil spirits. Yet his story, symbolising loyalty and moral courage, became inseparable from the festival’s identity.
Three Core Tradition Define the Festival
Dragon Boat Racing (赛龙舟, Sài Lóngzhōu)
In this thrilling tradition, teams race long, vibrantly decorated 12-metre-long boats to the rhythmic beat of drums, symbolically retracing the villagers’ efforts to find and save the poet Qu Yuan. The dragon, a powerful creature in Chinese mythology often associated with rain and prosperity, reflects ancient hopes for protection, strength, and a good harvest. Today, the race blends athletic excitement with deep cultural remembrance.
Zongzi (粽子)
These pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumplings are filled with ingredients like meats, beans, or sweet dates, then carefully wrapped in bamboo leaves. Eating zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival is believed to offer protection and ward off evil. Making zongzi is often a family activity, bringing together generations to share stories, pass down
traditions, and strengthen intergenerational bonds.
Aromatic Protections
To guard against illness and misfortune, people hang bundles of mugwort and calamus leaves (艾草与菖蒲, Àicǎo yǔ Chāngpú) above doorways, believed to repel insects and evil spirits. Children often wear colourful embroidered sachets filled with fragrant
medicinal herbs as symbolic protection and blessings for health. Interestingly, modern science supports some of these traditions. Mugwort contains antimicrobial properties, and the energy-rich ingredients in zongzi offer practical nutrition during the hot summer
months, highlighting how traditional customs often carry hidden health wisdom.
Written by the Chinese Society.
