A Millennium-Old Story of the Dragon Boat Festival
There are many different accounts of the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. Some say it commemorates Qu Yuan, others say it honors Wu Zixu, and still others refer to the “fifth day of the fifth month” as the “evil day.” However, the most widely accepted belief among the people is that the festival is closely tied to the story of Qu Yuan.
In 278 BC, the Qin army captured Ying, the capital of the Chu State. Qu Yuan, then in his sixties, was overwhelmed with despair. His lifelong dedication to serving his country and his fervent desire to save it had come to nothing. In his anguish, he embraced a large stone and threw himself into the Miluo River near present-day Changsha, Hunan Province.
The local people deeply admired Qu Yuan’s patriotism. Upon hearing of his death, they rushed in boats to the Miluo River to search for him. People also spontaneously threw rice balls, eggs, and other food into the river, hoping that the fish and shrimp would eat their fill and leave Qu Yuan’s body unharmed. Some poured realgar wine into the river, hoping to intoxicate the dragons and water beasts. Concerned that the rice balls might be eaten by dragons, people wrapped the rice in leaves and tied them with colored silk threads — a practice that gradually evolved into the tradition of making zongzi.
From then on, every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the customs of dragon boat racing, eating zongzi, and drinking realgar wine have been observed to honor the memory of the great patriotic poet Qu Yuan.
Post time: Jun-18-2026