BROSintl® Greeting | Happy Chinese Traditional Dragon Boat Festival

Happy Chinese Traditional Dragon Boat Festival

Happy Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival

Also known as The Duanwu Festival,  Zhongxiao Festival,  Double Fifth Festival.

Festival

The 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese calendar, May 30th, 2017

History

The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty. A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices. However, when the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River.

It is said that the local people, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him or at least retrieve his body. This is said to have been the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi.

According to legend, Dragon Boat racing originated in China more than 2,300 years ago. The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty. A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices. However, when the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River.

It is said that the local people, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him or at least retrieve his body. This is said to have been the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi.

Eventually dragon boat races became the cultural tradition to mark the anniversary of Qu Yuan’s death – primarily a form of amusement and fun, while also highlighting the history of this colorful event. The Modern Era of Dragon Boat racing began in 1976 during the first Hong Kong International. The sport debuted in the U.S. in the early ‘80s. Now in more than 100 cities, every year people come together to pay tribute to this fallen statesman by paddling to the beat of their own drum. The traditional dotting of the Dragon’s eye before dragon boat racing awakens the dragon and unleashes its fire, giving boats and their crews the strength of the dragon.

Activities

Three of the most widespread activities conducted during the Duanwu Festival are eating (and preparing) zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats. 

BROSintl® Holiday

May 28th to 30th, 2017

Origin from here.