TheDragonBoatFestival,alsocalledtheDuanwuFestival,iscelebratedonthefifthdayofthefifthmonthaccordingtotheChinesecalendar.Forthousandsofyears,thefestivalhasbeenmarkedbyeatingzongzi(glutinousrice（糯米）wrappedtoformapyramidusingbambooorreedleaves)andracingdragonboats.
Thefestivalisbestknownforitsdragon-boatraces,especiallyinthesouthernprovinceswheretherearemanyriversandlakes.Thisregatta（赛舟会）commemoratesthedeathofQuYuan,anhonestministerwhoissaidtohavecommittedsuicidebydrowninghimselfinariver.QuwasaministeroftheStateofChusituatedinpresent-dayHunanandHubeiprovinces,duringtheWarringStatesPeriod(475-221BC)（战国时期）.Hewasupright,loyalandhighlyesteemedforhiswisecounselthatbroughtpeaceandprosperitytothestate.However,whenadishonestandcorruptprincevilifiedQu,hewasdisgracedanddismissedfromoffice.Realizingthatthecountrywasnowinthehandsofevilandcorruptofficials,QugrabbedalargestoneandleaptintotheMiluoRiveronthefifthdayofthefifthmonth.Nearbyfishermenrushedovertotryandsavehimbutwereunabletoevenrecoverhisbody.Thereafter,thestatedeclinedandwaseventuallyconqueredbytheStateofQin.
ThepeopleofChuwhomournedthedeathofQuthrewriceintotherivertofeedhisghosteveryyearonthefifthdayofthefifthmonth.Butoneyear,thespiritofQuappearedandtoldthemournersthatahugereptile（爬行动物）intheriverhadstolentherice.Thespiritthenadvisedthemtowrapthericeinsilkandbinditwithfivedifferent-coloredthreadsbeforetossingitintotheriver.
DuringtheDuanwuFestival,aglutinousricepuddingcalledzongziiseatentosymbolizethericeofferingstoQu.Ingredientssuchasbeans,lotusseeds（莲子）,chestnuts（栗子）,porkfatandthegoldenyolkofasaltedduckeggareoftenaddedtotheglutinousrice.Thepuddingisthenwrappedwithbambooleaves,boundwithakindofraffiaandboiledinsaltwaterforhours.
Thedragon-boatracessymbolizethemanyattemptstorescueandrecoverQu'sbody.Atypicaldragonboatrangesfrom50-100feetinlength,withabeamofabout5.5feet,accommodatingtwopaddlersseatedsidebyside.
Awoodendragonheadisattachedatthebow,andadragontailatthestern（船尾）.Abannerhoistedonapoleisalsofastenedatthesternandthehullisdecoratedwithred,greenandbluescalesedgedingold.Inthecenteroftheboatisacanopiedshrinebehindwhichthedrummersgong（铜锣）beatersandcymbal（铙钹）playersareseatedtosetthepaceforthepaddlers.Therearealsomenpositionedatthebowtosetofffirecrackers,tossriceintothewaterandpretendtobelookingforQu.Allofthenoiseandpageantrycreatesanatmosphereofgaietyandexcitementfortheparticipantsandspectatorsalike.Theracesareheldamongdifferentclans,villagesandorganizations,andthewinnersareawardedmedals,banners,jugsofwineandfestivemeals.
AttheendoftheZhouDynasty,theareawenowknowasChinahadfallenintoastateoffragmentationandconflict.WhiletheZhoudynastyhadruledforseveralcenturies,severalotherstates,originallyfeudaldomains,triedtocarveouttheirownkingdoms.ThestateofQinwouldeventuallyemergethevictorandunifyallofChinaunderoneruleforthefirsttimeinhistory.
QuYuanservedasministertotheZhouEmperor.Awiseandarticulateman,hewaslovedbythecommonpeople.Hedidmuchtofightagainsttherampantcorruptionthatplaguedthecourt--therebyearningtheenvyandfearofotherofficials.Therefore,whenheurgedtheemperortoavoidconflictwiththeQinKingdom,theofficialspressuredtheEmperortohavehimremovedfromservice.Inexile,hetraveled,taughtandwroteforseveralyears.HearingthattheZhouhadbeendefeatedbytheQin,hefellintodespairandthrewhimselfintotheMilouRiver.Hislastpoemreads:
ManyaheavysighIhaveinmydespair,GrievingthatIwasborninsuchanunluckytime.Iyokedateamofjadedragonstoaphoenixchariot,Andwaitedforthewindtocome,tosouruponmyjourney
Ashewassolovedbythepeople,fishermenrushedoutinlongboats,beatingdrumstoscarethefishaway,andthrowingzongziintothewatertofeedbraverfishsothattheywouldnoteatQuYuan'sbody.
TheModernDragonBoatFestivalstartedfromthattimetothisday,peoplecommemoratedQuYuanthroughDragonBoatRaces,eatingzongzi,andseveralotheractivities,ontheanniversaryofhisdeath:thefifthdayofthefifthlunarmonth.
DragonBoatracesarethemostexcitingpartofthefestival,drawingcrowdsofspectators.DragonBoatsaregenerallybrightlypaintedanddecoratedcanoes.Ranginganywherefrom40to100feetinlength,theirheadsareshapedlikeopen-moutheddragons,whilethesternsendwithascalytail.Dependingonthelength,upto80rowerscanpowertheboat.Adrummerandflag-catcherstandatthefrontoftheboat.Beforeadragonboatenterscompetition,itmustbe"broughttolife"bypaintingtheeyesinasacredceremony.Racescanhaveanynumberofboatscompeting,withthewinnerbeingthefirstteamtograbaflagattheendofthecourse.AnnualracestakeplacealloverChina,HongKong,Macao,Taiwan,andotheroverseasChinesecommunities.
Todayismayinchineselunarcalendarisdragonboatfestival,alsoknownasthedragonboatfestival,themiddayfestival,festivalofmay,five,aifestival,endofday,noon,thesummerfestival.althoughthenamesaredifferent,thecustomsofpeoplearoundtheholidayisthesame.dragonboatfestivalischinamorethanxxyearsoldcustoms,eachtothisday,eachandeveryfamilyweresuspendedaszhongkui,hangstheleafcalamus,dragonboatraces,eatzongzi,drinkingrealgarwine,travelsickness,perrysachet!
Morning,webegantopackdumplings,readytofeedmybelly".saidthedragonboatfestival,youmustnotknowthedragonboatfestivalknowledge,letmetellyouthedoctoraboutthedragonboatfestivalknowledge!
Talkingaboutthedragonboatfestival,wehavetoselectapoetaskedhimtohelpustostartatthebeginningofhim,butheishefangdivine?heisthefamouspatrioticpoet--quyuan!quyuanisthewarringstatesperiodabroad,verylearned.hewasanofficialintheimageisthechuside,ourcountryrichandstrong.hewasatraitortogenius,quyuanxiaozhiexile.inexile,quyuanheardthatthechucapitalheldbytheenemy,thepeopleindistress,veryangry.thefifthinmaythisday,hecametothemiluoriver,holdingapieceofstone,toplungeintothemiluoriver.overseaspeoplehearquyuanrivernews,verysad.theirtearsrowedtosalvagequyuan,alsoputthedumplingsintotherivertofeedthefishinthehopethatthefish,donotharmthebodyofquyuan.thisisthemayfestivaldumplings.
Ilikethedragonboatfestival.