Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Chinese Dragon Boat's Day





1. Qu Yuan

Dragon Boat's Day is on the May 5th in Chinese calenda. In memory of a great poet Qu Yuan, who ended his life for his country and people. Qu Yuan served a playful emporer who paid least attention to the invasive danger the country facing. Qu Yuan was drifted immediately after saying something rude to the emporer. Qu walked by the river and by jumping into the water, he committed suicide. Maybe he was thinking that the country will be beaten down by the cruel enimies. His fame in literature and politics reached far from the young and to the aged, from the illiterary to the educated, and from his country to foreign countries.




















2. People by boat play fireworks to threatened the ghosts for Qu Yuan.









3. People buying Zongzi to memorize Qu.







4. fragrant purses. People wear them to get away from illness.


His death evoked great influence in the country. Villagers living nearby made a large scale of search for him on the river by boat for many days. They threw food to the river in wish that the fish wouldn't eat Qu's body.


Many years having passed by, the date after Qu had died for seven days has been a national holiday called Dragon Boat's Day. Why the date is set to be the 7th day? You may ask. It is believed that the soul of the dead body will come back to pay the last visit to the world. So the 7th day is also regarded to be the most efficacious. Qu has long become a spiritual icon in Chinese culture. People admire his talents in literature and his care for the country so much that we still have this kind of tradition to go boating, eat Zongzi (the food that villagers feed fish), carry fragrant purse (indicate the mortarity).

Dragon Boat's show






5. Chilren singing Qu's song.





6. College students reading the funeral oration.






1 comment:

  1. (Test Comment: Do not publish for others to see) What an interesting holiday! I think it's wonderful that your country celebrates something from over 2,000 years ago.

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