3 Legends That Explain the Dragon Boat Festival
Learn about the various legends told to explain the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival.
The Dragon Boat Festival or Duan Wu Jie 端午节 is a traditional Chinese holiday that occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar year. No one really knows the true origin of the festival but there are three main legends told to explain the holiday.
The Drowning of Qu Yuan
The most common one is the story of Qu Yuan, a poet and minister of the Chu State during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty. The king of the Chu State accused Yuan of treason and exiled him for opposing his alliance with the Qin State. However, the Qin State later betrayed this alliance, capturing the Chu capital and defeating the state.
Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river out of despair upon hearing the news. Because he was so beloved and admired, the locals raced their boats up and down the river to search for him and beat their drums to keep evil spirits away. They threw lumps of sticky rice for the fish to eat so that they would leave Qu Yuan’s body alone. This story is said to explain the custom of dragon boat racing and eating zongzi, or sticky rice, during the holiday.
The Death of Wu Zixu
Second, in the former Kingdom of Wu (present-day Jiangsu and Suzhou province), the festival is thought to commemorate Wu Zixu, the premiere of the Wu state in the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 BC). The king of the Wu State fell in love with a beautiful woman sent to him by the king of the Yue State. Wu Zixu warned the king that the woman might be a dangerous ploy intended to weaken the state’s defenses. Out of anger, the king sentenced Zixu to death and threw his body into the river on the fifth day of the fifth month.
Ten years after his death, the Yue State conquered the Wu State, just as he had predicted. In places such as Suzhou, Wu ZiXu is remembered for his loyalty during the festival.
The Filial Piety of Cao E
Finally, the story of Cao E is remembered in much of Northeastern Zhejiang in cities such as Ningbo, Shaoxing, and Zhoushan. Cao E, thought to have lived around 130–143 AD, was the young daughter of a local shaman. While presiding over a ceremony commemorating Wu Zixu during the DuanWu Festival, Cao E’s father accidently fell into the river.
In an act of filial piety, she searched the river for her father for three days. After five days, both her and her father’s body were found. A temple in Shangyu was built in memory of her sacrifice and the Shun River was renamed Cao’E River in her honor.
Each story honors those who have exemplified the important Chinese values of loyalty, piety, and honor. The Dragon Boat Festival is not only a time to celebrate with family, but also a time to remember traditional values and heroes.
