Happy Dragon Boat Festival 2017!
Duānwŭjié (端午节, The Dragon Boat Festival) — A festival to commemorate loyalty and filial piety
Date: 5th day of the 5th lunar month
Official Duānwŭjié holiday in China: May 28 to 30, 2017
Popular activities: eating zòngzi (粽子, sticky rice dumplings) and racing dragon boats
Legend of Duānwŭjié
Duānwŭjié (端午节) is celebrated to memorize a Chinese patriotic poet ‘Qū Yuán (屈原)’. Upon hearing Qū Yuán (屈原) had committed suicide at the river, it is said that villagers raced out in their boats to look for him. This is said to be the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they beated drums and threw rices into the water to keep fishes and evil spirits away from his body. It is said to be the origin of zòngzi (粽子).
4 sentences about Duānwŭjié
- Duānwǔjié kuàilè! (端午节快乐!) — Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
- Nǐ xǐhuan chī zòngzi ma? (你喜欢吃粽子吗?) — Do you like eating sticky rice dumplings?
- Wǒ xǐhuan chī xián zòngzi, bù xǐhuan chī tián zòngzi. (我喜欢吃咸粽子, 不喜欢吃甜粽子。) — I like to eat salty sticky rice dumplings (and I) don’t like to eat sweet sticky rice dumplings.
- Nǐ yào qù kàn huá lóngzhōu ma? (你要去看划龙舟吗?) — Do you want to watch people rowing dragon boats?
Question:
a) Was 5th day of the 5th lunar month considered the luckiest or unluckiest day of the year?
b) Why dragon boat racing links to duān wŭ jié (端午节)?
