How Did the Dragon Boat Festival Originate?
The story of the Dragon Boat Festival begins with a renowned figure named Qu Yuan, a poet from the Chu state during the Warring States period. Distraught over the fate of his country, Qu Yuan threw himself into the river. As his story spread, his selfless and patriotic spirit inspired countless people. To prevent fish from eating Qu Yuan's body, they wrapped glutinous rice in zong leaves and threw them into the river. This small gesture was passed down through generations and evolved into a tradition celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
Over time, the festival grew to include various activities, such as dragon boat races and eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in zong leaves). Today, we celebrate this vibrant cultural festival not only to honor the spirit of Qu Yuan but also to worship gods and ancestors, pray for good luck, and enjoy the festivities and cuisine.
In my community, the Dragon Boat Festival is an opportunity for families to gather and unwind, providing a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. On this day, our family gathers in the morning. The adults prepare to make zongzi, starting with picking the zong leaves. Meanwhile, the children have the freedom to play and enjoy the treats. Since I've grown up, I accompany my parents to gather the leaves. This year, the weather was rainy, and the roads were muddy, but I persevered and tried my best to collect as many zong leaves as possible.
Back home, we sat down to make zongzi, wrapping glutinous rice and various ingredients in the leaves. These delicious dumplings served as our lunch. In the afternoon, we usually attend dragon boat races, but due to the weather, we opted for another tradition: picking wormwood and hanging it at our doorstep.
With happiness and a sense of belonging, we resumed our daily lives in the evening. That was our community's celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival.
