On the fifth month of the fifth day of the Chinese calendar, an energetic celebration takes place. This year, I had last Friday off from school in honor of the Dragon Boat festival. While the holiday is most well-know for its namesake, the dragon boat, most people outside of China do not know the legend behind the celebration.
Zongzi
Also known as Jung in Cantonese, zongzi is a dish of sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and often filled with pork, mung beans, egg yolk, and more. Here in Shekou, zongzi can be found everywhere, even at Walmart.
Legend says that Qu Yuan, an advisor to the emperor Chu, suggested that China form an alliance with the Qi so that they could defeat the Qin. The royal court believed Qu Yuan was being disloyal and they exiled him. When the Qin took over, Qu Yuan drowned himself in a river. The citizens began throwing rice into the river as an offering, but the dragon of the river ate it all. Qu Yuan told them to wrap the rice in bamboo leaves so that the dragon couldn’t steal his meal.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-legends-behind-the-dragon-boat-festival-135634582/
Dragon Boats and Racing
“One of the most important mythical creatures in Chinese mythology, the dragon is the controller of the rain, the river, the sea, and all other kinds of water; symbol of divine power and energy…. In the imperial era it was identified as the symbol of imperial power,”
Deming An, Ph.D and professor of folklore
Dragon boat racing began as a celebration of Qu Yuan in the 5th or 6th century A.D. May (the fifth month) was a crucial period for growing rice and double fives were considered highly unlucky. Therefore, people asked for help from the dragons by sending out beautifully decorated dragon boats. As for the racing aspect of it, Andrew Chittick believes that racing the boats may have been a military exercise that later became a sport.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-legends-behind-the-dragon-boat-festival-135634582/
My Experience
While I have not had any zongzi, I have seen a friend eating them and they were available at most stores during the festival. Mom and I went to watch the racers in the morning and we saw the boats row down the river, beating their traditional drums to keep up their pace.
P.S. – Sorry it’s been so long, I plan to upload every Sunday now!
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Way Out Wanderer 