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Written by Shirley T
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Wednesday, 27 May 2009 04:24 |
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It is the time of the year again that we are celebrating ‘Dragon Boat Festival’. Fall on 5th day of the fifth month in Lunar calendar every year, 28 May 2009 is the real celebration day for this year! Some of us may recognize this festival when local folks started selling and eating rice dumplings or ‘zongzi’. Obviously, this event is a true association with ‘Dragon Boat’ Festival but what is more that most of us may not know?
Personally, as I celebrate each cultural event, it would be more meaningful after I have understood the significance of the festival. Finding out how this festival comes about and the tradition of how it is being celebrated seems very interesting!
According to Wikipedia, ‘Dragon Boat’ festival is a term popularized by the westerners but somehow in ancient Chinese culture, it is known as ‘Duanwu’ festival. The phrase ‘Duanwu’ in Mandarin (Chinese national language) is translated as 'extremely hot'. ‘Duan’ literally means ‘extremity’ whilst ‘Wu’ represents sun at its meridian which in other word ‘Duanwu’ can be referred to as summer solstice whereby the longest day of the year in the northern atmosphere.
The most famous legend I was told is that ‘Duanwu’ or Dragon Boat festival is celebrated to commemorates the death of a famous poet Quan Wu (340 BC - 278 BC) from the ancient state of Chu, in the Warring States Period of the Zhou Dynasty. Quan Yu was also a loyal minister and highly regards for his integrity in executing his roles to maintain Chu’s autonomy. However, his dedication provoked some jealousy among other ministers and they fooled the king to banish Quan Yu. During his exile, he wrote great poetry expressing his fervent love for his state and his concern for its future which has enriched Chinese literature and being remembered until today. Apparently, 28 years later Chu state was conquered by Qin dynasty. Quan Yu was deeply despaired and committed suicide in Miluo River that flows into Dongting Lake in Hunan province on the fifth day of fifth month.
The saga continued that upon the villagers found out about his suicide, they took boats and rush to search for him. They also beat drums and splashed water with paddles to keep the fish and evil spirits away from his body. This was the origin of dragon boat race!
The kind village folks also prepared some rice, wrapped it and threw into the river to feed him. My mom’s version says that the rice was wrapped and tied to prevent fish and other sea creatures to eat them. Only human are born with hands to untie plus unwrap and this part of legend brings to us to how ‘zongzi’ or glutinous rice dumplings was born!
Another version of the ancient myth says that Quan Yu came into his friend’s dream on one night and appeared to tell him to wrap their rice into a three-cornered silk package to ward off the dragon that intercepted the rice to reach him. Today however, ‘zongzi’ are prepared with bamboo leaves – I guess silk must be too expensive to be used! 
This best-known saga ends here but out there are many other versions of the Duanwu festival's origination. Share your version or tales here if you have one and we shall pass it on!
Note:
1. Dragon boat photographs were captured on 24 May 2009 during Penang International Dragon Boat Festival/Race at Teluk Bahang Dam
2. Vegetarian Rice dumplings made from brown rice were bought from Ee Beng Vegetarian Food Center, 20 Dickens Street, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.
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Chinese Cultural Celebration of Summer Solstice | Duanwu or Dragon Boat Festival
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