1, in memory of Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan is a descendant of Qu Xian, the son of Chu Wuwang Xiong Tong. Born in Danyang about 340 BC (now Zigui County, Yichang City, Hubei Province). Qu Yuan failed because he opposed forming an alliance with the State of Qin. Instead, he was expelled from the capital by Chu Huaiwang and began to live in exile. After King Xiang of Chu ascended the throne, he still favored the traitors and exiled Qu Yuan again. In 278 BC, the general of Qin led the army south and conquered the capital of Chu. Qu Yuan could not bear to see the country perish and the people in exile. Although he wanted to serve his country, he was unable to return to heaven, so he chose to die without regret and died in Miluo River on May 5.
This theory was first recorded by Wu Jun of Liang Dynasty in Southern Dynasties and Zonggu of Northern Zhou Dynasty. It is said that Qu Yuan threw himself into the river on the fifth day of May. Trapped by dragons after death, the world mourned. He throws five-color silk zongzi into the water every day to repel mosquitoes. It is also said that after Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River, the local people immediately rowed for rescue, and all the way to Dongting Lake, but Qu Yuan's body was not found. It was rainy at that time, and all the boats on the lake gathered near the pavilion on the shore. When people learned that it was to salvage the sage Dr. Qu, they went out in the rain and rushed into the vast Dongting Lake. In order to mourn, people rowed on the river, and later it gradually developed into a dragon boat race. Now it seems that eating zongzi and racing dragon boats on the Dragon Boat Festival are all related to commemorating Qu Yuan, as evidenced by Wen Xiu's poem "Dragon Boat Festival" in the Tang Dynasty: "The festival is divided into Dragon Boat Festival, and it is rumored that it is Qu Yuan. It is ridiculous that the Chu River is empty and cannot be washed directly. "
2. In memory of Wu Zixu.
In Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, there is a legend about dragon boat racing.
The Eastern Han Dynasty's "Cao E Bei" and "Wu Yue Chun Qiu" recorded that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu, a native of the State of Chu, helped the State of Wu conquer the State of Chu, winning five out of five wars and capturing the capital of the State of Chu. Later, Yue was defeated, and Gou Jian, the king of Yue, invited him to make peace, and Five Blessingg sent the king to agree. Wu Zixu suggested the complete elimination of Yue State, but Fu Cha did not listen. Wu Taizai _ was bribed by the State of Yue to frame Wu Zixu. Fu Cha listened to the rumors and made Wu Zixu commit suicide.
Wu Zixu, a loyal minister, is dead. Before he died, he said to his neighbors, "After I die, I will gouge out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Jason Wu, watching the Vietnamese army enter the city and destroy Wu." Fu Cha was furious. On May 5th, he put Wu Zixu's body in a bag and threw it into Qiantang River. The bag drifted with the current and didn't sink. The local people think that the Emperor of Heaven pitied his loyalty and sacrificed it for nothing, so he was named the tide god of Qiantang River.
In memory of Wu Zixu, the common people have the custom of welcoming the tide gods by boat. The common people think that praying for the tide god can ensure local peace and a bumper harvest of fisheries. After that, on May 5th every year, when the Qiantang River estuary is at high tide, people will race in boats, hoping to see Wu Zixu again.
3, in memory of Cao E said
Cao E (A.D. 130- 143) was born in Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. His father, Cao Xu, drowned in Shunjiang River (now Cao 'e River) during the ritual activities to welcome Wu Shen (Wu Zixu) on May 5, and his body disappeared for several days. At that time, his filial daughter Cao E was only fourteen years old and cried by the river day and night. 17 days later, he also threw himself into the river on May 22nd. Five days later, Cao E's body surfaced with his father's body in his arms. This was passed down as a myth, and then to the governor of the county government, who made it a monument for disciple Han Danchun to make a eulogy. Therefore, the village where I lived was renamed Cao 'ejiang Town, and the river where my father was mourned was Cao 'ejiang, and a temple was built to express filial piety.
4. The theory originated from three generations of summer solstice festivals.
Liu Deqian expressed this view in The Origin of Dragon Boat Festival and Interesting Talk about Traditional Festivals in China.
5, evil month and evil day drive away.
In the pre-Qin period, it was generally believed that May was a poisonous month and the fifth was an evil day. Midsummer in Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals stipulates that people should abstain from sex and fast in May. "Xia Zheng Xiao" records: "Store medicine this day to get rid of poisonous gas." It is recorded in "Da Dai Li" that "the livestock orchid takes a bath on May 5", and there are many legends that the fifth day is the taboo day for bathing to exorcise evil spirits. The famous Meng Changjun in Historical Records and Biography of Meng Changjun was born on May 5th. His father asked his mother not to have him, thinking that "a child born in May is longer than a family, which is not good for parents." "Custom Pass" was lost. "It is said that on May 5th, a child was born, and the male harmed his father and the female harmed his mother". Wang Chong, the author of Lun Heng, also described: "The first month and May are taboos; Kill your father and your mother in May of the first month. " Wang Zhene, a general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was born on the fifth day of May. His grandfather named him "Zhen Xie". Evonne and Song Huizong were born on the fifth day of May, and were fostered outside the palace since childhood. It can be seen that it is a common phenomenon to regard the fifth day of May as an evil day in ancient times. It can be seen that this day has been an unlucky day since the pre-Qin period. In this way, it is logical to insert calamus and mugwort leaves to exorcise ghosts, smoke atractylodes rhizome and angelica dahurica and drink realgar wine to avoid the epidemic on this day.
6. wuyue National Totem Festival is called.
7. Dragon Boat Festival. This statement comes from Wen Yiduo's Dragon Boat Festival Examination and Dragon Boat Festival History Education. He believed that the fifth day of May was the day when the "Dragon" tribe in ancient wuyue held totem sacrifices. The main reason is: (1) Eating zongzi and dragon boat racing are the two most important activities of the Dragon Boat Festival, both of which are related to dragons. Zongzi thrown into the water is often stolen by mosquitoes and dragons, and dragon boat races. (2) The relationship between race crossing and ancient wuyue is particularly deep. Besides, Wuyue people have the custom of tattooing constantly to look like a dragon. (3) The ancient folk custom of "tying the arm with colored silk" on the fifth day of May should be a relic of the tattoo custom of "Like a dragon".
On the numerous origins of the Dragon Boat Festival:
Because of its good public image, great social influence and the government's strong admiration, Qu finally won. Wu Zixu's crazy revenge behavior of "digging graves and whipping corpses" left him a public image of "a warrior", which attracted foreign troops to avenge his illegitimate life. It is also controversial, and it is difficult to get widespread respect from people. 14 year old Cao E is still a minor. Although his filial piety is commendable, his behavior of throwing himself into the river is not worth advocating.
Dragon Boat Festival:
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month, commonly known as "Dragon Boat Festival". Ending means "beginning" and "beginning". The fifth day can be called Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional festival of Han nationality in China. The activities on this day include: eating zongzi, dragon boat racing, hanging calamus and mugwort leaves, smoking Atractylodes rhizome and angelica dahurica, and drinking realgar wine. It is said that eating zongzi and dragon boat racing is to commemorate Qu Yuan, so after liberation, the Dragon Boat Festival was named "Poet's Day" to commemorate Qu Yuan. There are also hanging calamus, wormwood leaves, smoked Atractylodes macrocephala and angelica dahurica, and drinking realgar wine is to suppress evil spirits.