又到端午時 再憶粽香情
[ 2007-06-19 09:57 ]
| 農歷五月初五為端午節，端午節的第一個意義就是紀念歷史上偉大的民族詩人屈原。端午節是我國二千多年的舊習俗，每到這一天，家家戶戶都懸鐘馗像，掛艾葉菖蒲，賽龍舟，吃粽子，飲雄黃酒，游百病，佩香囊，備牲醴。 |
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 Do you know who is "Qu Yuan"? What type of "Zongzi" do you like most?
Have you ever joined a dragon boat competition? All these are related to the
Dragon Boat Festival.
Do you know the origin of this festival? Read the
following essay and you will have a clear picture of the Dragon Boat Festival.
The 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar year is an important day for the
Chinese people. The day is called Duan Wu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival,
celebrated everywhere in China.
This festival dates back to about 2,000
years ago with a number of legends explaining its origin. The best-known story
centers on a great patriotic poet named Qu Yuan.
The customs vary a lot in different areas of the country, but most of the
families would hang the picture of Zhong Kui (a ghost that can exorcise),
calamus and moxa in their houses. People have Dragon Boat Races, eat Zong Zi
(dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) and carry a
spice bag around with them.
  Spice Bag
It's believed that if you carry the
small spice bag around with you, it not only drives away evil spirits but also
brings fortune and happiness to those who wear it. The small bags are hand-made
by local craftsmen. They're made with red, yellow, green and blue silk, fine
satin or cotton. Figures of animals, flowers and fruits are often embroidered
onto the bags and inside are mixed Chinese herbal medicines.
Dragon Boat Race
The main event of the festivities is the Dragon Boat Race. These boats are
long and thin with dragon heads on the bow of the ships. The boat races are said
to represent the search for Qu's body, with racing boats in a forward rowing
motion, to the rhythm of beating drums.
The Culture of Zongzi
Qu Yuan drowned on the fifth day
of the fifth lunar month in 277 BC. Since ancient times, Chinese people threw
into the water dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves
on the day. Therefore the fish would eat the rice rather than the hero poet.
This later on turned into the custom of eating Zong Zi.
Realgar Wine
It is a very popular
practice to drink this kind of Chinese liquor seasoned with realgar at the
Dragon Boat Festival. This is for protection from evil and disease for the rest
of the year. |
