Learn the Legend of Dragon Boat Race & Eating Zongzi

Posted by ugfanfan on February 2nd, 2015

The Chinese people eat Zongzi during Dragon Boat Festival every year. Zongzi refers to the glutinous pyramid shaped rice that is wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. During the festival, dragon boat races are held as a custom for commemorating Qu Yuan. In Qu Yuan hometown, there is a very popular legend that explains this custom.

The legend goes that after Qu Yuan had drowned himself in River Miluo, there was a man in his hometown who dreamt about him. In the dream, when Qu Yuan was drowning himself, he appeared very sad. Upon seeing him, all his fellow villagers gave him a salute. When returning their salute, he thanked his fellow villagers for the great love and esteem they had shown towards him. A villager noted that Qu Yuan was actually in poor healthy.

He thus asked him if he had consumed the rice that villagers dropped in the river. Qu Yuan thanked the villagers for their efforts but told them that aquatic animals, including the shrimps and fish had eaten all the rice they threw in the river. The villagers were very roily when they heard this and asked how they could ensure the fish didn’t eat the rice they had sent him.

After sighing, Qu Yuan asked the villagers to wrap the rice in pyramid shapes using bamboo or reed leaves. This way, the aquatic animals would think that the rice is just waster chestnut which they wouldn’t eat. Doing according to what Qu Yuan had suggested to them, villagers dropped pyramid shaped rice during the next festival. However, Qu Yuan said that he had just eaten little of it and the fish ate the bigger share.

To solve the problem, Qu Yuan advised the villagers to add pictures of dragon to the food and beat drums as they rowed their boats. This way, the fish will think the food belongs to the king which they would not dare eat as commanded by the king.

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