To
trace the history of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, one would have to reach
thousands of years into antiquity. Celebrated on the fifth day of China’s fifth
lunar month, the holiday’s roots stretch to the Warring States Period, a turbulent 250 years in which eight
states wrestled for control of the Zhou Dynasty. Most say the festival honors the memory of Qu
Yuan, the revered and prolific Chinese poet who, overcome by despair when his
beloved capital city was captured by a rival state, flung himself into the Miluo River in protest.
Frantic, local fishermen combed the river in small boats hoping to wrest him from its clutches, which likely inspired the boat races seen today. When the search was finally given up, rice dumplings and realgar wine were thrown into the river’s depths--whether to keep what lurked beneath from disturbing Qu’s body or to feed Qu’s spirit is still unclear, but both have been staples of the celebration since.
Others argue its provenance probably involves harvest season; some contend the summer solstice. Whatever the festival’s true origins, its spirit remains as constant as the Dragon Boats that inspired this Doodle: it is a celebration of loyalty and sacrifice, cultural pride, and a remarkable shared history.
