June 3rd Is Dragon Boat Festival in China! Celebrate With Tatsuriki Tokubetsu Junmaishu Dragon Red

The Origin of Dragon Boat Festival

This year's Dragon Boat Festival is 3 June. It is the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. The Dragon Boat Festival is associated with dragon boats and zongzi. The origin of Dragon Boat Festival comes from the poet and minister Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan is regarded as the foremost poet in Chinese history and was a minister of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou dynasty in China.

今年的端午节是6月3日，每年阴历五月初五。说起端午节必会想到龙舟和粽子了。端午节的由来源于楚国诗人屈原。

He was a man who advocated resisting the State of Qin together with other states. However, the emperor did not listen to his advice and eventually expelled him from Chu. He then threw himself into the Miluo River while thinking about his country. When the people of Chu heard about this, they rushed to the river and took out boats to search for Qu Yuan's body. At that time, they also threw zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) into the river to prevent fish, shrimps and crabs from eating the body. The day on which Qu Yuan threw himself into the river was 5 May in the lunar calendar.

屈原可以说是中国历史上的第一诗人，是中国战国时代楚国的大臣。他还提倡与其他国家一起抵抗秦国。但是楚王不听他的劝告，最终把他赶出了楚国。之后心里怀祖国，报国无路，投入泪罗江自杀。听到这件事的楚国人，纷纷出江寻找屈原。当时，为了防止屈原的身体被鱼、虾、蟹等吃掉，人们便把粽子扔进了河里。屈原投江的这一天，正是阴历五月初五。

This is said to have been the origin of the dragon boat races and zongzi. Other customs include. Other customs include hanging irises and moxa at the entrance, drinking Realgar wine (Chinese alcoholic drink that consists of huangjiu dosed with powdered realgar, a yellow-orange arsenic sulfide mineral), and children wearing an aromatic bag around their necks. The festival is meant to ward off evil spirits, but it is also meant to help people get through the coming heat wave.

后来端演变成了现在的赛龙舟和吃粽子的习俗。当然也有还他的习俗，有的在门口处挂菖蒲和艾草，有的喝雄黄酒(用鸡冠石粉末和蒲根切碎后倒入烧酒)，有的孩子脖子上挂香囊。有避邪的之意，亦有为了度过即将开始的酷暑之意。