Dragon Boat Festival
This is a note from one of the Principal Investigators that Earthwatch works with in China - Dr. Anrong Dang. Earthwatch volunteers work with him on Chinese Village Traditions: view link - where they document the traditions and lore of a rural area in Shaanxi Province.
Dr. Dang sends us very interesting information on Chinese holidays and festivals, which he has kindly let us post here. If you have any questions for Dr. Dang, post them and he'll be happy to answer!
Happy Chinese Dragon Boat Festival!
Maybe you know that the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. It is also known as Double Fifth Day. While many stories regarding its origin abound, the most popular and widely accepted version regards Qu Yuan, a minister during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court -- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service. In exile, he traveled, taught and wrote for several years.
Hearing that the Zhou had been defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou River. As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body. Starting from that time to this day, people commemorate Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi (the bamboo dumpling), and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death.
Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. And the traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in bamboo leaves. The fillings are basically sticky rice or sticky millet, as well as egg, beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.
When we stayed at our reseach village, Dang Jiashan and Miao Jia Getai, we were served the Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling). Furthermore, some of us practised how to make Zong Zi.
Photo - making Zong zi:view link
All best wishes,
Anrong Dang
Dr. Dang sends us very interesting information on Chinese holidays and festivals, which he has kindly let us post here. If you have any questions for Dr. Dang, post them and he'll be happy to answer!
Happy Chinese Dragon Boat Festival!
Maybe you know that the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. It is also known as Double Fifth Day. While many stories regarding its origin abound, the most popular and widely accepted version regards Qu Yuan, a minister during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court -- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service. In exile, he traveled, taught and wrote for several years.
Hearing that the Zhou had been defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou River. As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body. Starting from that time to this day, people commemorate Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi (the bamboo dumpling), and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death.
Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. And the traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling) is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in bamboo leaves. The fillings are basically sticky rice or sticky millet, as well as egg, beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.
When we stayed at our reseach village, Dang Jiashan and Miao Jia Getai, we were served the Zong zi (the bamboo dumpling). Furthermore, some of us practised how to make Zong Zi.
Photo - making Zong zi:view link
All best wishes,
Anrong Dang
posted
by Earthwatch
