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Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, called Double Fifth Festival. It is one
of the most important Chinese festivals. On the Dragon Boat Festival, every
family will hang wormwoods on the door to get evil away.
In addition, on the Dragon Boat Festival, there are some folk customs such as
rowing dragon boats and eating Zongzi (rice dumplings with meat, peanut, egg
yolk, or other fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves).
The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Double Fifth Festival, is celebrated on
the fifth day of the fifth moon of the lunar calendar. It is one of the most
important Chinese festivals, the other two being the Autumn Moon Festival and
Chinese New Year.
The origin of this summer festival centers around a scholarly government
official named Chu Yuan. He was a good and respected man, but because of the
misdeeds of jealous rivals he eventually fell into disfavor in the emperor's
court.
Unable to regain the respect of the emperor, in his sorrow Chu Yuan threw
himself into the Mi Low River. Because of their admiration for Chu Yuan, the
local people living adjacent to the Mi Lo River rushed into their boats to
search for him while throwing rice into the waters to appease the river dragons.
Although they were unable to find Chu Yuan, their efforts are still
commemorated today during the Dragon Boat Festival. |