1、DragonBoatFestivalTheDragonBoatFestival,the5thdayofthe5thlunarmonth,hashadahistoryofmorethan2,000years.ItisusuallyinJuneintheGregoriancalendar.The origin of this summer festival centers arounda scholarly government official namedQuYuan.He was a good and respected man, but becauseof the misdeeds
2、 of jealous rivals he eventuallyfell intodisfavor in the emperor's court.朝搴阰之木兰兮夕揽洲之宿莽日月忽其不淹兮春与秋其代序唯草木之零落兮恐美人之迟暮Unable to regain the respect of the emperor,in his sorrowQuYuan threw himself intothe MiLuoriver.Because of their admiration forQuYuan,the local people living adjacent to the MiLuoRiv
3、errushed into their boats to search for him whilethrowing rice into the waters to appease the riverdragons.Although they were unable to findQuYuan, their efforts are still commemorated todayduring the Dragon Boat Festival.Dragon Boat race Traditions At the center of this festival arethe dragon
4、boat races. Competing teamsdrive their colorful dragon boats forwardto the rhythm of beating drums.Theseexciting races were inspired by thevillager's valiant attempts to rescueQuYuan from the MiLuoriver. This tradition hasremained unbroken for centuries.TzungTzu A very popular dish during the D
5、ragon Boatfestival istzungtzu. This tasty dish consistsof rice dumplings with meat, peanut, eggyolk, or other fillings wrapped in bambooleaves.The tradition oftzungtzuis meant toremind us of the village fishermen scatteringrice across the water of the MiLuoriver inorder to appease the river dra
6、gons so thatthey would not devourQuYuan.The time of year of the Dragon Boat Festival,the fifth lunar moon, has more significancethan just the story ofQuYuan.ManyChineseconsider this time of yearan especiallydangerous time when extraefforts must be made to protect theirfamily from illness.AiHaoi
