每年的五月初五是中国的端午节，又称龙舟节，与春节、清明节、中秋节并称为中国四大传统节日。2022年，我们将于6月3日欢度端午，并享受为期三天的假期。
Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival, is one of the four grandest traditional festivals in China, falling on 5th day of the 5th month in Chinese lunar calendar. The other three are Chinese New Year, Qingming Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. In 2022, we will celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival on June 3 and enjoy a three-day holiday.
端午起源
Origins of the Dragon Boat Festival
有关端午节的起源中，最广为流传的是为了纪念战国时期（475-221BC）的伟大诗人屈原。
Why is the Dragon Boat Festival celebrated? The most popular origin is closely related to the great poet Qu Yuan in the Warring States Period (475 – 221BC).
屈原一生写了很多诗，也为他的国家——楚国提出了许多改革措施，却在改革失败后，惨遭流放。五月初五，秦军攻破楚国都城，不愿眼睁睁地看着自己的国家被侵占，屈原选择了投江自尽。沿江百姓纷纷引舟竞渡前去打捞，沿水招魂，并将粽子投入江中，以免鱼虾蚕食他的身体。
Qu Yuan was a minister in his home State of Chu, who wrote a lot of poems and proposed many reforms to show his care and devotion to his country. After the reform failed and he was exiled by the king, he chose to drown himself on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in the river rather than seeing his country invaded and conquered by the State of Qin. After he drowned himself, people rowed boats to save him but failed. Since then, people commemorate Qu Yuan on 5th day of 5th lunar month every year, by rowing a boat to feed fish with Zongzi, so that they would not give a bite on Qu Yuan’s body.
除了纪念屈原外，端午节还有一些实用意义。端午节临近夏至，一些害虫、毒物以及细菌都开始多了起来，所以，人们会在端午节想办法防疫祛病，后来还多了一层辟邪的意味。很多习俗一直延续到今日。
Why is the Dragon Boat Festival so important? In addition to its memorial meaning, there is some actual use. Originally, the festival was set close to Summer Solstice, when pests, other poisonous animals and germs start to become more active, so people took measures to prevent the diseases and epidemics from happening on that day and later evil spirits were also added to the list to be prevented. Many of the customs have been handed down till today.
端午习俗
Top Activities & Customs
赛龙舟
Dragon Boat Racing
龙舟因形似“龙”而得名。龙舟泛于江上，相互竞渡。坐在船头的队员不断敲击着鼓点，以鼓舞士气并确保桨手保持整齐划一的节奏。如今，赛龙舟已经成为了一项体育赛事，不仅流行于中国，在日本、越南、美国、加拿大和英国等地也多有举办。
Dragon boats are thus named because the fore and stern of the boat is in a shape of traditional Chinese dragon. A team of people works the oars in a bid to reach the destination before other teams. One team member sits at the front of the boat beating a drum in order to maintain morale and ensure that the rowers keep in time with one another. Now it has turned to be a sport event not only held in China, but also observed in Japan, Vietnam, USA, Canada and UK, etc.
吃粽子
Eating Zongzi
粽子，由粽叶包裹糯米以及各类馅料蒸制而成，形似金字塔。北方地区的人们通常用大枣作馅，而南方地区则惯于用豆沙、鲜肉或蛋黄。虽然粽子如今已经成为一种日常食品，去超市就能买到。不过，也有一些家庭仍然保留着在端午节做粽子的传统。
Zongzi is a pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in reed leaves. It has various fillings. In north China, people favor the jujubes as the filling, while the south sweetened bean paste, fresh meat, or egg yolk. Nowadays, Zongzi already becomes a common food, which can be easily found in supermarkets and food stores. However, some families still retain the tradition to make Zongzi on the festival day.
挂菖蒲和艾草
Hanging Calamus and Wormwood
据说在门上挂上艾草叶，可以保护居住者免受疾病侵害，菖蒲叶片呈剑型，插在门口可以避邪。科学点来说，端午节正值夏季炎热之际，细菌滋生，毒虫增多，所以人们会在家门口挂上艾草或菖蒲，借其气味驱蚊防虫，预防疾病。
It is said that hanging wormwood leaves on the door can protect people living inside from diseases. Calamus leaves look like swords; they are hung to ward off evil spirits. From a scientific point of view, the Dragon Boat Festival falls in hot summer, which breeds germs easily and pests and other poisonous animals are active; both wormwood and calamus give off special fragrance, which can clean the air and drive out mosquitoes and insects, thus help people staying away from diseases and epidemics.
佩戴香囊
Wearing Perfume Pouches
佩戴香囊与挂菖蒲艾草的用意相似，香囊内通常填充各类中草药，有清香、驱虫、避瘟、防病的功效。如今，香囊更多流行于孩童之间，除了传统的粽子形状，还会制成动物、葫芦、南瓜和花朵等形状。
This custom has the same purpose with hanging calamus and wormwood, as the pouches are always filled with Chinese herbal medicines which can repel pests and other poisonous animals. Nowadays, it is more popular among children and the pouches are made into various shapes, including the traditional zongzi pattern, various animals, gourd, pumpkin and flowers.
除此之外，还有许多习俗在各地流行，包括贴钟馗，缠五色丝线，喝雄黄酒，洗草药水，浸龙舟水，采药等
Besides, there are some customs popular in certain areas, including pasting portrait of Zhong Kui; tiring five-color silk necklace, bracelet, and anklet; drinking realgar wine; bathing with herbal water; bathing in the water where dragon boat race was held; and picking up herbal medicines.
祝大家端午安康，假期愉快～
Wish you a happy holiday~
