My Favorite Chinese Festival

My favorite Chinese festival is Dragon Boat Festival. I like it because I think the activities we do are very fun and exciting. For example, collecting mugwort, making and eating zongzi, and drinking realgar wine.This all started when Qu Yuan, a poet’s death. Qu Yuan wanted to ask his king to join Qi, to fight with Qing. But the king refused, and he put Qu in prison. Qu Yuan got sad, and ended his life in a river. Many were sad, and they threw rice balls covered in  bamboo leaves to keep the fish from eating it, along with realgar wine. The boats then turned into dragon boat racing.

We use mugwort because it is a type of herb with good cause. The smoke helps with cramps, cold hands, blood circulation, cold, coughs, and more. We hang them on the door, to chase away evil spirits who cause diseases. In the Dragon Boat festival, we also put mugwort in little sachets, to carry them around. They can even be found in zongzi. During the time, we do dragon boat racing, wear perfume pouches, drink realgar wine, eat sticky rice dumplings and zongzi, hang mugwort, balance eggs, and even paint people’s foreheads with regular wine! We only do these activities during Dragon Boat festival, that’s why its special.  

We eat zongzi at the Dragon Boat Festival, because it represents Qu Yuan. Another reason is the cultural significance, eating zongzi, is a way to express reverence for Qu Yuan’s spirit, and his advocacy for filial piety, and dragon worship. The Dragon Boat Festival also has become a celebration of dragon-worship and yang energy, and zongzi is believed to represent that. A long time ago, the fisherman who had the task to search for the body threw rice balls by itself but, the fish would eat it, and would not reach Qu Yuan, so the people had a clever idea to wrap the ball in bamboo leaf. And that’s how it was born.

Dragon boat racing, another important thing that is involved in the festival. It is important because like the other two activities, dragon boat racing represents Qu Yuan. It first started off with the fishers who had the task to find Qu Yuan but then, it slowly turned competitive, and into dragon boat racing.  It's also believed that it wards evil spirits. Not only does it honor Qu Yuan, it also honors the Dragon God. Fun fact, dragon boat racing is very old, it has been passed down through many generations, showing how important the practice is. 

In conclusion, I think that all these activities are very fun, because some acquire teamwork, like dragon boat racing, while others acquire patience. I think all these activities all have a meaning behind them. Dragon Boat Festivals are to honor the famous poet Qu Yuan who wrote lots of poems still read today. I like the fact that this festival is honoring one. In my opinion, I think that Dragon Boat is not only a sad festival to honor, and respect one, but it is also fun. I think it is more like a mix. Even if one passes away, we shall honor them, but it shall not affect our future. I think that is the meaning of the festival. Sad endings allow good beginnings.