Why is the Dragon Boat Festival divided into big Dragon Boat Festival and small Dragon Boat Festival?

In many places in China, such as Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and other places, the Dragon Boat Festival is divided into big Dragon Boat Festival and small Dragon Boat Festival. The fifth day of May is the Dragon Boat Festival, and the fifteenth day of May is the Dragon Boat Festival. Why is this? Let the old almanac show you why the Dragon Boat Festival is divided into big Dragon Boat Festival and small Dragon Boat Festival.

It is said that there are three Dragon Boat Festival in Zigui, Hubei Province, Qu Yuan's hometown: on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, on the 15th of May, on the 15th of May, and on the 25th of May. Chenxi, Mayang, Luxi, Yuanling and Xupu areas in western Hunan rarely celebrate the fifth day of May, but generally celebrate May and a half. People in Chenxi are called "May 15th" (Mid-Autumn Festival is called "August 15th" and "August 30th").

Why do Xiangxi people in that area celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival on May 15? It is said that there are two reasons:

One: In memory of Qu Yuan. At that time, Qu Yuan crossed Ezhu, entered Dongting, traced back to Shui Yuan, reached Chenyang, entered Xupu, and soon went down Yuanjiang, entered Dongting, crossed Xiangjiang River and arrived at Miluo River near Changsha. In a state of extreme depression and complete despair, he threw himself into the river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Ten days have passed since the bad news reached Xiangxi, so the Dragon Boat Festival in Xiangxi is later than other places 10 days.

Second: it was caused by the war. According to legend, in the first year of Jianwu in the Han Dynasty (AD 25), General Wuwei still led troops to levy troops in Xiangxi, and the whole army was wiped out. When there were no generals in the imperial court, Fu Bo general Ma Yuan, who was over 60 years old, took the initiative to challenge Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu of Han Dynasty ("A gentleman's poor ambition is strong, and his old ambition is strong", and "It is better to bury his ear than to die in the border field" is Ma Yuan's famous saying).

When Ma Yuan called the army, it was the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and the soldiers looked reluctant. Ma Yuan hit the nail on the head and said, "During the Dragon Boat Festival, barbarians will get drunk and they will successfully enter. Today is the small end of Sun, and later it will be the big end of Sun and others. " Sure enough, the garrison soldiers got as drunk as a fiddler during the Dragon Boat Festival, so Ma Yuan was on a roll and surrendered to Xiangxi a few days later. On May 15, Ma Yuan killed pigs and sheep to reward his soldiers. Since then, Xiangxi has been celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival on May 15.

On the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, all married women in Xiangxi will take their husbands back to their parents' homes to worship May and a half, drink festive wine, eat zongzi and watch the dragon boat race.

Chenxi and Mayang's Chenhe have unique dragon boat culture. On the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, dragon boats fly in the river, and gongs and drums are loud. The men holding hands went shirtless, wearing only shorts, or lying on their backs at the bow, or leaning against the side of the boat. The two boats were very close, paired with each other, and killed each other in the cheers of everyone-scratching their chests, pedaling, pinching their feet, arm in arm, and so on. If you squeeze the other person into the water, or the other person knows that he is weak and waves, you win. The locals call it "Dragon Boat".