What are the origins and characteristics of the Dragon Boat Festival?

1. About the historical origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, there are four main viewpoints in academic circles:

1. The widely circulated view of "commemorating historical figures" holds that the Dragon Boat Festival originated in commemoration of Qu Yuan, according to Wu Yun's "Qi Yi" and Zong Ao's "The Chronicle of Jingchu". Others think it is to commemorate Wu Zixu and Cao E, etc.

2. Mr. Wen Yiduo believes that the Dragon Boat Festival is a festival for ancient Baiyue people to hold dragon totem worship activities. He demonstrated his views in detail in the two papers "Dragon Boat Festival Examination" and "Dragon Boat Festival History Education" (see the complete works of Wen Yiduo).

People think that the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the "bad month and bad day" (see Zhang's "Dragon Boat Festival is not due to Qu Yuan").

People think that the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the solstice in summer (see Liu Deqian's Another View of the Origin of the Dragon Boat Festival).

The origin of traditional festivals is related to ancient primitive beliefs, sacrifices, astronomical phenomena, calendars and other humanistic and natural cultural contents. According to the research results of modern anthropology and archaeology, the two most primitive beliefs of human beings are the belief in heaven and earth and the belief in ancestors. Most of the traditional festivals in ancient times were formed in the activities of the ancients who chose auspicious day sacrifices to thank the gods of heaven and earth and the ancestors for their kindness.

The early festival culture reflects the ancient people's humanistic spirit of advocating nature and the unity of man and nature. A series of sacrificial activities contain profound cultural connotations of etiquette, music and civilization. The origin and development of festivals is a process of gradual formation, subtle improvement and popularization.

The customs of ancient north and south are different, and the Dragon Boat Festival activities in the pre-Qin period are rarely recorded in the Central Plains literature, so it is impossible to directly verify the source of the existing literature. According to the written records about the Dragon Boat Festival, the word "Dragon Boat Festival" first appeared in the local customs of the Jin Dynasty, but the custom of the Dragon Boat Festival has long existed, and so has the custom of dragon boat racing.

Second, the characteristics of the Dragon Boat Festival:

1, eat zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival

Eating zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional custom of the Chinese nation since ancient times. Zongzi, a kind of glutinous rice, is also called Jiao Shu, Zongzi, Gu Zongzi and Zongzi. It has a long history and various patterns.

At the beginning of May every year, every household in China should soak glutinous rice, wash the leaves of zongzi and wrap zongzi, with more varieties of colors. China has had the custom of eating zongzi since ancient times, and it has spread to North Korea, Japan and Southeast Asian countries.

2. Dragon Boat Festival Bath (Mulan Decoction)

In Guangdong, children use wormwood wheat medicine or wormwood, cattail, impatiens, magnolia and other flowers to boil and wash, while teenagers and adult men take a bath on the river and beach, which is called dragon boat washing water to wash away bad luck. In Hunan, Guangxi and other places, cypress leaves, anemone roots, wormwood, calamus, peach leaves, etc. are boiled into liquid medicine for bathing, regardless of gender, age and family. Bathing on the Dragon Boat Festival still exists today and is widely circulated. It is said that it can treat skin diseases and eliminate evil spirits.

3. Nine lions worship elephants

In modern times, in Shangyou County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, the unique Hakka folk activity "Nine Lions Worship Elephants" held a joyful parade in the county seat. On the basis of traditional dragon lanterns, Nine Lions Worship Elephants highlights the modeling of lion dancing elephants. The "Nine Lions Worship the Elephant" has a history of more than 300 years, which is not only the inheritance of traditional culture, but also the cultural innovation of Hakka people, expressing the desire for a smooth, stable and happy life.

Step 4 soak in dragon boat water

Soaking the dragon boat in water is a traditional custom popular in the southern coastal areas, because the dragon boat symbolizes auspiciousness, and the water that the dragon boat glides through is considered as "Universiade Water". According to tradition, soaking in dragon boat water means good luck and all the best.

Step 5 row a dragon boat

The most atmospheric and lively part of the Dragon Boat Festival is rowing dragon boats. Many areas will hold grand dragon boat races on the Dragon Boat Festival.