The origin and customs of the Dragon Boat Festival 100 words

Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanyang Festival, Noon Festival and May Festival, is one of the traditional festivals in China. There are many theories about its origin, and the most extensive one is to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

Qu Yuan was a minister of Chu in the Spring and Autumn Period. In order to save the peril of Chu, he wrote many letters to exhort the monarch, but he was excluded and framed by the nobles. Finally, he was exiled to the barren hills near the Miluo River. Feeling lonely and lost, he chose to throw himself into the river on the fifth day of May.

In order to commemorate Qu Yuan, people will carry out various activities on the fifth day of May every year to express their memory of Qu Yuan. This is the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival.

The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival

The customs of Dragon Boat Festival are very colorful, among which the most representative ones are eating zongzi, dragon boat racing and hanging mugwort leaves.

Eating zongzi is one of the traditional customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, which is said to have originated in memory of Qu Yuan. Zongzi is wrapped with glutinous rice and various fillings. The most common fillings are meat, bean paste and salted egg yolk. People will make a lot of zongzi on this day and then taste it with their families.

Dragon boat race is also one of the traditional activities of Dragon Boat Festival. It is said that this activity originated from ancient Jianghu legends. In order to save a drowning official, people rowed to the river for search and rescue. Later, this activity gradually evolved into a competitive sport and became an important part of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Hanging mugwort leaves is also one of the traditional customs of the Dragon Boat Festival. People will hang mugwort leaves on doors or put them in rooms to resist evil spirits and plagues and protect their families.

How to wrap zongzi

Making zongzi is one of the traditional activities of the Dragon Boat Festival. Here are the specific steps.

1. Preparation materials: glutinous rice, pork, salted egg yolk, scallop, mushroom, onion, ginger, garlic, peanut oil, soy sauce, salt, white pepper powder, allspice powder and zongye.

2. Soak glutinous rice in water for at least 4 hours.

3. Cut pork, salted egg yolk, scallops and mushrooms into small pieces, and mince onion, ginger and garlic.

4. Pour peanut oil into the pot, add onion, ginger and garlic and stir fry, then add pork, salted egg yolk, scallops and mushrooms and stir fry.

5. Add soy sauce, salt, white pepper and spiced powder to taste and stir-fry until cooked.

6. Wash the leaves and scald them with boiling water.

7. Put the glutinous rice into the zongzi leaves, add a proper amount of meat stuffing, and then wrap it into a triangle with the zongzi leaves.

8. Put the wrapped zongzi into the pot, add enough water and cook for 20-30 minutes.

9. Take out the zongzi and let it cool before eating.