Information on the origin of dragon boat race

Dragon boat race is to pay tribute to Qu Yuan, a great patriotic poet, and to his integrity and Tessa style of worrying about the country and the people. The most touching part of Qu Yuan's personality is his high patriotic feelings, which have already been integrated into the blood of China people and become an important dimension of the Chinese national spirit.

Since ancient times, people have been telling people that the tradition of patriotism has been passed down from generation to generation in China culture in the form of dragon boat races. A dragon boat is a boat painted with the shape of a dragon or a dragon. Dragon boat race is a traditional folk water sport and entertainment in China, which has been circulating for more than 2,000 years and is mostly held on festive festivals.

This is a team rowing competition. According to historical records, the dragon boat race started in memory of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. It can be seen that dragon boat racing is not only a kind of sports and entertainment, but also reflects the patriotism and collectivism in people's hearts.

The dragon boat race is deeply rooted in the hearts of ordinary people. In the dragon boat race, the spirit of tenacious struggle, perseverance, braving the wind and waves and going forward touched everyone on the scene. In the fight between oars and water, the dragon boat race shows the indomitable and self-reliant will of the people of China and the national spirit of striving for progress to the fullest. This is not only the spirit of Dragon Boat Festival, but also the great spirit of the Chinese nation!

Extended information: Introduction to Dragon Boat Race:

1. Dragon boat race is one of the customs of China Dragon Boat Festival, and it is also one of the most important festivals and folk activities. It is widespread in the south of China, and there are also dragon boat races in cities near rivers, lakes and seas in the north, and most of them are held in the form of dragon boat rowing and dragon boat dancing.

There are many sayings about the origin of dragon boat racing, such as offering sacrifices to Cao E, Qu Yuan, water god or dragon god, which can be traced back to the Warring States period. Dragon boat race was first introduced to Japan, Vietnam, Britain and other neighboring countries, and it was the official event of Guangzhou Asian Games in 20 10.

3.2011On May 23rd, the dragon boat race was approved by the State Council and included in the third batch of national intangible cultural heritage list. According to the historian Biography of Qu Yuan and Jia Sheng, Qu Yuan was a minister in Chu Huaiwang during the Warring States Period. He advocated prospering talents and empowering the people, becoming rich and uniting with Qi to resist Qin, which was strongly opposed by the nobles. Qu Yuan was expelled from the capital and exiled to the Yuanxiang Valley.

4. In exile, he wrote immortal poems such as Li Sao, Jiu Wen and Jiu Ge, which worried about the country and the people. In 278 BC, Qin Jun invaded Kyoto, Chu, and Qu Yuan could not bear to abandon his motherland. On the fifth day of May, after writing his masterpiece Huai Sha, he threw himself into the river.

It is said that after the death of Qu Yuan, the people of Chu were so sad that they flocked to the Miluo River to pay homage to Qu Yuan. The fisherman paddled the boat and fished for his real body back and forth on the river. They rushed to catch up with each other and disappeared at Dongting Lake. After that, I will row a dragon boat on May 5th every year to commemorate it. Rowing a dragon boat to disperse the fish in the river so as not to eat Qu Yuan's body.

6. In Miluo City, Hunan Province, before the dragon boat race, you must go to Quzi Temple to worship the dragon head in the temple, put red cloth on the dragon head, and then race the boat, which is not only to worship the dragon god, but also to commemorate Qu Yuan. In Zigui, Hubei, Qu Yuan's hometown, there is also a ceremony to worship Qu Yuan.

7. The custom of offering sacrifices to Qu Yuan is recorded in "Geography of Sui Shu": "The sudden arrival, noisy singing, makes the land and water shake, and the audience is like clouds." Interpretation of Du Jingqu in Yuxi, Liu Tang: "Du Jing began in Wuling, and now it is in harmony with it, with a salty voice:' Where is it', which means four valleys." ?

8. "Dragon Boat Race" is a custom that existed during the Warring States Period. During the Warring States period, people carved dragon-shaped canoes with drums and held competitions to entertain gods and people. At this time, the dragon boat race is a semi-religious and semi-entertainment program in the ceremony.

9. Sacrifice to Qu Yuan and dragon boat race are closely related. Perhaps after the deaths of Qu Yuan, Cao E and Wu Zixu, local people also used soul boats to send their souls for burial, so there is this custom. But besides commemorating Qu Yuan, the dragon boat race has been given different meanings in various places.

10. Before the dragon boat race, please invite dragons to offer sacrifices to the gods. For example, before the Dragon Boat Festival in Guangdong, you should go out of the water, worship the Nanhai God in the Nanhai Temple, install the dragon head and tail, and then prepare for the race. And buy a pair of paper cocks and put them on the dragon boat, thinking that they can keep the boat safe. Fujian and Taiwan went to Mazu Tempel to worship. Some directly kill chickens in dragon festival by the river, and the dragon first drops blood, such as Sichuan, Guizhou and other individual areas.

1 1. Before the dragon boat race, various sacrifices and commemorative ceremonies will be held. Generally speaking, incense sticks are lit and paper money is burned, offering sacrifices for chicken, rice, meat, fruit, zongzi and so on. Nowadays, these superstitious ceremonies are rare, but in the past, when people went to the Dragon Palace to offer sacrifices, the atmosphere was very serious, praying for a bumper harvest in agriculture, good weather, evil spirits and all the best, and wishing boating safety. In people's words, "to be auspicious" expresses people's inner good wishes.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia Dragon Boat Race