What is the twentieth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar

The twentieth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar used to be the day of the traditional Chinese folk festival Parting of the Dragons, which is said to have evolved from the summer dance, a way of praying for rain in ancient times.

The festival is said to have evolved from the ancient summer dance of rain prayers, and was already in its more formalized form during the Song Dynasty. Although the timing of the festival may have varied slightly from region to region throughout history, the fact that it was celebrated on the twentieth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is well documented in ancient texts dating back more than 1,000 years.

In Chinese legend, dragons are responsible for sending rain to the people. And different dragons have their own different domains in the legend. In ancient times, the lack of necessary water facilities and equipment, so must rely on a reasonable supply of water in order to grow good crops in the farmland, more can only rely on the sky to eat, rely on the sky rain.

When the seedlings in the farmland need to be moisturized by rain, and the sky does not see any dragons appearing to give rain to the clouds, the ancients would often hold the corresponding pray for rain activities, hoping that the God of heaven is beautiful.

The Zhou Li - Shi Wu (周礼-司巫) says, "If there is a drought in the country, then we will have a summer rain dance for the wizards". This suggests that the earliest prayers for rain were realized through song and dance. The Zhou Li (周礼-舞师), on the other hand, makes it clear that the local imperial authorities of the time would find people to specialize in "teaching the Imperial Dance, and marshaling and dancing for drought." The reason why those who learned the Imperial Dance did so was simply to pray for rain.

Legend, according to the provisions of the lunar calendar May 20 of the day, is the day on the Division of the management of a side of the small dragon to say goodbye to his father and mother to go to their own jurisdictions line of God to do the day, due to the small dragon do not give up the family also can not bear to be separated from the old mother and father and tears, so every year on the 20th day of May of the lunar calendar sky will often rain.