Neither Qu Yuan's hope of reforming corrupt institutes nor his resolve to resist Qin set well with the King of Chu. Grieving for the condition of his homeland, for years Qu Yuan wandered about south of the Yangtze River. He poured out his feelings of grief and concern for his homeland in the allegorical Li Sao, a long autobiographical poem in which he tells of his political ideal and the corruption and mismanagement of the court.

In 280 BC Qin launched an overall invasion of Chu, and captured the Chu capital in 278 BC. The news reached Qu Yuan while he was near the Miluo River in today's northeastern Hunan Province. In frustration at being unable to do anything to save his state, he clasped a big stone to his breast and leaped into the river to end his life.

In memory of him, every year on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, the day he drowned himself, dragon boat races, which are said to represent the search for his body, are held, and the Chinese people eat zongzi, which was originally thrown into the river to keep the fishes from eating the body of Qu Yuan. In addition, it is said that when hearing the news of Qu Yuan's suicide, some doctors poured realgar wine into the Miluo River to anaesthetize the fishes, hence preventing them from eating Qu Yuan's body.

Main Areas

1. Dragon Boat Festival in Hometown of Qu Yuan
Declarer: Zigui County of Yichang City, Hubei Province

2. Xisai Dragon Boat Festival
Declarer: Huangshi City, Hubei Province

3. Dragon Boat Festival along the Miluo River
Declarer: Miluo City, Hunan Province

4. Dragon Boat Festival in Suzhou
Declarer: Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

 

 

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