By Katherine Kwong

The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated by Chinese communities across the globe on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar.

Recently it was marked by communities across Australia with food, cultural festivities and games.

But the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节) is far more than vibrant races and sticky rice dumplings. It is a tradition with over 2,000 years of history, echoing tales of loyalty, sacrifice and resilience.

The festival stems from the story of Qu Yuan (340–278 BC), a highly respected poet and minister in ancient China’s Chu state. Known for his wisdom, love for the country and honesty, Qu Yuan advocated ethical governance and alliances to keep Chu safe. However, his advice was rejected by corrupt leaders and a misguided king. After being branded as a traitor and banished, he wandered hopelessly. He channelled his love for Chu and despair at the time into poetry masterpieces.

When the news reached Qu Yuan that the Chu state had been captured by the rival Qin state, Qu Yuan was heartbroken. According to legend, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (the date of the festival), he walked into the Miluo River with a heavy stone, chose death by drowning over witnessing his beloved state’s destruction.

Upon hearing of his death, local fishermen raced out in their boats, frantically beating drums and splashing water with their paddles to scare away fishes and evil spirits from his body. Others threw packets of rice (early form of zongzi) into the river to distract fishes and preserve his remains. This act of devotion and remembrance birthed the festival’s core traditions.

The actual racing of dragon boats symbolises the fishermen’s frantic search for Qu Yuan.

Eating zongzi represents the rice offerings thrown into the river.

Hanging artemisia and calamus is a way of warding off evil spirits and disease.

Wearing sachets (Xiang Bao) is for herbal protection.

While the festival later incorporated other customs aimed at preventing summer illnesses, its core essence remains Qu Yuan’s story of loyalty, patriotism and community’s act of remembrance.

Much of Qu Yuan poetry expresses the core themes central to his legacy and the meaning behind the festival – profound love for his homeland (Chu) and deep despair over the face of corruption.

One poem, for example is ‘Li Sao’ (离骚):

荃不察余之中情兮，反信谗而齌怒。

The Fragrant One [The King] perceived not my true heart’s intent/ Instead, he lent ear to slander, raving in wild fury.

余固知謇謇之为患兮，忍而不能舍也。

Well, I knew frank advice would bring to disaster/ But I could not, would not, hold my tongue.

And the poem “Jiu Ge – Guo Shang” (九歌 国殇) has a haunting depiction of loss:

出不入兮往不反，平原忽兮路超远。

They went out and never to enter; they went, never to return/ Plains stretching vast, the road stretched far away.

身既死兮神以灵，子魂魄兮为鬼雄。

Their bodies are dead, but their spirit is divine/ Their souls are heroes among the ghosts!

Qu Yuan’s poetry articulates the profound emotions – love, loyalty, despair and sacrifice. His death continues to resonate in the drumbeats of the dragon boats and the taste of zongzi years later.