奇速英语

节分端午自谁言，万古传闻为屈原

Qu Yuan, a great politician and poet in the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC), was born in a noble family of the Chu State, one of seven powerful states at that time. He was the chief poet and representative of chuci (the Songs of Chu), a member of the ruling house, a state man and a diplomat.

There were several ups and downs in his career — for after each banishment (流放) he was recalled to court, only to be again refused and shamed. In the meantime, his country was in danger. Failing to follow Qu Yuan’s advice, the king of Chu foolishly went to a conference with the king of Qin, the most powerful military state in that period. He was held there by the Qin army and died in captivity (囚禁). His son, the new king, instead of avenging (报仇) his father’s death, made a humiliating peace with his enemy. This, however, did not deter Qin’s aggressive designs against Chu, and Qu Yuan, who had started his banishment as a result of his political failure, lived long enough to see the capital of his state ruined by the army of Qin in 278 B.C. At that time, Qu Yuan was already an old man of over sixty, and the fall of the Chu capital was the last blow to his patriotic hope.

On the breakthrough of Qin army into the capital of his country, Qu Yuan threw himself into Milo River and died with his country. At the news of his suicide, Chu people, who showed high respect to him for his integrity and nobleness, rushed to save by boat. But, they failed even to find his body. So they dropped rice balls into the river in order that the fish would not eat his body.

In memory of this great patriotic poet, people made it a custom that on the day of his death, the fifth day of every fifth lunar month, loong boat races would be held and people should eat zongzi. The tradition is still kept up to now, called the Loong Boat Festival.