DragonBoatFestivalIntroductionoriginIntroductionTheDragonBoatFestival,alsocalledtheDuanwuFestival,iscelebratedonthefifthdayofthefifthmonthaccordingtotheChinesecalendar.Forthousandsofyears,thefestivalhasbeenmarkedbyeatingzongzi(glutinousrice（糯米）wrappedtoformapyramidusingbambooorreedleaves)andracingdragonboats.

Thefestivalisbestknownforitsdragon-boatraces,especiallyinthesouthernprovinceswheretherearemanyriversandlakes.Thisregatta（賽舟會(huì)）commemoratesthedeathofQuYuan,anhonestministerwhoissaidtohavecommittedsuicidebydrowninghimselfinariver.In1980,itwaslistedintothestatesportscompetitionprogramsandhassincebeenheldeveryyear.Theawardiscalled"QuYuanCup."originQuwasaministeroftheStateofChusituatedinpresent-dayHunanandHubeiprovinces,duringtheWarringStatesPeriod(475-221BC)（戰(zhàn)國(guó)時(shí)期）.Hewasupright,loyalandhighlyesteemedforhiswisecounselthatbroughtpeaceandprosperitytothestate.However,whenadishonestandcorruptprincevilifiedQu,hewasdisgracedanddismissedfromoffice.Realizingthatthecountrywasnowinthehandsofevilandcorruptofficials,QugrabbedalargestoneandleaptintotheMiluoRiveronthefifthdayofthefifthmonth.Nearbyfishermenrushedovertotryandsavehimbutwereunabletoevenrecoverhisbody.Thereafter,thestatedeclinedandwaseventuallyconqueredbytheStateofQin.originThepeopleofChuwhomournedthedeathofQuthrewriceintotherivertofeedhisghosteveryyearonthefifthdayofthefifthmonth.Butoneyear,thespiritofQuappearedandtoldthemournersthatahugereptile（爬行動(dòng)物）intheriverhadstolentherice.Thespiritthenadvisedthemtowrapthericeinsilkandbinditwithfivedifferent-coloredthreadsbeforetossingitintotheriver.DuringtheDuanwuFestival,aglutinousricepuddingcalledzongziiseatentosymbolizethericeofferingstoQu.Ingredientssuchasbeans,lotusseeds（蓮子）,chestnuts（栗子）,porkfatandthegoldenyolkofasaltedduckeggareoftenaddedtotheglutinousrice.Thepuddingisthenwrappedwithbambooleaves,boundwithakindofraffiaandboiledinsaltwaterforhours.Thedragon-boatracessymbolizethemanyattemptstorescueandrecoverQu'sbody.Atypicaldragonboatrangesfrom50-100feetinlength,withabeamofabout5.5feet,accommodatingtwopaddlersseatedsidebyside.originAwoodendragonheadisattachedatthebow,andadragontailatthestern（船尾）.Abannerhoistedonapoleisalsofastenedatthesternandthehullisdecoratedwithred,greenandbluescalesedgedingold.Inthecenteroftheboatisacanopiedshrinebehindwhichthedrummers,gong（銅鑼）beatersandcymbal（鐃鈸）playersareseatedtosetthepaceforthepaddlers.Therearealsomenpositionedatthebowtosetofffirecrackers,tossriceintothewaterandpretendtobelookingforQu.Allofthenoiseandpageantrycreatesanatmosphereofgaietyandexcitementfortheparticipantsandspecta