There are many legends about the origin of dragon boat festivals. We need to step back in time to the 3rd century b.C. into a period of political changes, corruption, despotism and intrigues in China, also known as time of “Act of war states” or “Struggling Empires” (475-211 b.C.).
It was at this time when Qu Yuan (ca. 340 b.C.) was born in Chu (today Hubai province) as son of an aristocratic family. Mei Huaj – king of Chu – appointed Qu Yuan for minister for law and religious ceremonies who wrote down all former laws of the Chu country. Because of his demand for a land reform he was deposed from office by the king. When Mei Huai, king of Chu, was invited for a conference by Yin Ji – king of Qin, Qu Yuan advised him not to leave. However, the king’s son suspected Yin Ji to take this refusal as opportunity to attack Chu. King Mei Huai did attend the conference and was arrested.
Qu Yuan made the king’s son responsible for Mei Huai’s arrest and for this reason was banished from the royal’s court to the barbaric provinces south of the capital Jiang Ling. He wandered around miserably and wrote love poems to his folk and country. On his way to the exile he came to the river Mi-Lo in the province Hunnan. Being incapable to stand the pain of the banishment and the bad state of affairs within the country Qu Yuan threw himself into the river’s floods on the 5th day of the 5th month.
According to the legend hundreds of local fishermen tried to rescue him competing with their boats. In order to protect Qu Yuan’s body because of the fish and to chase evil spirits they wildly hit the water with their paddles accompanied by the loud sounds of their drums. However, in vain…
Since then year after year the symbolic search for the poet’s and folk hero’s ghost has been continued in the form of dragon boat festivals. Every year – in May or June – on the fifth day of the lunar month according to the traditional Chinese calendar they remember Qu Yuans. This is a long lasting tradition in Chinese religion and in the symbol of the dragon shall bring rain, rich harvest, health and luck.
Every bigger dragon boat event will be opened with a certain ceremony. Until today it is a fixed ritual, to awaken the dragon by painting his eye.
Some days prior to the race Taoist priests celebrate this ceremony. The priest stabs the saber into the Fu Zhou – a bank note bearing mystic characters. Afterwards head, tail, body and drum are touched with the saber accompanied by the sound of a bell and magic recitative. Now the bank note is burnt and magic sand is spread over the dragon’s head. A highly regarded personality is allowed to mark those points where the dragon’s eyes shall be and which will then be painted with red color.
These rituals shall be promising and bring luck for upcoming regattas.
