Today, millions globally will take part in festivities; dress up in their finest attire, exchange gifts and make and share foods infused with saffron and cardamon that fill the air with sweet scents. It is a time to join friends and family for a feast to celebrate a time of immense joy.
Month: June 2023
Juneteenth – Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude” – Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the United States of America Many refer to 19 June as America’s second Independence Day, the day when enslaved … Read more
‘I am driving flying dragons’ – Jiu Ge (九歌), Qu Yuan (屈原)
Water is a life-force. It embodies movement, the circulation of energy, and purification. Today, many people in China and the diaspora will take to the waters to race vessels adorned with ornate dragon heads attached to the prow and a stylised dragon tail embellishing the stern. They will race to the rhythmic toll of a drum, regulating their movements to commemorate the figure of Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet who drowned himself in the Miluo River (汨羅江) following the fall of his homeland. As the ending of Qu Yuan’s tale would suggest, water can also symbolise destruction. The demise of Qu Yuan appears to be a premonition of the misfortune that is associated with this period in the year, the fifth month of the lunar calendar. Known as the ‘month of poison’ (毒虫节), it is believed by many to be one of bad luck and illness, so actions are taken to mitigate its impact.