‘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.
The ‘Month of Poison’ (毒虫节)
The association of the fifth month with poison and poor luck stems from frequent spates of illness in the early summer season. The fifth day of the month is considered to be particularly inauspicious. As a result, the Dragon Boat Festival is thought to originally have been a time when people ceremonially fought against diseases and poisonous animals. On this day, houses are cleaned, and fragrant leaves of mugwort (艾草, Artemisia argyi) and calamus (石菖蒲, Acorus calamus) are hung from doors to deter insects and bring good luck to residents. Realgar wine (雄黃酒), an alcoholic drink made from fermented cereals and powdered realgar, is enjoyed by many; in ancient times, it was believed to be an antidote to all poisons and effective in killing insects and deterring evil spirits. The ‘five poisons’ – centipedes, snakes, scorpions, spiders, and toads – also begin to emerge during this month. To counteract these ‘poisons’, people ritually prick pictures of these creatures with needles and stick them up on the wall. Although the traditional origins of the festivities are still acknowledged today, with many participating with the aim of deterring the manifestation of bad omens and health, the modern festivities of boat racing are believed to be in commemoration of Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan (屈原) and zong-zi ((粽子)
The legend of Qu Yuan is considered to be a constitutive element of Chinese cultural mythology. Qu Yuan was a poet and statesman from the Kingdom of Chu during the Warring Sates period in China (approximately 475-221BC). He was a faithful servant of the Chu government, however, after being slandered by another official, he was sent into exile. During this period, he wrote poetry, with his most famous work being ‘Li Sao’, a purported biography of the poet. Following Qu through various spiritual and mythological odysseys, the poem laments his betrayal and ultimate rejection by his lord. When he discovers that the Kingdom of Chu has fallen, Qu Yuan throws himself into the Miluo River. It is believed that the locals attempted to save him, or at least to retrieve his body, by rushing into the middle of the river by boat. Unable to find him, they threw zong-zi (粽子, sticky rice balls) into the river in an attempt to dissuade fish from feeding off his body. They also patted the water and beat drums to ward off evil spirits. The modern tradition of boat racing and eating zong-zi during the festivities is thought to have stemmed from this part of the legend.
The Military origins of the Dragon Boats
As to the origins of the festival, some argue that the commemoration of Qu Yuan is a literary and cultural misconception. In Qu Yuan’s poem ‘Xiang jun’, the dragon boat is called ‘the flying dragon’, meaning ‘the Lord of the Xiang River’. The poem makes mention of a boat decorated to look like a dragon, stating ‘I am driving flying dragons, my chariot heading north’; in so doing, this suggests that the tradition of sailing dragon boats proceeded the myth of Qu Yuan’s self-destruction. Further references to dragon boats can be seen in other works by Qu Yuan, in which he refers to these vessels as ‘orchid ores’ and ‘cassia boats’.
The tradition of dragon boat racing is believed to originate from a military recruitment exercise for the imperial naval army. The small, slender boats used during the races are typical of the then Southern Regime and were used by local rivalling warlords. These races and training practices were often dangerous; reports of men with cuts, bruises, and other injuries, were common, and, in some cases, boat loads of men lost their lives. However, due to their fast-paced nature, the races grew in popularity as a spectator sport. The tradition of these races being held on the fifth day of the fifth month was established by the Han Dynasty and was meant to ward off evil spirits through a performance of military power. As a result, the dragon boats were adopted as a symbol of merging local tradition with imperial form.
For readers who are interested in additional information about the cultural significance and poetic origins of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, please see the below list of sources, which includes a link to a list of dragon boat events taking place this year.
On this special day, we wish all celebrating alumni and supporters a safe and happy Dragon Boat Festival!
Words by Amrita Rahman
With special thanks to Dr Yvonne Chi, Associate Lecturer, School of Modern Languages, University of St Andrews.
Find out more about the information in this article and the Dragon Boat Festival at:
‘Dragon Boat Festival 2023: Names, Origins, Traditions, Greetings’, Cindy, Chinese Highlights, June 2023, https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/dragon-boat-festival.htm
‘Dragon Boat Festival’, UNESO Intangible Cultural Heritage, https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/dragon-boat-festival-00225
‘Dragon Boat Racing Events 2023’, Dragon Boat Racing, https://www.dragonboatevents.com/event-calendar
‘History and Culture’, International Dragon Boat Federation, https://www.dragonboat.sport/history
‘Li Sao’, Qu Yuan, https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/li-sao
‘Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts: Festivals of China’, Carol Stepanchuk, China Books & Periodicals, San Francisco: 1991
‘The Legendary Seafarer the West Overlooks’ Alyissa Greenberg, PBS, August 2021 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/zheng-he-china-explorer-ships/
‘The Song Navy and the Invention of Dragon Boat Racing’, Andrew Chittick, Journal of Song-Yuan Studies, 2011, https://www.jstor.org/stable/23496206
‘The Songs of the South: An Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets.’, David Hawkes [trans], et el Qu Yuan, London: Penguin Books, 2011
‘Translating the Afterlives of Qu Yuan’, Monica Zipki, New York; University of Oregon, 2014