The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated annually on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is also an important component of Chinese traditional culture. While the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival can be traced back to ancient China, there are some controversies and misunderstandings regarding its customs, celebrations, and the relationship between Qu Yuan and the festival. This article will explore the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, its customs, the relationship between Qu Yuan and the festival, as well as the cultural inheritance of the festival.

The Dragon Boat Festival can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in ancient China. According to the "Records of the Grand Historian," the Dragon Boat Festival originated from people's awe of nature and worship of heroic figures. Over time, the Dragon Boat Festival gradually evolved into an important traditional holiday and formed many legends and customs related to Qu Yuan.

Regarding the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, they vary from place to place, but the most prominent customs are eating zongzi and dragon boat racing. Zongzi is a traditional Chinese food made from glutinous rice and various fillings, shaped like a triangle or rectangle. Dragon boat racing is a traditional water activity and an important part of Chinese culture. Additionally, there are other customs such as hanging mugwort leaves, drinking realgar wine, and eating duck eggs.

Qu Yuan was a famous poet and politician of the Warring States period and an important figure in Chinese literary history. However, there are controversies and misunderstandings regarding the relationship between Qu Yuan and the Dragon Boat Festival. In fact, there is no direct connection between Qu Yuan and the Dragon Boat Festival. The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival dates back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, while Qu Yuan lived during the late Warring States period. Therefore, Qu Yuan is not the founder of the Dragon Boat Festival. Moreover, the customs and celebrations of the Dragon Boat Festival did not originate from Qu Yuan.

The origin and customs of the Dragon Boat Festival are related to ancient myths, legends, and local customs, rather than being solely associated with one individual. Over time, the Dragon Boat Festival has gradually evolved into an important traditional holiday and formed many legends and customs related to Qu Yuan. For example, people eat zongzi to commemorate Qu Yuan's patriotism and participate in dragon boat races to commemorate his loyalty to the country. At the same time, the government has also strengthened the protection and inheritance of this culture.

On May 20, 2006, the Dragon Boat Festival was approved by the State Council of the People's Republic of China and included in the first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage lists. On September 30, 2009, the "Gangneung Dragon Boat Festival" in South Korea was officially recognized by UNESCO as a "Human Legends and Intangible Cultural Heritage." This event has drawn attention and reflection in China and has also made the cultural inheritance of the Dragon Boat Festival receive more attention and focus.

In conclusion, the Dragon Boat Festival is an indispensable part of Chinese traditional culture, and its origin and customs are related to ancient myths, legends, and local customs, rather than being solely associated with one individual. The successful inscription of the Gangneung Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea also reminds us to place greater emphasis on the protection and inheritance of traditional culture. In modern society, with the changing lifestyles of people and the diversification of culture, traditional culture faces increasing challenges. Therefore, we need to actively protect and inherit traditional culture, allowing it to rejuvenate and thrive in modern society.

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