First, to commemorate the Qu Yuan, the earliest from the Southern Liang Dynasty, Wu Jun, "renewed Qi Harmony Records" and the Northern Zhou Zong hours of service, "Jing Chu chronicles" records. It is said that Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month, and after his death, he was trapped by a dragon, and the world mourned him and threw five-colored silk dumplings into the water every day to drive away the dragon. It is also rumored that Qu Yuan cast Miluo River, the local people heard immediately rowing boats to rescue, has been traveling to the Dongting Lake, and finally did not see the body of Qu Yuan. At that time, it was a rainy day, and the boats on the lake gathered together by the pavilion on the shore. When people learned that is to salvage the wise minister Qu Daifu, once again braved the rain, scrambling to row into the vast Dongting Lake. In order to send condolences, people swinging boat on the river, and then gradually developed into a dragon boat race. It seems that the Dragon Boat Festival to eat zongzi, dragon boat racing and commemorate the Qu Yuan related to the Tang Dynasty Wenxiu "Dragon Boat Festival" poem as evidence: "Festival points Dragon Boat Festival since who said that the rumors of the ancient for Qu Yuan. Can laugh at the Chu River is empty, can not wash the straight minister injustice."
Second, to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E, this is from the Eastern Han Dynasty "Cao E Stele". Cao E is the Eastern Han Dynasty Shangyu people, his father drowned in the river, a few days to see the body, when the filial daughter of Cao E was only 14 years old, day and night along the river crying. After seventeen days, on May 5, she also threw herself into the river, and five days later, she carried out her father's body.
Third, welcome Tao God, Wu Zixu, a loyal minister of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period, after the death of injustice, into Tao God, the world mourn and sacrifice, so there is the Dragon Boat Festival. This legend is widely circulated in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Wu Zixu, a native of Chu, his father and brother were killed by the king of Chu, and then Zixu defected to Wu, helped Wu to conquer Chu, and entered Ying City, the capital of Chu, in five battles. At that time, King Ping of Chu was already dead, so Zixu dug up his grave and whipped his body 300 times to avenge the killing of his father and brother. After the death of King Helu of Wu, his son Fu Chai succeeded to the throne. The Wu army was highly motivated and won a hundred battles, and the Yue kingdom was defeated, so King Goujian of Yue asked for peace, and Fu Chai agreed. Zixu suggested that the state of Yue should be completely destroyed, but Fu-chai refused to listen to him. Wu's dazai, who was bribed by the state of Yue, framed Zixu with slanderous rumors, and Fu-chai believed him and gave Zixu a sword, which he used to kill him. Zixu was a loyal and good man, and looked upon death as a homecoming, and before he died, he said to his neighbors, "When I die, I will dig out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Wu Jing to see the Vietnamese army enter the city and destroy Wu", and then he killed himself, and Fu Chai was furious, and ordered Zixu to put his body in leather and throw it into the river on the fifth day of the fifth month, and so the Dragon Boat Festival is said to be the commemoration of the day of Wu Zixu.
Fourth, the Dragon Festival, this argument comes from Wen Yiduo's "Dragon Boat Festival", and "Dragon Boat Festival History Education". He believes that the fifth day of May is the ancient Wu-Yue region, "dragon" of the tribe held a totem sacrifice day. The main reasons are; (a) the two most important activities of the Dragon Boat Festival eat zongzi and race, are related to the dragon. Zongzi into the water is often stolen by the dragon, while the race is used in the dragon boat. (B) the race and the ancient wu yue local relationship is particularly deep, and wu yue people also have broken hair tattoo "to like the dragon" custom. (C) in ancient times on the fifth day of May, there are "colorful silk tie arm" folk custom, which should be "like the Dragon" tattoo custom remains.
Fifth, the evil day, in the pre-Qin era, it is generally believed that May is a poisonous month, the fifth is the evil day, according to legend, the day of the evil sycophants when the road, the five poisons and out. According to the Book of Rites, the Dragon Boat Festival originated in the Zhou Dynasty, the storage of orchids bathing. The chapter "Zhong Xia Ji" in "Lu Shi Chun Qiu" stipulates that people should abstain from sex and fast in the month of May. In the Xia Xiaozheng, it is written, "This day is for storing medicines in order to remove poisonous qi." Dadailei" in the record, "the fifth day of the fifth month of the animal orchids for the bath" to bathe to drive away evil spirits that the fifth day of the death of the legend is also a lot of. The Historical Records of the Grand Historian (史记-孟尝君列传) recorded that the famous Grand Historian Meng Chang Jun (孟尝君) was born on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. His father asked his mother not to give birth to him, believing that "the son of the month of May, longer than the household Qi, will be unfavorable to his parents." According to an anonymous article in the book "Customs", "It is said that if a child is born on the fifth day of the fifth month, the male will harm his father and the female will harm her mother. Wang Chong, author of "Lun Heng", also recorded: "taboo to lift the first month, May son; to the first month, May son to kill the father and mother, shall not be lifted also." In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the great general Wang Zhenxiao was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, so his grandfather named him "Zhenxiao". Song Huizong Zhao Ji was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, from childhood foster outside the palace. It can be seen that the ancient May 5 as a bad day, is a common phenomenon. Can be seen from the pre-Qin later, this day are unlucky day. In this way, in this day plug calamus, moxa to drive away ghosts, lavender atractylodes, Angelica dahurica and drink andrographis wine to avoid the epidemic, is a logical thing. And people also avoid the "five" taboo, called "Dragon Boat Festival".
Six, the summer solstice, this view of Liu Deqian in the "" Dragon Boat Festival "" and "" Traditional Chinese Festivals "", put forward three main reasons: (a) the authoritative work of years and times "Jing Chu years and times" did not mention the May 5 to eat dumplings of the holiday custom, but to eat dumplings written in the summer solstice. As for the race, the sui dynasty du taiqing made the "jade candle treasure canon" it into the summer solstice recreational activities, visible is not necessarily to salvage the great poet qu yuan cast river. (b) Some of the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, such as "treading on a hundred grasses", "fighting with a hundred grasses", and "picking miscellaneous medicines", actually have nothing to do with Qu Yuan. (C) The first explanation of the Dragon Boat Festival in the "Times and Favors of Huaji Li" is: "The sun leaves the sun, that is, the Dragon Boat Festival is in the middle of the summer, so the Dragon Boat Festival is also known as the Festival of the Day. The earliest origin of the Dragon Boat Festival is the summer solstice. Tui Dang out, and to commemorate the Qu Yuan said the most extensive impact. Because of the Qu Yuan's personality art superb, people are also willing to put this anniversary attributed to him.
VII, commemorate the poetess Qiu Jin, Qiu Jin, the word Ruiqing Jingxiong, the number of Jianhu female warrior, the small word Yugu, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, is good at poetry, lyrics, songs, fugue, and like horseback riding and fencing, there is a flower Mulan, Qin Liangyu in the world's title. 28 years old to participate in the revolution, the impact is very great, in the planning of the uprising for the Qing soldiers were arrested, to the end of the day, in the thirty-third year of the light of the Emperor Guangxu, June 5, in the mouth of Xuanhen in Shaoxing, a heroic death. She was arrested by the Qing soldiers while planning the uprising. Later generations to honor her poetry, mourning her loyal and courageous deeds, so, with the Poet's Day to commemorate her, and the Poet's Day is to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan and designated as the Dragon Boat Festival.
Customs of Dragon Boat Festival
"Dragon Boat Festival jewelry"
Jianren, a kind of jewelry for women in the old days in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other areas during the Dragon Boat Festival. Generally made of gold and silver wire or copper wire and gold foil, in the shape of a small man riding a tiger, there are also added bells, bells, tassels and garlic, dumplings and so on. Inserted in the women's hair buns, also used for gifts. Qingjiazhu" cloud: "(May 5) city people made of gold and silver wire for the complex tassels, bells, bells and so on, riding on a tiger, very fine, decorated with small hairpin, through for the string, or with copper wire and gold foil, for women to insert the sideburns. And they offer each other gifts, and their name is Jianren." Jianren a said and Ai people agree, just to silk easy to Ai, Wu Man Yun "Jiangxiang festival word - a small preface" cloud: "Hangzhou custom, Jianren that Ai people, and easy to silk, for the camel tiger, women are wearing," like this when there is a role in warding off evil spirits and epidemics; said that the ancient time of the rock, purely for women's decorations (Cai Yun "Wu Dedication" note).
Dou Niang, the old Duanwu Festival women's headdress. Mostly found in Jiangnan. Some areas are also known as Jianren. This object is said to have originated from the ancient step rock, that is, a different form of Ai people. Qingjiazhu" cited "Tang and Song dynasty records" cloud: "Jiang who north and south, five hairpin color wins the system, ready to very clever. Where the fabric pin Jian system Ai leaves, or save embroidery Xian, Buddha, Hop, Wu, insects, fish, the shape of the beasts, eight treasures such as flowers. Crepe spiders, Cherry Fenglin, cocoon tiger fluffy dor, rows of grass lizards, and praying mantis spider cicada scorpion, and gourd fruits and gourds, color and realism. To add streamers, embroidered balls and tassels, bells and whistles, or coherent to string, the name is Dou Niang, can not be counted."
Ai Hu, the old Dragon Boat Festival to drive away evil spirits, but also as decorations. China's ancient view of the tiger as a sacred animal, commonly thought to be able to suppress the evil spirits, blessing peace. "Customs" cloud: "Tiger Yang things, the longest of the beasts. Can devour food ghosts, ...... also open up the evil. Therefore, more folk take tiger for the use of evil, especially the Dragon Boat Festival for the most characteristic of the tiger. Ai tiger or to Ai braided and cut, or cut color for the tiger, stick to Ai leaves, worn in the hair body. The Dragon Boat Festival custom of wearing Ai Hu has a history of more than a thousand years. Song Chen Yuan-gui, "the time of the year wide record" cited "the time of the year miscellany": "the Dragon Boat Festival in the shape of a tiger, up to as big as a black bean, or cut color as a small tiger, sticky mugwort leaves to wear. Wang Yigong 'Dragon Boat Festival Post' poem: 'Hairpin Ai tiger to ward off the evils, dawn driving auspicious clouds seven treasures car'." And Qing Fu-cha Dun Chong, "Yanjing times": "Every Duanyang, the boudoir of the clever, with damask made of small tiger and dumplings ...... to colorful thread, hanging in the head of the hairpin, or tied to the back of the children, the old poem: 'Jade Swallow hairpin Ai Tiger light! ', that is, this meaning."
Painting the forehead Painting the forehead, the Dragon Boat Festival, the custom of smearing the forehead of the child with Xionghuang, the cloud can be driven away from poisonous insects. Typical method is to use the male yellow wine in the children's forehead painting "king" word, a borrowed male yellow to drive poison, the second borrowed tiger ("king" like the tiger's forehead, and tiger for the king of the beasts, because of the substitution of the tiger) to town evil. Qing Fuzha Duncan "Yanjing times and years": "each to the Danyang, since the first day of the day, take the andrographis sprinkled with wine, coated with children's collars and between the nose and ears, in order to avoid poisons." In addition to the forehead, nose and ears coated, can also be coated elsewhere, with the same intention. Shanxi "Hequ County Zhi" cloud: "Dragon Boat Festival, drink Xionghuang wine, coated with children's forehead and two hands, feet heart, ...... said the disease can be prolonged."
Long life wisp, Dragon Boat Festival, tired of winning jewelry. Also known as renewed life wisp, renewed life silk, prolonged life wisp, longevity line, also known as "Hundred Suo", "Pai Bing Shao", "colorful wisp" and so on, the name varies, the shape, the function is largely the same. The custom in the Dragon Boat Festival to five-color silk knot and into the rope, or hanging in the door, or wear children's necks, or tie children's arms, or hanging in the bed net, cradle, etc., is said to be able to avoid disaster in addition to the disease, blessing of health and well-being, longevity. The shape of such festivals are generally five: a simple five-color silk thread into a rope, tied to the arm; in the colorful rope decorated with gold and tin ornaments, hanging on the neck; colorful rope folded into a square win, decorated in front of the chest; colorful rope knots for the portrait of the wearer; colorful silk embroidered and painted the sun, moon, stars, beasts and other things, to honor the elders. This custom began in the Han Dynasty. East Han Ying Shao "customs - anonymous text": "noon, to colorful silk tie arm, to avoid ghosts and soldiers, people do not disease plague, a long life wisp, a Pai Bing Shao". Afterwards, it has become a custom until recent and modern times. Qing Fuzha Dunsun "Yanjing times" record of the custom: "Every year to the Danyang, the Cabinet of the clever, with the continued Luo made of small tiger and dumplings, pots and pans, cherries, mulberries, and so on, to color threads, hanging in the hairpin, or tied to the back of the child." In which the Tang and Song dynasties, there are more court to give ministers of such festivals. History of the Tang dynasty emperor xingyuan yuan year end of the festival, the court had given a hundred rope a shaft. And "Song history - rites of fifteen": "the day before, to the gold strands of longevity belt, color silk renewed life strands given to the hundred officials. Festival wear to enter." The bag of incense
The bag of incense, also called the bag of incense, scented bag, purse, etc., is wrapped with five-color silk thread, there are rags sewn together, filled with spices (made of the Chinese herbs Angelica dahurica, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, Scutellaria baicalensis, Pai Cao, Shan Nai, Gan Song, Gao Beng Xing), worn in front of the chest, the scent of the nose. Chen Shiliang's "Guangji of the Years and Seasons," citing the "Miscellaneous Records of the Years and Seasons," mentions a type "made on the fifth day of the fifth month in red and white colors like a capsule, threaded with colored threads, and made to resemble a flower in a convulsive manner." As well as another "clam powder bell": "the fifth day of the end of the clam powder in the silk, decorated with sheep, as a number of beads. So that children with to absorb sweat also". These carry bags, the contents of several changes, from the sweat of the clam powder, to drive away evil spirits, copper, andrographis powder, the development of the spice-filled scent capsules, the production is also becoming more and more sophisticated, become the Dragon Boat Festival unique folk art.
Wearing a scented bag is quite delicate. Older people in order to prevent disease and fitness, generally like to wear plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, peaches, apples, lotus, dolls riding a fish, dolls holding a rooster, double lotus and other shapes, symbolizing the birds and flowers, all the best, husband and wife love, family harmony. Children like the birds and animals, such as tigers, leopards; monkeys on the yu, cockfighting to catch free and so on. Young people to wear the most elaborate package of incense, if it is in love with the lover, the amorous girl early to elaborate one or two chic package of incense, rushed to have the festival before sending their own lover. The young man wearing a sweetheart to give the bag, naturally, to cause the surrounding men and women's comments, straight to the object of the boy boasted handyman.
『Duanwu's superstitions, get rid of and avoid the five poisons』
As mentioned above, the Dragon Boat Festival was a poisonous day in the minds of the ancients, and this idea has been passed down in folk beliefs, which is why there are all kinds of customs to seek for peace and to avoid calamities. In fact, this is due to the hot summer weather, people are prone to disease, plague is also easy to epidemic; coupled with the multiplication of snakes and insects, easy to bite people, so be very careful, which is the formation of this custom. Various festive customs, such as picking herbs, sprinkling walls and doors with xionghuang wine, drinking bushels of wine, etc., may seem superstitious, but it is a hygienic activity that is beneficial to health. The Dragon Boat Festival can really be considered a traditional medicine and health festival, a festival in which the people fight against diseases and poisonous insects. Today, these health practices should still be developed, and should be carried forward.
Dragon Boat Festival health practices
① Picking medicine. This is one of the oldest Dragon Boat Festival customs. Xia Xiaozheng (夏小正) reads, "This is the day to store medicine to remove the poisonous gas." The times of the year and the broad record" volume 22 "picking miscellaneous medicine" cited "Jing Chu times of the year record" anonymous text: "May 5, the race to pick miscellaneous medicines, can cure a hundred diseases." Wei "Qimin Yaojutsu - miscellaneous records", there are May catch toad records, is also a pharmaceutical. Later, there are many regions have the custom of catching toads at the Dragon Boat Festival, such as Jiangsu in the Dragon Boat Festival collection of toads, pricked its foam, the production of traditional Chinese medicine toadstools; Hangzhou people also give small children to eat toads, said that it can be eliminated to clear the fire and cool, no sores in the summer. There are also five days in the mouth of the toad plug ink ingots, hanging up to dry, that is, into the toad ingots, coated in pus sores can be dissipated. The custom of catching toads to make medicine originated from the Han Dynasty "toads and soldiers" legend. Another example is Hubei Jianli in the Dragon Boat Festival "picking grass", also picking herbs custom. Picking medicine is because before and after the Dragon Boat Festival herb stems and leaves ripe, medicinal properties, only on this day to form this custom.
② bathing orchid soup, Dragon Boat Festival bathing orchid soup is the "Dai Dai Li" recorded ancient custom. At that time, the orchid is not the current orchid, but the chrysanthemum Peilan, fragrant, can be decocted and bathed. In "Nine Songs - The King of the Clouds", there is also a line "Bathing in orchid soup will be fragrant". The Jing Chu Chronicle: "The fifth day of the fifth month is called the Orchid Bathing Festival." The Five Miscellaneous Chopsticks recorded that people in the Ming Dynasty bathed in orchid soup because it was unavailable, so they took five-colored grasses at noon and whisked them in the bath. Later, they usually fried bushes, mugwort and other herbs to take a bath. In Guangdong, the use of Ai, Pu, Fenxian, Magnolia and other flowers and grasses; in Hunan, Guangxi and other places, the use of cypress leaves, wind root, Ai, Pu, peach leaves and other boiled into a medicinal water bath. Regardless of men and women, young and old, the whole family washed, this custom still exists, it is said to cure skin diseases, go to the evil.
③ drink bushels of wine, andrographis, vermilion wine, wine sprinkler spray. Jing Chu chronicle: "to calamus (perennial herbaceous plant, born in the water, underground with reddish rhizome, leaves shaped like a sword, flesh spike. The rhizome can be used as a spice or medicine) or skeletonized or crumbled to cold wine." Pu wine has an aromatic flavor and a refreshing taste, and later on, andrographis and vermilion sand were added to the wine. Ming Xie Zhaozhuang "five miscellaneous Tsui": "drink calamus wine also ...... and andrographis into the wine to drink." Ming Feng Yingjing "Moon Order Guangyi": "five days with cinnabar wine, to ward off evil spirits and detoxification, with the wine dye forehead chest hands and feet heart, no will be venomous (an ancient book said a venomous snake) snake's plague. And to sprinkle the walls, doors and windows to avoid poisonous insects." This custom is widely spread. To date, such as Guangxi Binyang, every Dragon Boat Festival will have packets of medicine for sale, including Xionghuang, Zhu Lei, cypress, peach kernel, bushels, mugwort leaves, etc., people soaked in wine and then dipped in calabash and sprinkle the corners of the walls, doors, windows, under the bed, etc., and then wine coated with children's ears, nose and navel to drive away the venomous insects, and pray for the peace of the children. In addition, some areas also use staghorn wine in the children's forehead painting "Wang" word, so that children with the mark of the tiger, to use the tiger to ward off evil spirits. These activities, from the health point of view, or scientific reasoning. Andrographis plus water and wine sprinkled indoors can be sterilized, drink bushel sprinkles are also quite beneficial.
④ tea, herbal tea. Some areas in the north, like the Dragon Boat Festival to pick young leaves, wild leaves steamed and dried, made of tea. Guangdong Chaozhou area, people go to the countryside to pick herbs, boiled herbal tea to drink. This is also good for health.
In the Dragon Boat Festival set up a variety of flowers and plants that can drive away evil spirits, the source is also long. The earliest such as hanging mugwort in the door, "Jingchu chronicles": "picking mugwort as a person, hanging on the portal, in order to avoid poisonous gas." This is due to the important medicinal plant, and can make moxa velvet treatment, moxibustion points, and can drive insects. May Man contains the most moxa oil, (at this time is the peak growth period of Man) so the efficacy of the best, people also scramble to pick Ai. In addition to picking Ai Za as a person, but also Ai Za as a tiger, known as the Ai Tiger, "Jing Chu chronicles" note text cloud: "to Ai for the tiger, or cut color for the tiger, post to Ai leaves within the people fighting to wear it." At the same time, also hangs on the door and bushels of bushels and bushels of bushels peeled bushels sword, bushels of bushels tied bushels dragon. The Imperial Capital Years and Years Jisheng: "(Dragon Boat Festival) insert bushels of dragons and mugwort." Qingjialu, Volume 5: "Dai Pu for the sword, cut pong as a whip, vice to peach stalks garlic, hanging in the bed, all to but ghosts." Peach stalks are auspicious to ward off evil spirits, garlic is believed to symbolize the weapon of copper hammer, and bushels of swords, pong whip to match, in order to drive away the ghosts. Also burned wormwood to drive away mosquitoes and flies. In Hunan, Zhejiang and other places are picked kudzu hanging in the door phase, the legend is that the kudzu is a chain lock ghosts, ghosts can be driven away to ward off evil spirits.
With the picking of medicines, picking Ai Pu, etc. associated with the stepping on a hundred herbs, fighting a hundred herbs and other games, is the ancient people to the field tour of the legacy of the art. Later developed into decorative arts such as flower arrangement. Five Poisons
Folk believe that the month of May is the time when five poisons (scorpions, snakes, centipedes, spiders, and toads) come out, and folk have to use all kinds of methods to prevent the harm of the five poisons. Generally in the house stick five poison map, red paper printing and painting five poisons, and then five needles in five poisons on top, that is, the poison is thought to be stabbed to death, and then can not be rampant. This is a kind of witchcraft heritage to ward off evil spirits. Folk embroidered five poisons on the clothing, five poisons on the cake decorated with patterns, all contain the meaning of repellent.
The Dragon Boat Festival is also a peach seal for the door decoration. Peach is folklore to drive away the ghosts, from the myth of God, Yubi, to peach engraved seal, but also for the meaning of the hustle and bustle. The book of the Han Dynasty - rituals: "Zhu Suo, five-color peach seal for the portal decoration, to stop the evil spirit." The later generations of maze charm, auspicious gourd is derived from this. Dream sorghum record" vol. 3: "sergeants and other families to raw Zhu in the noon book 'May 5 day festival in the sky, red mouth and white tongue all eliminated' sentence", this is the custom of the Song dynasty. "Yanjing yearly record" and recorded: "Duanyang day with colored paper cut into all kinds of gourd, upside down glued to the door appendage, in order to vent the poisonous gas." This is the custom of the Qing dynasty. Some of the paper gourds also hanging silk spikes, belts, etc., more beautiful, or in the gourd cut out the shape of the five poisons, hanging pasted on the door, but also said that the five poisons of the gas drain the meaning of the meaning of the "inverted disaster gourd".
In the Tang Dynasty, dedicated to May 5 at noon in Yangzhou, Yangzi River in the heart of the cast bronze mirror, to pay tribute to the emperor, known as the "Son of Heaven mirror", which is also the meaning of the evil spirits (see "Tang Dynasty"). Therefore, the later generations more in front of the door to hang a mirror to drive away evil spirits.
Hanging mugwort, calamus and banyan branches 『hanging mugwort, calamus and banyan branches』
There are other reasons to hang mugwort, calamus (Pu Jian) or pomegranate and garlic at the door on Dragon Boat Festival. Usually, moxa, banyan and calamus are tied into a bundle with red paper and then inserted or hung on the door. Because calamus in the sky of the first of the Five Rui, symbolizing the removal of ominous sword, because of the growing season and the shape of the sense of the "hundred yin of the gas", the leaves are sword-shaped, inserted in the door to ward off evil spirits. The leaves are sword-shaped and can be inserted in the doorway to ward off evil spirits. Therefore, it was called "Water Sword" by the priests, and later on, it was extended to "Pu Sword" by the custom, which can cut off a thousand evil spirits. Gu Tieqing of the Qing Dynasty recorded in the Qing Jia Lu that "the bushes were cut into swords, the poupons were cut into whips, and the peaches and garlic were used as accessories to hang them in the beds and households to ward off ghosts". And the Jin Dynasty, "the land and customs" in the "to Ai for the tiger, or cut color for the tiger, post to the Ai leaves, the inner people scramble to cut it. Later, more calamus, or as a human figure, or Xiao sword-like, named Pu Jian, to drive away evil spirits but ghosts.
Mugwort on behalf of inviting a hundred blessings, is a kind of herb that can cure diseases, inserted in the doorway, can make the body healthy. In ancient China has been a medicinal plant, acupuncture inside the moxibustion method, is to use mugwort as the main ingredient, placed on the acupuncture points for burning to cure. Legends about mugwort can drive away evil spirits have been passed down for a long time, mainly because it has the function of medicine, like the security hours of the "Jing Chu chronicles" recorded that "the chicken is not yet crowing, picking mugwort looks like a man, and take it, collected to moxibustion disease, very effective. This is the day to pick the wormwood in the shape of a man, hanging over the household, can avoid poisonous gas." People also have the custom of planting mugwort in front of and behind their houses for good luck. In Taiwan, there is also a custom of posting a "Wu Shi Lian" during the Dragon Boat Festival, which serves the same purpose as a spiritual talisman. Some of the Wu Shi Lian have the following sentence: "Holding the flag of mugwort in your hand invites a hundred blessings, and hanging a sword over the door cuts off a thousand evils. The significance of banyan branches in folklore can make the body healthy, "inserting banyan is more courageous than dragon, inserting ai is more courageous and healthy". It is also customary to hang pomegranates, garlic or santan, which is a cure for insects and poison; santan is a remedy for epilepsy, and pomegranate blossoms are the flowers of the season, which also have the function of curing diseases. Pomegranate skin is a common Chinese medicine. And there is a story about the relationship between pomegranate flowers and Huang Chao. During the time of Huang Chao's rebellion, Huang Chao passed through a village and saw a woman carrying a big child on her back and holding a younger one in her hand, Huang Chao was very curious, so he asked why. The woman didn't know Huang Chao, so she said directly that because Huang Chao came and killed his uncle's whole family, only this only lifeline was left, so in case he couldn't take care of both, he had to sacrifice his own flesh and blood to save his uncle's flesh and blood. Huang Chao was touched by the news and told the woman to hang a pomegranate flower on her door to avoid the scourge of Huang Chao.
Hiding Dragon Boat Festival, when the Dragon Boat Festival custom, refers to pick up the newly married or married women home for the festival. Abbreviated as "ducking noon", also known as "ducking end of five". Commonly in May, May 5 for the bad month, bad day, all things need to be avoided, because there is a woman home to avoid the custom of the Dragon Boat Festival. This custom seems to have been formed in the Song Dynasty, Lu You "rich years" poem has "goat cavity wine stretcher to meet the women, the drums and dragon boat * * * race God" line. Jiajing Longqing Zhi" also recorded cloud: "married women called back to the festival". And, "Luanzhou Zhi": "Women's new marriage, and then the month of all welcome to return, called 'hide the Dragon Boat Festival'.
The Dragon Boat Festival rain, when the folk years accounted for the custom. It is believed that the Dragon Boat Festival rain, not auspicious; on the contrary, auspicious. This popular belief in the Song Dynasty that already existed. Chen Yuanliang, "the time of the year Guangji" cited in the "Abstract Record" cloud: "May 5 whistle, people exposure medicine, the year no disaster. Rain is a ghost exposure medicine, people are sick. This Minzhong proverb." Xu Yueqing "second rhyme Shu Li Shizhou open Dragon Boat Festival" Note to the cloud: "Linchuan people say that the rain on the Dragon Boat Festival, the ghosts Wang people disaster. Zhao Huaiyu's poem also quoted the proverb "no rain on the Duanwu day is a good year".
"Dragon Boat Racing and Sacrificing Qu Yuan and Cao E"
The term "dragon boat" was first used in the pre-Qin book Mu Tian Zi Biography, Volume 5: "The Son of Heaven floated on the Great Marsh in a bird boat and a dragon boat." In the "Nine Songs - Xiangjun", scholars believe that "flying dragons" are dragon boats, as they "drive the flying dragons on their northward journey, not making progress on our way to Dongting" and "the stone rushing is shallow, and the flying dragons are fluttering around". Xiangjun" is a poem that describes Xiang people driving a dragon boat and sinking a jade pendant into the river (similar to throwing a trailer into the river) in memory of a historical figure. This is with the "soul boat" allusion, and the state of Chu "characters of the imperial dragon silk painting" of the image of the allusion, can be mutually corroborated. The Jing Chu Chronicle of the Years and Seasons reads: "The fifth day of the fifth month is known as the Orchid Bathing Festival. ...... is the day, the race to the ferry, the race to pick miscellaneous medicines." Since then, through the ages, poems and fugues, notes, books and other records of the race on the countless.
Guangdong Zhanjiang third sea international dragon boat (race). Dragon boat, and ordinary boats are not quite the same, the size varies, the number of radial hand varies. Such as Guangzhou Huangpu, suburbs around the dragon boat, 33 meters long, on the way to 100 people, radial hand about 80 people. Nanning dragon boat more than 20 meters long, each boat about 50 or 60 people. Hunan Miluo city dragon boat, on the other hand, is 16-22 meters long, with 24-48 scratchers. Fuzhou, Fujian Dragon Boat is 18 meters long and has 32 scratchers. The dragon boat is usually long, narrow and narrow, with a dragon head on the bow and a dragon tail on the stern. The colors of the dragon's head are red, black, gray and other colors, all similar to the head of the dragon lantern, with different postures. Generally carved from wood, painted (also with paper, yarn). Dragon tail more whole wood carving, carved scales and armor. In addition to the dragon's head and tail, the dragon boat also has gongs and drums, flags or hull paintings and other decorations. Such as Guangdong Shunde dragon boat decorated with dragon cards, dragon head and tail flag, handsome flag, embroidered couplets, flowers and plants, and embroidered with dragon wind, the Eight Immortals and other patterns of umbrellas. General dragon boat does not have so much decoration, more decorated with various colors of triangular flags, hanging colors. Ancient dragon boat is also very ornate, such as painting dragon boat racing "Dragon Pond Racing Scroll" (painted by the Yuan Wang Zhenpeng), the dragon boat in the picture of the dragon's head is high, large, beautifully carved, the dragon tail is high and curly, the body of the dragon, there are several layers of heavy eaves and pavilions. If it is realistic, it can prove that the ancient dragon boat is exquisite. Another example is the "stone Zhai painting - tracking Quzi" painted Wuhu dragon boat, is also the dragon head is high, there are layers of buildings. Some areas of the dragon boat still have the ancient style, very exquisite.
Before the dragon boat racing, the first to invite the dragon, sacrificing to the gods. Such as Guangdong dragon boat, before the Dragon Boat Festival to get up from underwater, sacrificed in the South China Sea Temple in the South China Sea God after the installation of the dragon head, dragon tail, and then ready to race. And buy a pair of paper roosters placed on the dragon boat, that can bless the boat safe (vaguely corresponding to the ancient bird boat). Min, Taiwan is to the Mazu Temple worship. Some directly in the river to sacrifice the dragon head, kill the chicken drop blood on the dragon head, such as Sichuan, Guizhou and other individual areas.
And Miluo City, Hunan, before the race must first go to the Qu Zi Temple towards the temple, will be offered to the dragon head in the words of the gods in the Weng worship, Phi red cloth on the dragon head, and then An dragon head on the boat race, both worship the Dragon God, but also to commemorate the Qu Yuan. And in zigui, hometown of qu yuan in hubei province, there are also rituals to worship qu yuan circulated. The custom of worshipping Qu Yuan is recorded in "Sui Shu - Geography": "The swift oars and oars are speeding together, and the rowing and singing is chaotic, clamor vibrates on land and water, and the spectators are like clouds." Tang Liu Yuxi, "Race for the ferry song" Note: "Race for the ferry began in Wuling, and now the oars and phase and the sound of the salty call: 'Why in', the meaning of the Swamp Qu." Visible two lakes region, sacrifice qu yuan and dragon boat racing is closely related. Maybe Qu Yuan (and Cao E, Wu Zixu, etc.) died, the local people have also been the soul boat to send their souls back to the burial, so there is this custom.
Another example is the Zhejiang region, is to dragon boat racing to commemorate the Cao E. After the Han Book - the female biography ", Cao E is cast into the river to die, the folk legend that she went down to the river to find the father's body. Zhejiang region, more than the sacrifice, "point stone Zhai painting - piety Cao E," that is, depicting the people of the Huiji region to sacrifice Cao E of the scene.
"Qingjiazhu" in the record of the Wu Di (Jiangsu area) race, is derived from the memory of Wu Zixu, Suzhou, therefore, there is a Dragon Boat Festival Wu Zixu's old habits, and held on the water race in memory. There are also ceremonies in Guangxi to commemorate Ma Yan, Fuzhou to commemorate the Yan Wang Wang trial and other ceremonies.
All kinds of rituals and commemorative ceremonies are nothing more than pointing joss sticks and candles, burning paper money, and offering chickens, rice, meat, fruits, dumplings, etc. Today, these rituals contain superstitious colors. Today, these superstitious rituals have been rare, but in the past, people worship the Dragon God Temple atmosphere is very serious, and more than praying for a good harvest, wind and rain, to evil spirits, busting disaster, everything is going well, but also to bless the boating safety. In people's words, "to a good luck", to express the good wishes of people's hearts.
At the beginning of the official race, the atmosphere is very warm. Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Jianfeng "ferry race song": "...... both sides of the Luo Yi pungent fragrance, silver hairpin shining sun such as frost blade. The drums beat three times and the red flag opened; two dragons jumped out of the floating water. The two dragons jumped out of the floating water. Anchorage shadows of the waves flew ten thousand swords, and the drums split the waves and sounded a thousand thunderbolts. The sound of drums is getting faster and faster, and the two dragons are looking at the mark as if they were in a flash. People on the slope called out thunderbolt and thunder, while the pole head hung with colorful rainbow and neon halo. The front boat has already obtained the mark, the back boat loses its momentum and swings in the air. ......" These verses have written out the magnificent scenery of dragon boat racing. Women usually do not go out, now also scramble to see the dragon boat, silver hairpin shining sun; drums, red flag under the command of the dragon boat sped, fell like flying swords, drums like thunder; the end of the inserted brocade color pole, as a sign. Dragon boat to the standard speeding close to ...... modern dragon boat race is largely the same, but the regulations are slightly stricter. In recent years, there have been international dragon boat races at home and abroad, attracting athletes from all over the world.
There are other activities in dragon boat racing. For example, the dragon boat tour of the township, is in the dragon boat race paddling to the nearby familiar villages to play, gatherings. Sometimes the dragon boat also has a variety of fancy paddling, with the meaning of performance. For example, the dragon boat in Guangzhou, the hand with the paddle blade into the water, and then up to pick, so that the splash; the bow and stern of the people are rhythmic foot pressure boat, so that the dragon boat undulation such as swimming dragons playing in the water in general. Zhejiang Yuhang County dragon boat, there are people to step on the dragon's tail low, so that the dragon's head is high, the bow of the rapid waves from the dragon's mouth out, such as the dragon swallowed the clouds and spit out the rain in general.
There are also cruise ship-style racing. Such as the "Huainanzi - this training" "dragon boat 鷁 head, floating blow to entertain", is rowing the dragon boat, rocking the boat on the water to play music, play. In the "dream sorghum record" recorded in Hangzhou in the Southern Song Dynasty "dragon boat six, play in the lake". There are dragon boats on the lake, just part of the boat cruise.
Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing emperors, there are near the water's edge to watch the dragon boat entertainment, also belongs to the game and so on. The old book of the Tang Dynasty, Mu Zong, Jing Zong, there are "watch the race" thing. Tokyo dream record" volume 7, recorded in the northern song dynasty emperor in the water temple to see jinming pond dragon boat racing custom. One of the colorful boat, music boat, small boat, painting cabin, small dragon boat, tiger boat for viewing, music, there is a long forty feet of the big dragon boat. In addition to the big dragon boat, other boats in formation, competing bidding, as entertainment. Song zhang zeduan "jinming pond to capture the map" that depicts this scene. And the Ming Dynasty Emperor, in Zhongnanhai Ziguangge to watch the dragon boat, to see the Royal Archery Supervisor warriors running horseback archery. Qing Dynasty in the Yuanmingyuan Fuhai held a race, Qianlong, Jiaqing Emperor, etc. are to watch.
There is also a night dragon boat. In Zhejiang Wujin, there used to be night dragon boat, hanging up small lights on all sides to race. Sichuan Wutongqiao from 1982 onwards, there is a night dragon boat, electric lights on the boat, with fireworks, floating river lamps, brilliant and eye-catching. A few places in Zhejiang also set up a pile of floating flame on the water, so that the dragon boat from the flame through the lights.
There are also dry dragon boat, is on land to simulate the activities of the dragon boat race. Such as "Nanchang Province," which reads: "May 5 for the dry dragon boat, so that a number of people under the different, passing the drums, fill the overflow of the thoroughfares, women Shi money to pray for blessings, competing with the firecrackers to remove the ominous." Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, in the past, there is also a dry land to push the custom of Dragon Boat, also thought to remove evil spirits. Another Guangdong Foshan, Dongguan, Xinyi have dry land dragon boat custom, is actually a dance, but the date is not necessarily in the Dragon Boat Festival. Foshan autumn fall color when the dry-land dragon boat is the most spectacular. Another example is the "Huizhou Fu Zhi" in: "May 5, welcome the god boat chasing the epidemic, the boat with bamboo for the, attack painting like loach, to twelve people as God, carry and swim in Ogushi city." Another small dry dragon boat to children as toys.
In rowing the dragon boat, and more singing to cheer the dragon song circulated. Such as zigui in hubei province rowing dragon boat, there is a complete cantata, words and music according to the local folk songs and horns fusion and become, singing sound majestic and magnificent, heart-stopping, that is, "lifting the bow and the phase and the" of the legacy of the wind. Another example is the Dragon Boat Song of Nanxiong County in Guangdong Province, which is sung after the launching of the dragon boat in April until the end of the Dragon Boat Festival, with a wide range of performance contents. The dragon boat song circulating in Guilin, Lingui and other places in the north of Guangxi, in the race by the chorus of the copter, someone leading the call, the performance of the contents of the Dragon Boat, Dragon Boat Festival and related to the custom, the song is far-reaching and touching. In Guangxi Folk Music Anthology, there is a group song of Lingui County (4 Dragon Boat Songs), which has a distinctive and enthusiastic rhythm like a bugle, and it must be very touching to sing. Qing Jin Tingbiao group of infants fighting grass scroll
"Dragon Boat Festival fighting grass"
Before the Han Dynasty did not see the fight of grass. (The social and popular things of all times - Shang Bing He) The origin is not examined, and it is generally believed to be related to the emergence of Chinese medicine. Ancient pioneers struggled to survive and lived a monotonous life, entertaining themselves by fighting insects, grasses and animals in their spare time, and after the legendary "Shen Nong tasted a hundred herbs" formed the science of traditional Chinese medicine, groups of people went out to the countryside every year to collect medicines at the Dragon Boat Festival, and plugged in Ai on the door to solve the muggy poisonous disease, which was a customary practice; and after harvesting, they would often hold competitions to report the name of the flower and the name of the herb to each other in the form of a battle, and those with more would win. After the harvest, competitions were often held in which the names of flowers and grasses were announced to each other in the form of duets, with the winner being the one who had more names, which was a wonderful combination of botanical knowledge and literary knowledge. Bai Juyi "watch children play" poem: "get dust or fight grass, all day fun play."