/ Chinese Culture
Storytime: Dragon Boat Festival
Relishing the upcoming reprieve from work - despite the unfortunate seven straight days of work in consequence - it feels like a moment for a little storybook time about why we should all be riding dragons down the neighborhood river and stuffing our faces with filling bundles of zongzi.
As with all myths, there are many supposed reasons why we race dragon boats every year on the fifth month of the fifth day of the lunar calendar. The most popular myth is that of Qu Yuan, the noble put-upon diplomat cum poet who sided against his Emperor to the detriment of his livelihood. Once a hugely influential court official, he fell foul - as powerful advisors tend to do (just look at how many close consultants Henry VII had beheaded) - and was banished from the Zhou Dynasty court for opposing a treaty with the rival Qin Kingdom, no doubt amidst much intrigue and backstabbing due to his favored position in the emperor's eyes. When Qin eventually betrayed and conquered Zhou, Qu Yuan threw himself in the river and drowned.
What on earth does this have to do with piling on the pounds eating zongzi and paddling maniacally downstream? The legend goes that Qu Yuan was beloved by the people of China, who tried to prevent fish desecrating his body by throwing a mixture of rice, vegetables and meat wrapped up in bamboo leaves into the river, distracting them from the corpse. Meanwhile, crews of boatmen raced furiously to retrieve the body from an ignominious, watery grave. In modern times, this has translated into eating the delicious zongzi treats and competing to be the fastest, most able-bodied team of rowers in town.
While the most popular - and most commonly accepted - story recited by the Chinese, there is the equally romantic and macabre story of Wu ZiXu. Similar to Qu Yuan, he was a trusted courtier who got on the bad side of a few influential conspirators. On advising the King FuChai of Wu to take a swift strike against King GouJian of Yue, he was accused of sabotaging the stability of the kingdom, and forced to commit suicide. As he took the fateful sword in hand, his dying request was that his eyes be removed and placed atop the city gate, so as to see the hordes of Yue when they came to lay waste to Wu. In due time, his sightless eyes would witness his vision become truth, as Wu was overthrown and the state of Yue came to power. Deciding to take his own life, King FuChai asked that his face be covered, so that he would not have to face the shame of seeing Wu ZiXu in the afterlife and admitting his foolhardy error.
Potent stuff. Perhaps it is even possible both events occurred. After all - as Hegel said - despite the appearance that history is repeating, the only thing man ever learns from the past, is that he learns nothing from the past.
In the spirit of holidays, if anybody else has any theories to share around the dragon's fire, let us know. I must admit I've heard these two stories so often, I'd like a bit of fresh air - and everyone loves a good story.