Dragon Boat Festival 端午节 – duān wŭ jié STARTALK Chinese 2008

BASIC INFORMATION Occurs on the 5 th day of 5 th month of the Lunar Calendar Dragon Boat (lóng chúan - 龙船 ) Races commemorate search for Qu Yuan, a poet 龙船 Races also spread good luck; Dragons symbolize good fortune

OTHER FESTIVITIES Martial Arts Demonstrations Street Theater Food: Sweet Buns, Dragon Boat Dumplings (zòngzi - 粽子 ), Roasted Pine Nuts 粽子 Fire Crackers to signal change of seasons

THE STORY OF QU YUAN - 屈原

QU YUAN: POLITICIAN AND LATER, POET Qu Yuan was a high-ranking official (dà guān - 大官 ) during the warring states period ( B.C.). He was removed from his position and he became a poet. 大官

QU YUAN WANDERS Unhappy and disrespected, he left one day to write a poem (shī - 诗 ) about his life and hopes whilst wandering alongside a river. He was never seen again and was presumed to have committed suicide (zì shā - 自杀 ). 诗 自杀

THROWING DUMPLINGS His followers decided to throw sticky rice, wrapped in leaves, into the river so that the fish would not consume his body and soul.

ALTERNATE TALE – THE FISHERMAN (yú mín - 渔民 ) 渔民

THE ENCOUNTER The fisherman threw rice for Qu Yuan to eat, but it was being consumed by a large river dragon.

WRAPPING THE DUMPLINGS Qu Yuan told the fisherman to wrap the rice in leaves and to tie the leaves with multicolored string (xiàn - 线 ) 线

THE END Created by Anthony Tran for a Chinese Culture Presentation on 7/31/08 Presenters/Group Members: Jane Enkhbold John Papavizas Anthony Tran Megan Mohr