端午節The Dragon Boat Festival

TheDragon Boat Festival is one of the most popular traditional festivalscelebrated in China, which is on the fifth of the fifth lunar month, also knownas Duanwu Festival. It’s said that it is to commemorate the death of a Chinesepatriotic poet, Qu Yuan, who was snared by corrupt officials in ancient Chinaand finally committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River to protestagainst them.

端午節是中國傳統節日中最流行的節日之一，它是在陰曆五月的第五天。據說這是爲了紀念一箇中國的愛國詩人屈原的死，他被中國古代腐敗官員陷害最後在汨羅河投江自殺來表示抗議。

Thetraditions and customs held on this festival differ from place to place, butthere are some common in them. First, the most famous and great tradition isholding Dragon Boat races, which are held by fishermen’s attempt to protect QuYuan’s body against attacking by fishes and other animals in the river bybeating drums and row the dragon shaped boat. Nowadays dragon boat races havebeen an annual popular sport activity among people. In addition, making andeating Zongzi—a dumpling made of glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo or reedleaves—is also a popular custom during this day. It can be made by many kindsof stuffing. What’s more, hanging herbs on the front door, drinking realgarwine and pasting up picture of Zhongkui—a mythic guardian figure in ancientchina—are also popular during the festival, which are mean to protect peoplefrom evil and disease.

這個傳統習俗不同的地方有不同的慶祝方式，但也有相同的方面。首先，最出名的傳統就是舉行龍舟比賽，這是由漁民們舉行的，通過打鼓和劃龍形的船來保護屈原的身體免受魚類和其他動物的攻擊。現在龍舟賽是人們一年一度的流行的體育活動。此外，做和吃糉子——糯米麪團，包着竹葉或蘆葦葉，在那一天也是 一個流行的風俗。它可以由不同種類的餡料製成。還有就是，門上掛着草藥，人們喝雄黃酒，在門前張貼中國古代神話人物鍾馗的圖片在節日期間也是很受歡迎的，做這些的意義是保護人們免受邪惡和疾病。

Thesecustoms and traditions have been changed a little in recent years, but theystill make contribution to the spread and inheritance of Chinese culture.

這些習俗和傳統，在最近幾年已經發生了一些變化，但他們仍然爲中國文化傳承與傳播做貢獻。