The
Rice Dumpling Festival (端午节) or some call it the dragon boat festival occurs on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar, so it happens that I will eat some rice dumpling today. While eating the rice dumpings, my mind suddenly thought of Qu Yuan. The origin of rice dumpling actually came from commemorating the death of the poet, Qu Yuan who was also a minister of the ancient state of Chu during warring states period of the Zhou Dynasty.
Qu Yuan was in despair when Qin conquered Chu and committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo river. Many who admired him raced out in their boats to save him or at least try to retrieve his body. When his body could not be found, they made balls of sticky rice and threw into the river in belief that the fish would not devour the body of Qu Yuan. This is how the rice dumpling and the dragon boat race developed from.
