By Will Boyd, Phd
Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, called “Duan Wu Jie” in Chinese. It is one of my favorite festivals, remembering a faithful and brilliant court official, Qu Yuan, who, when forced to choose between loyalty to the emperor or exile, left his home and lived in exile as a peasant amongst the southern clans.
The legend states that Qu Yuan was so brilliant and virtuous, a dragon maiden, princess of the underwater realm, fell in love with him and took on human form in order to speak with him at night, walking along the riversides.
Upon revealing herself to be a powerful and magical creature, she explained that he could be with her forever if he sacrificed himself in the river, at which time the gods would turn his spirit into a dragon and give him powers and a realm to guard.
Believing his newfound love, Qu jumped into the river and drowned. He was transformed into a giant blue sky dragon and was brought back to life, twining around the shining green body of his new dragon-spouse and flying up into the heavens where the gods gave him dominion.
The fishermen who saw the scholar jump into the river did not know he became a dragon. They raced around in their boats for days trying to find him, and then out of respect for him and his kindness, offered rice dumplings in the river, so that the fish would not eat Qu’s body and he could have a respectful burial.
From this story comes the Dragon Boat Festival, when young men show their endurance and muscle by racing dragon boats on the rivers, and where young women showed off their culinary skills by making delicious and creative rice dumplings and savory dishes to accompany them. It was also an excuse for women to wear the elegant silk dresses, called “Qipao,” in honor of the beautiful dragon princess and her mate. Young men would wear white sleeveless silk shirts, supposedly to honor the scholar’s death, but, when wet, would show off their muscles and make them look handsome and strong.
There are many stories of young people falling in love at Dragon Boat Festival and marrying at Chinese New Year!
今天是端午节，英文称为“龙船节”。这是我最喜欢的节日之一，纪念一位忠诚而才华横溢的宫廷官员屈原，当他被迫在忠于皇帝或流亡之间做出选择时，他离开了家乡，作为南方部落的农民流亡到了国外。
传说屈原才华横溢，贤德贤惠，水下公主龙女爱上了他，化身为人，夜里与他说话，漫步江边。
在表明自己是一个强大而神奇的生物后，她解释说，如果他在河里牺牲自己，他就可以永远和她在一起，届时众神会将他的灵魂变成一条龙，并赋予他力量和一个守护领域。
屈原相信自己新找到的爱情，跳进河里。他变成了一条巨大的蓝天巨龙并复活了，缠绕着他的新龙配偶闪亮的绿色身体，飞上了众神赐予他统治的天空。
渔民们看见书生跳进河里，并不知道他变成了一条龙。他们划船连日来寻找他，然后出于对他的尊重和他的善良，在河里献粽子，这样鱼就不会吃掉他的尸体，他就可以得到隆重的安葬。
从这个故事开始，到了端午节，小伙子们在江上赛龙舟，展示自己的耐力和体力，而年轻女子们则大显厨艺，制作美味可口、创意十足的粽子和菜肴。这也是女性穿着优雅的丝绸连衣裙旗袍的借口，以纪念美丽的龙公主和她的伴侣。年轻男人会穿白色无袖丝绸衬衫，据说是为了纪念这位学者的去世，但当湿漉漉的时候，会炫耀他们的肌肉，让他们看起来英俊而强壮。
年轻人端午节恋爱、过年结婚的故事还有很多！
Facing the East 