In this year 2019, the Dragon boat festival was on the date of June seventh.
On the dragon boat festival day, we usually eat rice dumplings in memory of Qu Yuan. In 278 BC, the Chu State is defeated by the Qin State. On hearing of the defeat, Qu Yuan was in great despair and committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
When the local people heard of Qu Yuan’s death, they were very sad and rowed out on the river to search for his body, but they were unable to find him. To prevent his body eaten by the fish, the locals paddled their boats up and down the river, hitting the water with their paddles and beating drums to scare the fish and evil spirits away. They threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan’s body.
Traditionally, people also drink realgar wine and use wormwood to purify their body and their houses. These two things are very good at preventing infectious disease in hot summer.