THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

Duanwu Festival is also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, is a traditional and important celebration among Chinese. The holiday commemorates the life and death of the famous scholar Qu Yuan, who lived during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty in around 300BC. According to Chinese folklore, Qu contributed a lot to society, having served in high offices. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 278 BC, Qu Yuan, a scholar and patriotic poet of the state of Chu, heard that the Qin army had conquered the capital of the state of Chu. He was very sad and indignant. Although he wanted to serve his country, he was unable to contribute. So he chose to express his will with death and resolutely wrote his last work <Huaisha>. He threw himself into the Miluo River and died for his country.

According to legend, the local villagers highly admired Qu. In an attempt to save him, or at least find his body, they raced out onto the river in boats, which is said to be the origin of dragon boat races. Today, the races are the centrepiece of the festival, and are organised all over the world where Chinese communities exist.

The festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year it falls on 14th June.

CADCAI Committee members wish everyone the best of health and stay safe.

端午节又称为龙舟节，是中国传统的重要节日。这个节日是为了纪念著名文豪屈原的生涯。 他生活在公元前300年左右的周朝战国时期。根据中国民间传说，屈原曾担任要职，对社会贡献很大。公元前278年农历五月初五，楚国大夫，爱国诗人屈原听到秦军攻破楚国都城后，悲愤交加，心如刀割，虽有心报国，却无力回天，于是选择以死明志，毅然写下绝笔作 《怀沙》，抱石投入汨罗江， 以身殉国。

传说，当地村民对屈原十分敬佩，为了救他，或者至少找到他的尸体，他们乘船跑到河里，据说这就是龙舟赛的起源。今天，在世界各地华人社区都有举办划龙舟的活动。

端午节是在中国农历的五月初五, 今年是六月十四日。

凯恩斯华人委员会成员祝福大家身体健康，平安。

Zongzi (traditional Chinese rice dumpling)
A notable part of celebrating Dragon Boat Festival is making and eating zongzi with family members and friends. People traditionally wrap zongzi in leaves of reed, bamboo, forming a pyramid shape. The leaves also give a special aroma and flavor to the sticky rice and fillings. Choices of fillings vary depending on regions. Northern regions in China prefer sweet or dessert-styled zongzi, with bean paste, jujube, and nuts as fillings. Southern regions in China prefer savory zongzi, with a variety of fillings including marinated pork belly, sausage, and salted duck eggs.

Zongzi appeared before the Spring and Autumn Period and was originally used to worship ancestors and gods; in the Jin Dynasty, Zongzi became a festive food for the Dragon Boat Festival. Jin Dynasty, dumplings were officially designated as the Dragon Boat Festival food. At this time, in addition to glutinous rice, the raw materials for making zongzi are also added with Chinese medicine Yizhiren. The cooked zongzi is called “yizhi zong”.

The reason why the Chinese eat zongzi on this special day has many statements. The folk version is to hold a memorial ceremony for Quyuan. While in fact, Zongzi has been regarded as an oblation for the ancestor even before the Chunqiu period. From the Jin dynasty, Zongzi officially became the festival food and long last until now.