王天和

The Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month， has had a history of more than 2，000 years. It is usually in June in the Gregorian calendar.

There are many legends about the evolution of the festival， the most popular of which is in commemoration of Qu Yuan （340-278 BC）. Qu Yuan was minister of the State of Chu and one of Chinas earliest poets. In face of great pressure from the powerful Qin State， he advocated enriching the country and strengthening its military forces so as to fight against the Qin State. However， he was opposed by aristocrats headed by Zi Lan， and later deposed and exiled by King Huai.

In his exiled days， he still cared much for his country and people and composed immortal poems including Li Sao (The Lament)， Tian Wen (Heavenly Questions) and Jiu Ge (Nine Songs)， which had far-reaching influences. In 278 BC， he heard the news that Qin troops had finally conquered Chus capital， so he finished his last piece Huai Sha (Embracing Sand) and plunged himself into the Miluo River， clasping his arms to a large stone. The day happened to be the 5th of the 5th month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

After his death， the people of Chu crowded to the bank of the river to pay their respects to him. The fishermen sailed their boats up and down the river to look for his body. People threw zongzi and eggs into the water to divert possible fish or shrimp from attacking his body. An old doctor poured a jug of reaglar wine into the water， hoping to turn all aquatic beasts drunk. Thats why people later followed the customs such as dragon boat racing， eating zongzi and drinking realgar wine on that day.

There is a very famous traditional Chinese story that has a close connection to the Dragon Boat Festival. Once upon a time on E-Mei Mountain there lived two snake spirits， White Snake and Green Snake.These snakes， being magical， turned themselves into beautiful maidens and set off on a journey to the West Lake of Hang Zhou.

When they arrived at West Lake they met a man named Xu Xian. White Snake quickly fell in love with Xu Xian and they were soon married. A Buddhist monk， named Fa Hai warned Xu Xian of his wifes deceptive appearance and suggested to him a plan.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival， White Snake wished to stay home so as to avoid the Ay Tsao， used for protection from spirits， hanging on the doors of peoples houses. Her husband prepared， according to Fa Hais instruction， some realgar wine， as this was a tradition during the Dragon Boat Festival. White Snake， thinking her magic would protect her from the effects of the realgar wine accepted a cup. After she drank the wine she became very ill and was barely able to get to her bed. When her husband came to her side， he found not his wife but a huge white snake. So great was Xu Xians shock that he fell to the floor dead.

After recovering from the realgar wine and regaining her human form， White Snake was grief-stricken to find her husband dead. She set off on a journey to obtain a potent medicinal herb， which could revive her husband. After returning and reviving her husband with the medicine， she explained to Xu Xian that the white snake he saw was actually a dragon and that this vision was indeed a very good omen. Xu Xians fears were put to rest for the moment by his wifes fanciful story...

端午节是在农历的五月初五，至今已有2000多年历史，它通常在阳历的六月份。

这个节日有着众多的传说，其中最著名的传说是为了纪念屈原（340-278 BC）。屈原是春秋时期楚国的大臣和中国早期最著名的诗人之一。他面对强秦的压迫，倡导举贤任能，富国强兵，但他遭到贵族子兰等人的强烈反对，屈原遭怀王去职，后被流放。

他在流放中，仍心系他的祖国，写下了忧国忧民的《离骚》《天问》《九歌》等不朽诗篇，影响深远。公元前278年，在他听到秦军攻破楚国京城的消息时，于农历的五月五日，在写下了绝作《怀沙》之后，抱石投汨罗江而死。

传说屈原死后，楚国百姓纷纷涌到汨罗江边去凭吊屈原。渔夫们划起船，在江上来回打捞他的尸体。人们拿出粽子、鸡蛋等食物，丢进江里，说是让鱼虾们吃饱了，就不会去咬屈大夫的身体了。一位老医生则拿来一坛雄黄酒倒进江里，说是要药晕蛟龙水兽，以免伤害屈大夫。后来人们就延续了这一传统，在端午节这天举办龙舟赛、吃粽子和喝雄黄酒。

另一个非常有名的与端午节相关的中国传统故事是“白蛇传”。从前，在峨眉山上有两只蛇精，白蛇与青蛇。这两只蛇精运用法力将自己变成美丽的女子，并准备到杭州西湖游玩。

当她们在西湖游玩时，遇到一位名叫许仙的男子，白蛇与许仙很快地相恋并在不久后结婚。当时一位名叫法海的和尚，曾经警告许仙注意他妻子惑人的外表，并教给他一个揭开真相的计划。

端午节当天，白蛇待在家里以避开人们挂在门上驱邪的艾草。而许仙则依照法海的建议准备了大家在端午节时都会喝的雄黄酒。白蛇自认法力可以抵挡雄黄酒对她的影响，因此喝了一杯。但是在她喝下那杯酒之后，她却变得精疲力竭，几乎走不到床上。当许仙走到白蛇身边，看到的不是自己美丽的妻子， 而是一条巨大的白蛇，许仙震惊不已，倒地而亡。

当白蛇恢复法力和人形后，她才发现自己丈夫已经身亡，因此白蛇外出寻找能使许仙起死回生的强效药草。许仙在服用药草并起死回生之后，白蛇告诉许仙他看到的那条白蛇，其实是一条代表吉相的龙。许仙被他妻子编的故事所打动，不再感到恐惧了……