There are several theories about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival.

There are many sayings about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. Now, I summarize the following main sayings:

1, Dragon Boat Festival originated in memory of Qu Yuan; 2. Dragon Boat Festival originated from Dragon Boat Festival; 3. Dragon Boat Festival originated from the solstice in summer; 4. Dragon Boat Festival originated from evil days; Dragon Boat Festival originated from the "Adult Festival" where people prayed for "men and women to build the essence and transform everything". Next, let's talk about the above statements one by one.

First of all, the Dragon Boat Festival originated in memory of Qu Yuan.

This statement can be traced back to Wu Jun's "The Peace of Continuation" in the Southern Liang Dynasty and "The Time of Jingchu" in the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

According to legend, Qu Yuan failed in politics, the king of Chu was fatuous, the new king succeeded to the throne, and Chu was destroyed. After the capital of Chu was breached by Qin Jun, he jumped into the Miluo River to be martyred. After he died, he was trapped by a dragon. In memory of him, on this day every year, the world will throw colorful zongzi into the water to drive away the dragon.

This statement is the most widely circulated and well known to the public. My hometown is in the northeast of Inner Mongolia, which is the northeast in a broad sense. In the northeast, everyone basically believes this statement. I learned this statement from my parents and children when I was a child. Including going to school later, I learned the same thing from teachers and books. Especially before Qu Yuan jumped into the river, there was a famous saying in the world: "I am alone in the turbid water in the world, and everyone is drunk and I wake up alone, so I can see." |"

Another way of saying it is:

It is also said that after Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River, the people immediately rushed to row a boat to save Qu Yuan, and the boat rowed all the way to Dongting Lake, but Qu Yuan's body was not found. It was raining at that time, and the boats on the lake gathered at the pavilion on the shore. When people learned that it was to salvage the sage Dr. Qu, they went out in the rain and rushed into the vast Dongting Lake. In order to mourn, people rowed on rivers, and later it gradually developed into a dragon boat race.

From this point of view, eating zongzi and dragon boat racing on the Dragon Boat Festival are all activities related to commemorating Qu Yuan.

Second, the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the Dragon Boat Festival.

This statement comes from Wen Yiduo's Dragon Boat Festival Examination and Dragon Boat Festival History Education. He believed that the fifth day of May was the day when the "Dragon" tribe in ancient wuyue held totem sacrifices. His main reasons are as follows:

(1) Eating zongzi and dragon boat racing are the two most important activities of the Dragon Boat Festival, both of which are related to dragons. Zongzi thrown into the water is often stolen by mosquitoes and dragons, and dragon boat races.

(2) The relationship between race crossing and ancient wuyue is particularly deep. Besides, Wuyue people have the custom of tattooing constantly to look like a dragon.

(3) The ancient folk custom of "tying the arm with colored silk" on the fifth day of May should be a relic of the tattoo custom of "Like a dragon".

Of course, throughout the ages, many scholars or historians have made various archaeological arguments about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, and there are various statements, among which Mr. Wen Yiduo's statement is one.

Third, the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the solstice in summer.

The main basis of this statement is the Chronicle of Jingchu Times compiled by Liang Zonggu in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The original record said: "Eat Zongzi from summer to Sunday", but there was no mention of eating Zongzi in the previous custom on May 5. Therefore, in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Dragon Boat Festival did not refer to the fifth day of May, but to the "noon" festival from summer to Sunday. Regarding dragon boat racing, Du Taiqing's Jade Candle Collection in Sui Dynasty listed dragon boat rowing as an entertainment activity from summer to Sunday.

Fourth, the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the evil day of the poisonous moon.

In the pre-Qin period, it was generally believed that May was a poisonous month and the fifth was an evil day. Midsummer in Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals stipulates that people should abstain from sex and fast in May. Meng Changjun in Historical Records and Biography of Meng Changjun was born on May 5th. His father asked his mother not to have him, thinking that "a child born in May is longer than a family, which is not good for parents." "Custom Pass" was lost. "It is said that on May 5th, a child was born, and the male harmed his father and the female harmed his mother". Therefore, on this day, people should drive away poison and evil spirits, bathe in Mulan, hang wormwood, wear colored silk and abstain from sex on this day.

Therefore, judging from the above allusions and documents, May 5th is the evil day of the poisonous moon, which has a certain origin, and whether superstitious or not, this statement is the product of that era after all. However, the activities of hanging mugwort leaves and colored silk are still widely circulated among the people. I believe this is the best way to preserve and develop traditional culture.

The Dragon Boat Festival originated from "Adult Day", and people prayed that "men and women form the essence and transform everything".

According to this view, the Dragon Boat Festival is only one of the means to ward off evil spirits, and eating zongzi and peanuts is a family line, and its fundamental significance lies in praying for zongzi.

This statement also confirms that it is very important to look after children's family in ancient times, and it is also a folk saying.

The Dragon Boat Festival I know:

1, Dragon Boat Festival is also called Dragon Boat Festival, Duanyang Festival, Double Ninth Festival, Zhongyuan Festival, Summer Festival, May Festival, Acorus calamus Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Magnolia Festival, Zongzi Festival and so on.

My hometown is in the northeast of Inner Mongolia. The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival there are: ① On the fourth day of May, we went to the wild to break willow branches and dig mugwort leaves and mountain peppers. After these things are ready, they are placed on the gate, eaves and windows respectively, which is said to ward off evil spirits. Wait until a few days, after the mugwort is dry, it can be lit at night, and it is said that it can repel insects. (2) A few days before the Dragon Boat Festival, people will go to the market to buy reed leaves, Ma Lian (the "rope" for wrapping zongzi, which is also a plant) and glutinous rice. After buying them, they will soak reed leaves and Ma Lian in water for several days. On the Dragon Boat Festival, families will start making zongzi and cooking zongzi, and some goose eggs will be put in the pot where zongzi is cooked. It is said that the goose eggs cooked with zongzi will not get sick for a year, which is a sign of people's concern. Before the Dragon Boat Festival, adults will go to the market to buy "gourd pendants" (as shown below) to express the meaning of exorcism and safety.

On this day, children will wear colorful ropes on their wrists and ankles, which is also a manifestation of exorcism.