端午节的起源（一）

The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 or Duānwǔjié in pīnyīn) is an official public holiday in China. This traditional holiday, also called the Double Fifth Festival, is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar (农历).The word ‘Duan’ in Duanwujie means ‘beginning’ or ‘initial’.

端午节是中国的一个官方公共假日。这个传统节日，也被称为双五节，在中国每年农历五月初五庆祝。端午节中的“端”义为“开头”或“初始”。

In modern times, the most popular story explaining the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival concerns the death of Qu Yuan (屈原, Qū Yuán), a poet of the Warring States period (approx. 475 to 221 BC).

在现代，解释端午节起源的最流行的故事是关于屈原的死，他是战国时期（约公元前475年至221年）的一位诗人。

Qu Yuan is said to have been loyal and patriotic his whole life. He served faithfully as a government official in the State of Chu for some time. After being slandered by another official, however, he was sent into exile. When he realized the decline of Chu was beyond recovery, his remorse knowing he could no longer save it grew stronger and stronger. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, he threw himself into the Miluo river and died for his beloved homeland. Since then, people would

据说屈原一生都是忠心耿耿的。他曾在楚国忠心耿耿地做过一段时间的政府官员。然而，在遭到另一名官员的诽谤后，他被流放。当他意识到楚国的衰落已经无法挽回时，他知道自己再也救不了楚国的悔恨变得越来越强烈。农历五月初五，他投汨罗河自尽，为他挚爱的祖国而死。

Upon hearing news of this tragic attempt, villagers took boats and carried dumplings to the middle of the river to try and save Qu Yuan, but their efforts were in vain. They turned to beating drums, splashing water with their paddles and throwing the rice dumplings into the water – serving as both an offering to Qu Yuan’s spirit, as well as a means to keep the fish and evil spirits away from his body. These rice dumplings became the zongzi we know today, while the search for Qu Yuan’s body became the intense dragon boat races. And that day became what we know the Dragon Boat Festival（龙舟节）.

听到这一悲惨事件的消息，村民们纷纷乘船，背着饺子来到河中央，试图拯救屈原，但他们的努力都白费了。他们开始打鼓，用桨泼水，把粽子扔进水中——这既是对屈原精神的供奉，也是让鱼和恶灵远离屈原身体的一种手段。所以有了今天的粽子和激烈的龙舟竞赛。这一天也成为了龙舟节（端午节）。

Another possible explanation for the origins of the festival is linked to superstitions surrounding the date on which it falls.

端午节的起源（二）

对这个节日起源的另一种可能的解释是关于它的日期的迷信。

Traditionally, the fifth lunar month was considered to be an unlucky time. People in certain regions of China believed that during this month, the dreaded five poisonous animals (五毒, wǔdú，centipedes, poisonous snakes, scorpions, lizards and toads), started to come out of their winter hiding places.

传统上，农历五月被认为是一个不吉利的时间。中国某些地区的人们认为，在这个月里，可怕的五种有毒动物(五毒, wõdú、蜈蚣、毒蛇、蝎子、蜥蜴和蟾蜍），开始从它们的冬季藏身之地出来。

In addition to the threat posed by the reemergence of poisonous animals, it was also believed that people were more prone to falling ill around this time.

除了有毒动物的再次出现带来的威胁外，人们还认为，在这个时候，人们更容易生病。

Over the years, various traditions emerged to help ensure that people were protected from illness and bad luck during the dreaded Double Fifth. One such tradition that has survived to this day and is still incorporated into modern Dragon Boat Festival celebrations is the custom of hanging mugwort（艾蒿） and calamus（菖蒲） branches on one’s door to ward off evil spirits.

多年来，出现了各种传统，以帮助确保人们在可怕的双五节期间免受疾病和厄运的影响。一个流传至今并至今仍被纳入现代端午节庆祝活动的传统是在门上悬挂艾枝和菖蒲枝以辟邪。

端午节习俗

1. Dragon Boat Racing

Dragon boat racing is the most important activity of the Dragon Boat Festival. It is said to originate from the legend of people paddling out on boats to seek the body of patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

赛龙舟是端午节最重要的活动，据说源于人们划船寻找爱国诗人屈原遗体的传说。

There is another explanation. It is believed that dragon boat racing can be traced back to over 2,000 years ago, when it was a way to worship the Dragon God or Water God.

还有另一种解释。据信，赛龙舟可以追溯到2000多年前，当时赛龙舟是崇拜龙神或水神的一种方式。

The wooden boats are shaped and decorated in the form of a Chinese dragon. The boats' size varies by region and usually need 30-60 people to paddle them. During the races, dragon boat teams paddle harmoniously and hurriedly, accompanied by the sound of beating drums. It is said that the winning team will have good luck and a happy life in the following year.

木船的形状和装饰都是中国龙的形状。这些船的大小因地区而异，通常需要30-60人才能划桨。比赛中，龙舟队在鼓声中和谐而急促地划桨。据说获胜的队伍在接下来的一年里会有好运和幸福的生活。

2. Eating Sticky Rice Dumplings

Zongzi (粽子) are the most traditional Dragon Boat Festival food. Related to Qu Yuan commemoration, the legend says that lumps of rice were thrown into the river to stop fish eating his drowned body.

粽子(粽子) 都是端午节最传统的食物。与纪念屈原有关的传说是，人们把一块块大米扔进河里，以阻止鱼吃掉他的尸体。

Zongzi are made of glutinous rice filled with meats, beans, and other fillings. They are wrapped in triangle or rectangle shapes within bamboo or reed leaves and tied with soaked stalks or colorful silky cords. The flavors of zongzi are usually different from one region to another across China. People from north prefer sweet zongzi, while people from south like savory ones.

粽子是用糯米、肉、豆和其他馅料做成的。粽子用竹子或芦苇叶包裹成三角形或矩形，用浸泡过的茎或五颜六色的丝绳捆起来。粽子的味道通常因地区而异。北方人吃甜粽子，南方人吃咸粽子。

3. Hanging Chinese Mugwort and Calamus

On the fifth day of the fifth month, people usually clean their houses, courtyards, and hang mugwort and calamus on doors lintels to discourage diseases. It is also said hanging mugwort and calamus can bring good luck to the family.

在五月初五，人们通常会打扫房屋、庭院，并在门楣上悬挂艾和菖蒲以预防疾病。也有人说悬挂艾蒿和菖蒲可以给家人带来好运。

4. Drinking Realgar Wine（雄黄酒）

In ancient times, people believed that realgar was an antidote for all poisons, and effective for killing insects and driving away evil spirits. So, people would drink some realgar wine during the Dragon Boat Festival.

在古代，人们认为雄黄是百毒不侵的解药，能有效地杀虫驱邪。所以，人们会在端午节喝一些雄黄酒。

5. Wearing sachet（香包）

On Dragon Boat Festival, parents also need to dress their children up with a sachet. They first sew little bags with colorful silk cloth, then fill the bags with perfumes or herbal medicines（草药）, and finally string them with silk threads. The sachet will be hung around the neck or tied to the front of a garment as an ornament. They are said to be able to ward off evil.

端午节最有特色的饰物就是香包（sachet）。小孩佩戴香包，传说有避邪驱瘟之意。用含有多种香味的药用植物做成的香包也可以预防疾病。

6. Tying five-color silk thread（系五色丝线）

Tying five brightly-colored decorative rings around children's wrists, ankles and necks during the Dragon Boat Festival is said to help the child ward off pests.

端午节期间，在孩子的手腕、脚踝和脖子上绑上五个色彩鲜艳的装饰环，据说可以帮助孩子驱除害虫。