DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

Qu Yuan Riding the Dragon

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, called “Duan Wu Jie” in Chinese. It is one of my favorite festivals, remembering a faithful and brilliant court official, Qu Yuan, who, when forced to choose between loyalty to the emperor or exile, left his home and lived in exile as a peasant amongst the southern clans. 

The legend states that Qu Yuan was so brilliant and virtuous, a dragon maiden, princess of the underwater realm, fell in love with him and took on human form in order to speak with him at night, walking along the riversides. 

Upon revealing herself to be a powerful and magical creature, she explained that he could be with her forever if he sacrificed himself in the river, at which time the gods would turn his spirit into a dragon and give him powers and a realm to guard. 

Believing his newfound love, Qu jumped into the river and drowned. He was transformed into a giant blue sky dragon and was brought back to life, twining around the shining green body of his new dragon-spouse and flying up into the heavens where the gods gave him dominion. 

The fishermen who saw the scholar jump into the river did not know he became a dragon. They raced around in their boats for days trying to find him, and then out of respect for him and his kindness, offered rice dumplings in the river, so that the fish would not eat Qu’s body and he could have a respectful burial. 

From this story comes the Dragon Boat Festival, when young men show their endurance and muscle by racing dragon boats on the rivers, and where young women showed off their culinary skills by making delicious and creative rice dumplings and culinary dishes to accompany them. It was also an excuse for women to wear the elegant silk dresses, called “Qipao,” in honor of the beautiful dragon princess and her mate. Young men would wear white sleeveless silk shirts, supposedly to honor the scholar’s death, but, when wet, would show off their muscles and make them look handsome and strong. 

There are many stories of young people falling in love at Dragon Boat Festival and marrying at Chinese New Year!

(Text by Bp. Joseph Will Boyd, from the book, “Dream of the Peach Blossom Spring”)