'
duanwufestival(端午节,duānwūjié)isatraditionalchinesefestivalheldonthefifthdayofthefifthmonthofthechinesecalendar.itisalsoknownasthedoublefifth.[citation(引用;引证)needed]ithassincebeencelebrated,invariousways,inotherpartsofeastasiaaswell.inthewest,it‘smonlyknownasdragonboatfestival.
theexactoriginsofduanwuareunclear,butoraditionalviewholdsthatthefestivalmemorializesthechinesepoetquyuan(c.340bc-278bc)ofthewarringstatesperiod.hemittedsuicidebydrowninghimselfinariverbecausehewasdisgustedbythecorruptionofthechugovernment.thelocalpeople,knowinghimtobeagoodman,decidedtothrowfoodintotherivertofeedthefishsotheywouldnoteatqu‘sbody.theyalsosatonlong,narrowpaddleboatscalleddragonboats,andtriedtoscarethefishawaybythethunderingsoundofdrumsaboardtheboatandthefiercelookingcarveddragonheadontheboat‘sprow(船头).
intheearlyyearsofthechineserepublic,duanwuwasalsocelebratedas"poets‘day,"duetoquyuan‘sstatusaschina‘sfirstpoetofpersonalrenown(名声名望).
today,peopleeatbamboo-wrappedsteamedglutinous(粘的)ricedumplingscalledzongzi(thefoodoriginallyintendedtofeedthefish)andracedragonboatsinmemoryofqu‘sdramaticdeath.