端午節

武漢大學 陶杏 供稿

The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar(日歷).It is a day for people to commemorate (紀念) a great poet Qu Yuan.For thousands of years，the festival has been marked by eating Zongzi and racing dragon boats.It has been listed in the World Intangible Cultural Heritage(世界非物質文化遺產).

每年中國農歷五月初五，人們都會慶祝端午節。這天是人們用來紀念偉大詩人屈原的。幾千年來這個節日就以吃粽子和賽龍舟為標志。“端午節”已經被列入世界非物質文化遺產名錄。

Qu Yuan was a minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period(戰國時期) (475-221BC).He was upright and loyal.And he was respected for his wise advice that made the state peaceful and strong.However，he was framed (陷害) by traitors (內奸).They stopped Chu Huaiwang to receive Qu Yuan’s advice and estranged (疏遠) Chu Huaiwang from Qu Yuan.

戰國時期（公元前475-221年），屈原是楚國的一名大臣。他非常正直、忠誠。他睿智的建議使國家穩定富強，因此非常受人尊敬。然而，屈原被內奸陷害，他們阻止楚懷王接受屈原的意見，并使楚懷王疏遠了屈原。

In 305 B.C.，Chu Huaiwang wanted to form the Huangji Alliance (聯盟) with Qin.Qu Yuan was against it，but it failed.At last，Chu State became Qin’s ally (盟友).And Qu Yuan was expelled (驅逐) out of Yingdu.Later，Chu Huaiwang was seduced (誘惑) by Qin State and then died there.

公元前305年，楚懷王欲與秦國訂立黃棘之盟，屈原極力反對，但是毫無作用。楚國最終還是投入了秦國的懷抱。屈原亦被楚懷王逐出郢都。后來楚懷王被秦國誘去，囚死于秦國。

After Qing Xiangwang became the king，he still carried out the policy of surrendering(投降).And Qu Yuan was expelled to southern Yangtze River.In 278 B.C.，Bai Qi，a general of Qin，led his soldiers to break through the capital of Chu.Qu Yuan’s political dream broke and he felt desperate (絕望的) for his future.He wanted to devote himself to the state，but he could do nothing at that time.So he chose to kill himself and on the fifth day of the fifth month，he jumped into the Miluo River carrying a big stone.

頃襄王即位后，繼續實施投降政策，屈原又被放逐到江南。公元前278年，秦國大將白起帶兵南下，攻破了楚國國都。屈原的政治理想破滅，對前途感到絕望，雖有心報國，卻無力回天，只有選擇結束自己的生命，在五月初五這一天，屈原懷抱大石投汨羅江自殺。

Nearby fishermen heard about this and rushed over by boat to save him.But they didn’t find his body.It was a rainy day at that time.All the boats were stopped beside the pavilion.When people knew that they were searching for Qu Yuan，people rushed to the Dongting Lake in the rain to find Qu Yuan’s body.But they found nothing.In order to show their grief (悲 傷)，people were rowing on the lake.And later it became the dragon boat race.People were afraid that the fish would eat Qu Yuan’s body，so they went home，brought rice rolls and threw them into the lake to feed the fish.And it became the custom of eating Zongzi later.

當地漁民聞訊馬上劃船撈救，但始終不見屈原的遺體。那時，恰逢雨天，湖面上的小舟都停在岸邊的亭子旁。當人們得知是為了打撈賢臣屈大夫時，冒雨出動，爭相劃進茫茫的洞庭湖，但是都沒找到。為了寄托哀思，人們蕩舟江河之上，此后才逐漸發展成為龍舟競賽。百姓們又怕江河里的魚吃掉屈原的身體，就紛紛回家拿來米團投入江中喂魚，后來就演變成了吃粽子的習俗。