The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The character “Duan” means “beginning,” and since the fifth lunar month is referred to as the “Wu” month, the festival derived its name. It is also known as the “Duanyang…
Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE) was a statesman and poet of the Warring States period, hailing from the state of Chu. His given name was Ping, and his courtesy name was Yuan. Born into the Chu aristocracy, he initially enjoyed the deep trust of King Huai of Chu and held key offices such as…
This article narrates the life and tragic death of Qu Yuan. It details his loyalty to the State of Chu and his futile efforts to warn the king against the treacherous state of Qin. When his warnings were ignored, he was exiled to Xiangnan. Finally, upon hearing of Qin’s capture of Chu’s capital in…
Both the master and his disciples gazed in awe at the natural scenery, carelessly letting pass the Dragon Boat Festival without any celebration. They came across yet another towering mountain blocking their path. The terrain was so steep that for a long time the four pilgrims were forced to move forward at an exasperatingly…