Posted to Facebook - Sin Fong Chan - The Teacher on 28/6/2012 at 2:37 AM
Title: Lesson on Chinese Culture - Duanwu Jie (端午节)
Duanwu Jie (端午节), originally known as (端五节), is the festival (节) celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. 端五(Duanwu) is phonetically identical to端午. Duan (端) means beginning of or starting from (初始), and wu (五) means five; therefore 端五 is synonymous to初五 or fifth day (from the start of a month). According to the rules of the lunar calendar consisting of 12 branches (十二支), fifth month (五月) is the fifth branch / month 午月 (Wu Yue). It was unclear how 端午 became the accepted name instead of 端五.
While many historians attributed this festival as a commemoration of the death of Qu Yuan (屈原), some supported the theory that festival had its beginnings over 5,000 years ago in the ancient kingdoms of Wu (吳国) and Yue (越国), located in present day Jiangsu (江苏) and Zhejiang (浙江) Provinces. The celebration of this festival was likely inspired as ceremonies, sacrifices and offerings to the Long King of the Eastern Sea (东海龙王) to prevent the floods, drought, and plagues of insects and disease that often occurred around this time of year.
Long should never be regarded and translated as Dragon. They are totally different creatures. Long is a divine composite creature having the characteristics of nine different earthly animals, while dragon is a winged creature that blows fire and generally regarded evil.
In the region of Hubei (湖北), Hunan (湖南), Guizhou (貴州), Shichuan (四川), Duanwu is celebrated twice annually - the Small Duanwu 小端午and Big Duanwu 大端午. Small Duanwu is celebrated on the fifth day of fifth lunar month, while Big Duanwu on the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month.
Even up till today, Duanwu is still a very popular festival for the Chinese. China attached great importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage. Beginning in 2005, the Chinese government commenced planning for the re-recognition of traditional holidays, including Duanwu. On 20 April 2006, the government approved the inclusion of Duanwu in the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List (非物质文化遗产), On 1 January 2008, Duanwu was declared as an annual public holiday in the People's Republic of China for the first time.
In 2005, United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO (联合国教科文组织) approved Korean Gangneung Danoje (江陵端午祭) in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List (人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录), which outraged many Chinese media, resulting in strong protests and public outcry, and refuting that Duanwu Jie was originated in Korea. They argued that the tradition was brought to Korea about 1500 years ago. On 30 September 2009, at the capital of The United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, the committee of UNESCO recognised and enlisted Duanwu Jie as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
As a traditional festival, Duanwu Jie holds the record of having the most number of alternative names in China - more than twenty in total. The following is a list of better known alternative names for Duanwu Jie:
Duanyang Jie 端阳节
The fifth lunar month is midsummer month when summer solstice (夏至) occurs. The sun is high up in the sky at noon, brighter than normal, thus giving rise to the term Duanyang Jie端阳节, where the word 阳 means the sun.
Chongwu Jie 重五节
Chong 重means repeat; the name literally means Double Five / Fifth Festival
Chongwu Jie重午节
午and 五 are phonetically identical; the name means Double Wu Festival
Wuyue Jie 五月节
This simply means the Month Five Festival
Xia Jie 夏节
This simply means Summer Festival
Quyuan Jie 屈原日
Legend has it that Duanwu Jie commemorates the death of the Han (汉) poet Qu Yuan (屈原) about 300 BC. He was a scholar, a minister and a patriotic statesman in the kingdom of Chu (楚国) during the Warring Kingdoms Period (战国时代) (403-221 BC) in the Zhou Dynasty (周朝).
Due to the imminent threat from the Kingdom of Qin (秦国), Qu Yuan proposed reforms and alliance with the Kingdom of Qi (齐国) to ensure the safety of the kingdom. Having accepted bribes from the envoy of Qin, the corrupt King Huai of Chu accused Qu Yuan was accused of treason and banished.
Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured the capital of Chu. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River (汨羅河) in Hunan (湖南) on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month 278 BC.
Zong Jie 粽节
When the villagers heard of Qu Yuan’s death, they sent out search boats on an rescue mission. They reached Dongting Lake (洞庭湖), but his body was nowhere to be found. More and more people joined in and rowed to Dongting Lake to search for Qu Yuan.
The villagers were afraid of Qu Yuan’s body being eaten by fish, so they threw sticky rice triangles wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river to distract them . Later this became the custom of eating zongzi (粽子), and the festival is known as Zong Jie.
Jiezong Jie 解粽节
Comparing the lengths of the bamboo leaves used after unwrapping the zongzi soon became a competition. The longest leaf would win the completion. Jiezong Jie literally means the Unwrapping the Zong Festival.
Longzhou Jie 龙舟节
As more and more people rowed their boats to search for Qu Yuan, the event turned into a rowing competition. According to legend, rivers were ruled by Long of the Eastern Sea, and accordingly, the boats were designed and made to resemble the Long called Longzhou (龙舟). The festival gained another name known as Longzhou Jie.
Longzhou Jie has been known in the West as Dragon Boat Festival.
Shiren Jie 诗人节
On 10 June 1940, an anti-Japanese gathering was organised by the Chinese National Association of Literary and Art held in Chongqing in commemoration of patriotic poet Qu Yuan and his works, at which it was proposed that the annual Duanwu Jie was be known as Shiren Jie or Poets Festival.
Yulan Jie 浴兰节
During ancient time, many people suffered from skin diseases during summer, and bathed (浴) in Lanchao (Bluegrass) solution (兰草汤), thus gave rise to the name Yulan Jie.
Chinese readers must note that (兰草) belongs to the Chrysanthemum family and not the Orchid family.
Nuer Jie 女儿节
In China, pomegranate flowers bloom in summer. During the Ming (明) Dynasty, between the first and fifth days of fifth month, young unmarried virgin girls wore a pomegranate flower on their hair as a symbol of their marital status, while newly married daughters returned home to visit their parents to avoid the fuss of celebrating Duanwu. This festival was dedicated to the ladies and appropriately named the Ladies’ Festival.
It was also during Ming and Qing (清) Dynasties that the role of female gained prominence, and Duanwu Jie soon became recognised as a day for the ladies.
Long Ri 龙日
In the ancient kingdoms of Wu (吳国) and Yue (越国), people wanted to appease the Long Wang of Eastern Sea by throwing in foods including zongzi into the water, and the males tattooed Long on their arms and bodies. This festive day was named after this divine creature known as Long Ri or Day of the Long.
There is another version for this origin. The sun is considered to be at its strongest around the time of summer solstice, and like the Chinese Long 龙, traditionally represents masculine energy. The festival is thus known as Long Ri.
Changpu Jie 菖蒲节
Summer time was normally plagued by the five poisonous vermin (五毒) - scorpions (蝎子), snakes (蛇), geckos (壁虎) / spider (蜘蛛), centipedes (蜈蚣) and toads (蟾蜍). It was believed that by hanging calamus (菖蒲), kobresia (蒿草), Folium artemisiae argyi (艾叶), oil of atractylodes lancea (薰苍术) and Radix angelicae dahuricae(白芷) bundled together with red paper had the effect to expel such vermin and evil spirits. The festival was named after one of the ingredients calamus (菖蒲).
Other Duanwu Jie activities include:
Drinking Xiong Huang wine (雄黄酒) (a combination of the Chinese herb Xiong Huang with rice wine) believed to ward off evil spirits.
Painting and/or hanging pictures of Zhong Kui (鍾馗) – a Chinese mythological guardian spirit – on ones front door, to protect the household from ghosts and evil beings. It's common also to hang Herbs such as moxa (mugwort) (艾蒿) alongside the images of Zhong Kui.
Making the attempt to stand an egg of its end, at noontime on the day of the Duanwu Jie. If successful, good luck will prevail for the following year.
Title: Lesson on Chinese Culture - Duanwu Jie (端午节)
Duanwu Jie (端午节), originally known as (端五节), is the festival (节) celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. 端五(Duanwu) is phonetically identical to端午. Duan (端) means beginning of or starting from (初始), and wu (五) means five; therefore 端五 is synonymous to初五 or fifth day (from the start of a month). According to the rules of the lunar calendar consisting of 12 branches (十二支), fifth month (五月) is the fifth branch / month 午月 (Wu Yue). It was unclear how 端午 became the accepted name instead of 端五.
While many historians attributed this festival as a commemoration of the death of Qu Yuan (屈原), some supported the theory that festival had its beginnings over 5,000 years ago in the ancient kingdoms of Wu (吳国) and Yue (越国), located in present day Jiangsu (江苏) and Zhejiang (浙江) Provinces. The celebration of this festival was likely inspired as ceremonies, sacrifices and offerings to the Long King of the Eastern Sea (东海龙王) to prevent the floods, drought, and plagues of insects and disease that often occurred around this time of year.
Long should never be regarded and translated as Dragon. They are totally different creatures. Long is a divine composite creature having the characteristics of nine different earthly animals, while dragon is a winged creature that blows fire and generally regarded evil.
In the region of Hubei (湖北), Hunan (湖南), Guizhou (貴州), Shichuan (四川), Duanwu is celebrated twice annually - the Small Duanwu 小端午and Big Duanwu 大端午. Small Duanwu is celebrated on the fifth day of fifth lunar month, while Big Duanwu on the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month.
Even up till today, Duanwu is still a very popular festival for the Chinese. China attached great importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage. Beginning in 2005, the Chinese government commenced planning for the re-recognition of traditional holidays, including Duanwu. On 20 April 2006, the government approved the inclusion of Duanwu in the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List (非物质文化遗产), On 1 January 2008, Duanwu was declared as an annual public holiday in the People's Republic of China for the first time.
In 2005, United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO (联合国教科文组织) approved Korean Gangneung Danoje (江陵端午祭) in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List (人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录), which outraged many Chinese media, resulting in strong protests and public outcry, and refuting that Duanwu Jie was originated in Korea. They argued that the tradition was brought to Korea about 1500 years ago. On 30 September 2009, at the capital of The United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, the committee of UNESCO recognised and enlisted Duanwu Jie as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
As a traditional festival, Duanwu Jie holds the record of having the most number of alternative names in China - more than twenty in total. The following is a list of better known alternative names for Duanwu Jie:
Duanyang Jie 端阳节
The fifth lunar month is midsummer month when summer solstice (夏至) occurs. The sun is high up in the sky at noon, brighter than normal, thus giving rise to the term Duanyang Jie端阳节, where the word 阳 means the sun.
Chongwu Jie 重五节
Chong 重means repeat; the name literally means Double Five / Fifth Festival
Chongwu Jie重午节
午and 五 are phonetically identical; the name means Double Wu Festival
Wuyue Jie 五月节
This simply means the Month Five Festival
Xia Jie 夏节
This simply means Summer Festival
Quyuan Jie 屈原日
Legend has it that Duanwu Jie commemorates the death of the Han (汉) poet Qu Yuan (屈原) about 300 BC. He was a scholar, a minister and a patriotic statesman in the kingdom of Chu (楚国) during the Warring Kingdoms Period (战国时代) (403-221 BC) in the Zhou Dynasty (周朝).
Due to the imminent threat from the Kingdom of Qin (秦国), Qu Yuan proposed reforms and alliance with the Kingdom of Qi (齐国) to ensure the safety of the kingdom. Having accepted bribes from the envoy of Qin, the corrupt King Huai of Chu accused Qu Yuan was accused of treason and banished.
Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured the capital of Chu. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River (汨羅河) in Hunan (湖南) on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month 278 BC.
Zong Jie 粽节
When the villagers heard of Qu Yuan’s death, they sent out search boats on an rescue mission. They reached Dongting Lake (洞庭湖), but his body was nowhere to be found. More and more people joined in and rowed to Dongting Lake to search for Qu Yuan.
The villagers were afraid of Qu Yuan’s body being eaten by fish, so they threw sticky rice triangles wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river to distract them . Later this became the custom of eating zongzi (粽子), and the festival is known as Zong Jie.
Jiezong Jie 解粽节
Comparing the lengths of the bamboo leaves used after unwrapping the zongzi soon became a competition. The longest leaf would win the completion. Jiezong Jie literally means the Unwrapping the Zong Festival.
Longzhou Jie 龙舟节
As more and more people rowed their boats to search for Qu Yuan, the event turned into a rowing competition. According to legend, rivers were ruled by Long of the Eastern Sea, and accordingly, the boats were designed and made to resemble the Long called Longzhou (龙舟). The festival gained another name known as Longzhou Jie.
Longzhou Jie has been known in the West as Dragon Boat Festival.
Shiren Jie 诗人节
On 10 June 1940, an anti-Japanese gathering was organised by the Chinese National Association of Literary and Art held in Chongqing in commemoration of patriotic poet Qu Yuan and his works, at which it was proposed that the annual Duanwu Jie was be known as Shiren Jie or Poets Festival.
Yulan Jie 浴兰节
During ancient time, many people suffered from skin diseases during summer, and bathed (浴) in Lanchao (Bluegrass) solution (兰草汤), thus gave rise to the name Yulan Jie.
Chinese readers must note that (兰草) belongs to the Chrysanthemum family and not the Orchid family.
Nuer Jie 女儿节
In China, pomegranate flowers bloom in summer. During the Ming (明) Dynasty, between the first and fifth days of fifth month, young unmarried virgin girls wore a pomegranate flower on their hair as a symbol of their marital status, while newly married daughters returned home to visit their parents to avoid the fuss of celebrating Duanwu. This festival was dedicated to the ladies and appropriately named the Ladies’ Festival.
It was also during Ming and Qing (清) Dynasties that the role of female gained prominence, and Duanwu Jie soon became recognised as a day for the ladies.
Long Ri 龙日
In the ancient kingdoms of Wu (吳国) and Yue (越国), people wanted to appease the Long Wang of Eastern Sea by throwing in foods including zongzi into the water, and the males tattooed Long on their arms and bodies. This festive day was named after this divine creature known as Long Ri or Day of the Long.
There is another version for this origin. The sun is considered to be at its strongest around the time of summer solstice, and like the Chinese Long 龙, traditionally represents masculine energy. The festival is thus known as Long Ri.
Changpu Jie 菖蒲节
Summer time was normally plagued by the five poisonous vermin (五毒) - scorpions (蝎子), snakes (蛇), geckos (壁虎) / spider (蜘蛛), centipedes (蜈蚣) and toads (蟾蜍). It was believed that by hanging calamus (菖蒲), kobresia (蒿草), Folium artemisiae argyi (艾叶), oil of atractylodes lancea (薰苍术) and Radix angelicae dahuricae(白芷) bundled together with red paper had the effect to expel such vermin and evil spirits. The festival was named after one of the ingredients calamus (菖蒲).
Other Duanwu Jie activities include:
Drinking Xiong Huang wine (雄黄酒) (a combination of the Chinese herb Xiong Huang with rice wine) believed to ward off evil spirits.
Painting and/or hanging pictures of Zhong Kui (鍾馗) – a Chinese mythological guardian spirit – on ones front door, to protect the household from ghosts and evil beings. It's common also to hang Herbs such as moxa (mugwort) (艾蒿) alongside the images of Zhong Kui.
Making the attempt to stand an egg of its end, at noontime on the day of the Duanwu Jie. If successful, good luck will prevail for the following year.