The Dragon Boat Festival is one of three major Chinese holidays, along with the Spring and Moon Festivals. Of the three, it is possibly the oldest, dating back to the Warring States Period in 227 B.C. The festival commemorates Qu Yuan, a minister in the service of the Chu Emperor. Despairing over corruption at court, Qu threw himself into a river. Townspeople jumped into their boats and tried in vain to save him. Then, hoping to distract hungry fish from his body, the people scattered rice on the water.

Over the years, the story of Qu’s demise transformed into the traditions of racing dragon boats and eating zongzi -a kind of rice wrapped in bamboo leaves.

多年以后，屈原逝世的故事逐渐演变成赛龙舟和吃粽子(一种包在竹叶中的米食)的传统。

⑴In 278 BC, he heard the news that Qin troops had finally conquered Chu’s capital, so he finished his last piece Huai Sha (Embracing Sand) and plunged himself into the Miluo River,Clasping his arms to a large stone.the day happened to be the 5th of the 5th month in the Chinese lunar calendar.After his death,the people of Chu crowded to the bank of the river to pay their respects to him.The fishemen sailed their boats up and down the river to look for his body.People threw into the water zongzi （pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in read or bamboo leaves） and eggs to divert possible fish or shrimp from attacking his body.An old doctor poured a jug of realgar wine (Chinese liquor seasoned with realgar) in to the water,hoping to turn all aquatic beasts drunk.That’s why people later followed the customs such as dragon boat racing,eating zongzi and drinking realgar wine on that day.

公元前278年，当他听到秦国军队已经攻破楚国国都的消息后，写完最后一篇诗篇《怀沙》后抱石投汩罗江自尽。这一天正是农历五月初五。他死后，楚国人民跑到河岸来悼念他，渔民们划船遍河寻找他的尸体。人们把粽子和鸡蛋投入水中防止鱼虾伤害他的身体。一位老郎中还把一杯雄黄洒倒入水中，希望能药晕昏蛟龙水兽。这就是后来人们为什么在这一天赛龙舟，吃粽子，喝雄黄酒。

⑵Dragon boat racing is an indispensable part of the festival,held all over the country.As the gun is fired,people will see racers in dragon-shaped pulling the oars harmoniously and hurriedly,accompanied by rapid drums,speeding toward their destination.Folk tales say the game originates from the activities of seeking Qu Yuan’s body.

赛龙舟是这个节日不可或缺的一部分。当发令枪打响后，人们就能看到坐在龙舟的赛手们在急促鼓点的伴随下齐心协力摇桨驶向他们的目的地。民间故事说这个赛事的起源是寻找屈原的尸体。

⑶Zongzi is an essential food of  the Dragon Boat Festival.It is said that people ate them in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). In early time,it was only glutnous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or other plant leaves and tied with colored thread,but now the fillings are more diversified,including jujube and bean paste,fresh meat,and ham and egg yolk,If time permist,people will soak glutinous rice,wash reed leaves and wrap up zongzi themselves.Otherwise,they will go to shops to buy whatever stuff they want.The custom of eating zongzi is now popular in North and South Korea,Japan and Southeast Asian nations.

⑴Folklore about the origin of the festival go like this:In remote antiquity, there were ten suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove people into dire poverty. A hero named Hou Yi was much worried about this,he ascended to the top of the Kunlun Mountain and,directing his superhuman strength to full extent, drew his extraordinary bow and shot down the nine superfluous suns one after another. He also ordered the last sun to rise and set according to time. For this reason, he was pespected and loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him to learn martial arts from him. A person named Peng Meng lurked in them.

相传，远古时候天上有10个太阳同时出现，晒得庄稼枯死，民不聊生，一个名叫后羿的英雄，力大无穷，他同情受苦的百姓，登上昆仑山顶，运足神力，拉开神弓，一气射下9个太阳，并严令最后一个太阳按时起落，为民造福。后羿因此受到了百姓的尊敬和爱戴，不少志士慕名前来投师学艺，心术不正的蓬蒙也混了进来。

⑵Hou Yi had a beautifull and kindhearted wife named Chang E.one day in his way to the Kunlun Mountain to call on friends,he ran upon the Empress of Heaven Wangmu who was passing by.Empress Wangmu presented to him a parcel of elixir,by taking which,it was said,one would ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial being.Hou Yi,however,hated to part with his wife.So he gave the elixir to Chang E to treasure ror the time being.Chang E hid parcel in a treasure box at her dressing table when,unexpectedly,it was seen by Peng Meng.

后羿有一个美丽的妻子叫 “嫦娥”，一天后羿到昆仑山访友求道，巧遇由此经过的王母娘娘，便向王母娘娘求得一包一死药。所说，服下此药，即刻升天成仙。然而，后羿舍不得撇下妻子，只好暂时把不死药交给嫦娥珍藏。嫦娥将药藏进梳妆台的百宝匣里，不料被小人蓬蒙看见了。

⑶One day when Hou Yi led his disciples to go hunting,Peng Meng,sword in hand,rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang E to hand over the elixir,Aware that she was unable tl defeat Peng Meng,Chang E mabe a prompt decision at that critical moment.She turned round to open her treasure box,took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp.As soon as she swallowed the elixir her body floated off the ground,dashed out of the window and flew towards heaven.Peng Meng escaped.

一天，后羿众徒外出狩猎，蓬蒙手持宝剑闯入内宅后院，威逼嫦娥交出不死药。嫦娥知道自己不是蓬蒙的对手，危急之时她当机立断，转身打开百宝匣，拿出不死药一口吞了下去。嫦娥吞下药，身子立刻飘离地面、冲出窗口，向天上飞去。蓬蒙便借机逃走了。

⑷When Hou Yi returned home at dark,he knew from the maidservants what had happened Overcome with grief,Hou Yi looked up into the night sky and called out the name or his beloved wife when,to his surprise, he found that the moon was especially clear and bight and no it there was a swaying shadow that was exactly like his wife.He treid his best to chase after the moon.But as he ran,the moon retreated;as he withdrew,the moon came back. He could not get to the moon at all.

傍晚，率众徒回到家，侍女们哭诉了白天发生的事。后羿气得捶胸顿足，悲痛欲绝，仰望着夜空呼唤爱妻的名字，这时他惊奇发现，今天的月亮格外皎洁明亮，而且有个晃动的身影酷似嫦娥。他拼命朝月亮追去，可是他追三步，月亮退三步。他退三步，月亮进三步，无论怎样也追不到跟前。

⑸Thinking of his wife day night, Hou Yi then had an incense table arranged in the back garden that Chang E loved. Puting on the table sweetmeats and fresh fruits Chang E enjoyed most, Hou Yi held at a distance a memorial ceremony for Chang E who was sentimentally attached to him in the palace of the moon.When people heard of the story that Chang E had turned into a celestial being,they arranged the incense table in the moonlight one after another and prayed kindhearted Chang E for good forturne and peace.From then on the custom of worshiping the moon spread among the people.

后羿无可奈何，又思念妻子，只好派人到嫦娥喜爱的后花园里，摆上香案，放上她平时最爱吃的蜜食鲜果，遥祭在月宫里眷恋着自己的嫦娥。百姓们闻知嫦娥奔月成仙的消息后，纷纷在月下摆设香案，向善良的嫦娥祈求吉祥平安。

⑹People in different places follow various customs,but all show their love and longing for a better life.

中秋节的习俗很多，形式也各不相同，但都寄托着人们对生活无限的热爱和对美好生活的向往。

⑷Finding that Zhinu was heart-broken, her grandmother finally decided to let the couple cross the Milk Way to meet once a year.

看到织女伤心欲绝，王母娘娘最后决定让这对夫妻每年跨过银河相会一次。

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