The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Double Fifth Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon of the lunar calendar. It is one of the most important Chinese festivals, the other two being the Autumn Moon Festival and Chinese New Year.
The origin of this summer festival centers around a scholarly government official named Chu Yuan. He was a good and respected man, but because of the misdeeds of jealous rivals he eventually fell into disfavor in the emperor's court.
Unable to regain the respect of the emperor, in his sorrow Chu Yuan threw himself into the Mi Low river. Because of their admiration for Chu Yuan, the local people living adjacent to the Mi Lo River rushed into their boats to search for him while throwing rice into the waters to appease the river dragons.
Although they were unable to find Chu Yuan, their efforts are still commemorated today during the Dragon Boat Festival.
端午節，又稱爲五五節，因爲端午節是在農曆的五月五日，是三個重要的中國節慶之一，其它兩個分別是中秋節和農曆新年。
這個節日的由來是古代中國有一位博學多聞的官吏屈原，他是一位愛民而且又受到尊崇的官吏，但是由於一位充滿嫉妒的官吏陷害，從此在朝廷中被皇帝所冷落。由於無法獲得皇帝的重視，屈原在憂鬱的情況下投汨羅江自盡。
由於對屈原的愛戴，汨羅江畔的居民匆忙的划船在江內尋找屈原，並且將米丟入汨羅江中，以平息汨羅江中的蛟龍。即使他們當時並沒有找到屈原，但是他們的行爲，直到今天在端午節的時候，仍然被人們傳頌紀念着。
1、Dragon Boat race
Traditions At the center of this festival are the dragon boat races. Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums. These exciting races were inspired by the villager's valiant attempts to rescue Chu Yuan from the Mi Lo river. This tradition has remained unbroken for centuries.
2、Tzung Tzu
A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat festival is tzung tzu. This tasty dish consists of rice dumplings with meat, peanut, egg yolk, or other fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves. The tradition of tzung tzu is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the Mi Low river in order to appease the river dragons so that they would not devour Chu Yuan.
3、Ay Taso
The time of year of the Dragon Boat Festival, the fifth lunar moon, has more significance than just the story of Chu Yuan. Many Chinese consider this time of year an especially dangerous time when extra efforts must be made to protect their family from illness. Families will hang various herbs, called Ay Tsao, on their door for protection. The drinking of realgar wine is thought to remove poisons from the body. Hsiang Bao are also worn. These sachets contain various fragrant medicinal herbs thought to protect the wearer from illness.
端午節最重要的活動是龍舟競賽，比賽的隊伍在熱烈的鼓聲中划着他們多彩的龍舟前進。這項活動的靈感是來自於當時汨羅江畔的居民，在江中划船救屈原，而這個傳統也一直保持了數個世紀。
在端午節時受歡迎的食物就是糉子，糉子是以米包着肉、花生、蛋黃及其它材料，再以竹葉包裹。而糉子的傳統則來由於汨羅江邊的漁夫，將米丟入江中平息江中的蛟龍，希望他們不要將屈原吃掉。
農曆的五月，也就是端午節的這個時節，對中國人而言，除了屈原的故事還有許多其它重要的意義。許多中國人相信五月是一年中容易引發疾病的危險時節，因此必須有許多防備家人生病的措施。許多家庭會將一種特別的植物-艾草掛在門口，作爲保護之用，而人們也會掛帶香包，它是以含有多種香味的藥用植物所做成，也可以保護人們遠離疾病。
Healthy Man健人
In Jiangsu and Zhejiang area women will wear decorations called ‘healthy man’ on Dragon Boat Festival. Generally made with gold and silver wire or copper foil shape as a person who rides a tiger , also with a bell, bell, tassel and garlic, dumplings, etc. Wear in women's bun, also used to feed.
江浙一帶端五時婦女的一種飾物。一般用金銀絲或銅絲金箔做成，形狀爲小人騎虎，亦有另加鍾、鈴、纓及蒜、糉子等的。插在婦女髮髻，也用以饋送。
Damselfly豆娘
Female’s headdress decorated on the Dragon Boat festival. Especially in the area of Jiangnan. Also known as the ‘healthy man’ in some regions.
端五節婦女的頭飾。多見於江南。一些地區亦稱作健人。
Tiger艾虎
Tiger is an exorcism precious thing on the Dragon Boat Festival, and for decoration. In ancient of China tiger is known as god beast, common thought that can ward off bad luck, bless peace
端午節驅邪辟祟之物，也作裝飾品。我國古代視虎爲神獸，俗以爲可以鎮祟辟邪、保佑安寧
Draw the forehead畫額
Drawing with realgar on forehead on the Dragon Boat Festival can ward off the vermin. The typical method is to draw the forehead, with realgar wine in pediatric forehead painting "king" word with realgar to avoid poison, and two tigers will ward off evil.
端午節以雄黃塗抹小兒額頭的習俗，可驅避毒蟲。典型的方法是畫額，用雄黃酒在小兒額頭畫“王”字，一借雄黃以驅毒，二借猛虎鎮邪。
Long strand長命縷
During the Dragon Boat Festival with five colors’ knot rope, or hung on the door , or wear around children's neck, or children's arm, or hang in the place such as bed nets, cradle, to avoid disaster, bless peace, prolong life.
在端午節以五色絲結而成索，或懸於門首，或戴小兒項頸，或系小兒手臂，或掛於牀帳、搖籃等處，俗謂可避災除病、保佑安康、益壽延年。
Wearing Perfume Sachet戴香包
In order to prevent illness, the elderly usually like to wear the plum blossom, chrysanthemum, lotus, etc. These flowers mean all the best, conjugal love and family harmony.
老年人爲了防病健身，一般喜歡戴梅花、菊花、荷花等。象徵着鳥語花香，萬事如意，夫妻恩愛，家庭和睦。
Qu Yuan jumped off river
屈原投江
In order to commemorate patriotic poet Qu Yuan who jumped into the Miluo river, and avoid his body to be eaten by fish and shrimp, so people cast many of bamboo rice (rice dumplings) in the river, and compete to row (acetate ship) hoping to find the body of Qu yuan.
爲了紀念愛國詩人屈原，居民爲了不讓跳下汨羅江的屈原屍體被魚蝦吃掉，所以在江裏投下許多用竹葉包裹的米食(糉子)，並且競相划船(賽龍船)希望找到屈原的屍體。
Cao E looked for her father’s corpse
曹娥尋父屍
Cao E, dutiful girl of the eastern Han dynasty, whose father drowned in the river when she was 14-year old. She cried along the river, still didn’t see his father’s corpse after 17 days, and she jumped into the river on May 1st as well, after five days the two corpses folded together and float. That was a moving story, so people in the township worship her.
東漢孝女曹娥，因曹父溺江而亡，年僅十四歲的她沿江豪哭，經十七日仍不見曹父屍首，乃在五月一日投江，五日後兩屍合抱而浮起的感人事蹟， 鄉人羣而祭之。
Madam White Snake
白蛇傳
The legend of white snake Bai Suzhen, in order to repay Xu Xian , fell in love with him and finally got married. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival white snake drink realgar wine, almost reveal herself snakelike, and among the white snake, Fa Hai and water logging Jinshan temple , are popular folk opera repertoire.
傳說白蛇白素貞，爲了報答許仙的恩惠，與許仙結爲夫妻的悽美的愛情故事。端午節當天白蛇喝了雄黃酒，差點現出蛇形，加上法海白蛇及水淹金山寺的情節，都是膾炙人口的民間戲曲的曲目。
Dragon Boat Festival 端午節
Tzung Tzu 糉子(名詞)
He ate so much Tzung Tzu that he became sick.
他因爲吃太多糉子而感到身體不適。
Ay Tsao 艾草(名詞)
Every year my family hangs Ay Tsao on their front door.
每年我的家人都會掛艾草在前門。
Hsiang Bao 香包(名詞)
The children love to collect the colorful Hsiang Bao.
小孩喜歡蒐集鮮豔的香包。
Realgar wine 雄黃酒(名詞)
People drink realgar wine to protect themselves from illness.
人們喝雄黃酒保護自己免於生病。
dragon boat 龍舟(名詞)
That dragon boat is very colorful. 那艘龍舟非常鮮豔。
Festival 節慶(名詞)
In Taiwan, people celebrate many different festivals.
在臺灣,人們慶祝許多不同的節慶。
Lunar calendar 農曆
The lunar calendar is different from the calendar used in the west.
農曆和西方所用的歷法不一樣。
