话说中国节之“端午节”

Festive China-The Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

农历五月初五是端午节。 

There are many different legends about the festival but the most famous one is about Qu Yuan a patriotic of the State of Chu during Warring States Period (475-221BC). Qu Yuan is said to have been loyal and patriotic his whole life.

关于它流传最广的传说，与战国时期的楚国诗人、政治家屈原有关。屈原一生忠贞爱国。

When he realized the decline of Chu was beyond recovery, his remorse knowing he could no longer save it grew stronger and stronger. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, he threw himself into the river and died

在得知楚国即将灭亡时，他感叹已无力救国。于五月初五，投河自尽，以身殉国。

Locals living adjacent to the river rushed into their boats to search for him. They threw jiaoshu (rice dumplings) and other food into the river to keep fish and turtles from deyouring Qu yuan's body.

屈原投江后，百姓为了捞救他，撑船从四面八方赶来。人们还往江中投放角薯(粽子)等食物，为使他的遗体不被鱼鳖侵食。

Later, to commemorate this patriotic poet, the customs of holding dragon boat races and throwing jiaoshu into the river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month were passed down giving rise to the name Dragon Boat Festival.

后来，为了纪念这位爱国诗人，五月初五“龙舟竞渡”、“角黍投江”等习俗流传至今，由此得名端午节。

In September 2009 The Dragon Boat Festival became China's first festival to be selected for the world's intangible cultural heritage.

2009年9月，端午节成为中国首个入选世界非物质文化遗产的节日。

The zongzi is an indispensable food for the Dragon Boat Festival.In Quyuan's hometown, Zigui county of Central China's Hubei province, a grand dragon boat race is held every year during the Dragon Boat Festival.

粽子是端午节必不可少的食物。在屈原的故乡，中国中部湖北省秭归县，每年端午节都有盛大的龙舟大赛。

This folk activity has been passed down from generation to generation dating back more than 2000 years.Today China's dragon boat racing has developed from a local activity into a grand sports event and even became an international sporting event.

这项民俗活动代代相传，延续至今已有2000多年历史。如今中国赛龙舟由群众性的纪念活动发展成群众体育项目，甚至成为国际性体育赛事。

There are more than 85 countries and regions in the world that hold dragon boat races annually. The Boston Dragon Boat Festival has been held for 40 years and the Toronto International Dragon Boat Festival has witnessed more than 30 years or races. China's dragon boats have “rowed” to the world.

目前世界上已经有超过85个国家和地区开展龙舟赛。如美国波士顿龙舟节已举办40年，加拿大多伦多国际龙舟节已举办30余届。中国龙舟已“划”向了世界。