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 Luo River. Because of their admiration for Chu Yuan, the local people living adjacent to the Mi Luo 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.

     Over the years, the story of Qu's death changed into the traditions of racing dragon boats and eating “zhongzi”. 

     端午节，又称为五五节，因为端午节是在农历的五月五日，是三个重要的中国节庆之一，其他两个分别是中秋节和农历新年。

     这个节日的由来是古代中国有一位博学多闻的官吏屈原，他是一位爱民而且又受到尊崇的官吏，但是由于被一位充满嫉妒的官吏陷害，从此在朝廷中被皇帝所冷落。由于无法获得皇帝的重视，屈原在忧郁的情况下投汨罗江自尽。

     由于对屈原的爱戴，汨罗江畔的居民匆忙划船在江内寻找屈原，并且将米丢入汨罗江中，以平息汨罗江中的蛟龙。即使他们当时并没有找到屈原，但是他们的行为，直到今天在端午节的时候，仍然被人们传颂纪念著。

     多年以后，屈原逝世的故事逐渐演变成赛龙舟和吃粽子的传统。