Keeping with the Dragon theme of this month I've decided to have a look at the Dragon boat racing festival which originated in China but is now practiced from the Yangtze river to Lake Superior every June at around the Summer solstice. Celebrated to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan a greatly important historical figure in china, which many people who are not from china know nothing about. That’s why this article will be based around the life of Qu Yaun, the man the dragon boat racing festival is dedicated to.

The misfortunes that Qu Yuan (c 340-278 BC) suffered drove him to take his own life, but also moved him to write some of the most beautiful poetry in the Chinese language. For his devotion to his State of Chu during the Warring States period, he has become an historic model of patriotism.

The State of Qin in the west was bent on annexing the other states, including the state of Chu, home of Qu Yuan (in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River valley to the south). Holding the second highest office in the state, Qu Yuan urged that the Chu, to resist Qin, and ally with the State of Qi to the east. This was opposed by Zhangyi, a minister of the State of Qin who was trying to disrupt any anti-Qin alliances. He seized upon an incident with a jealous court official in Chu to get rid of Qu Yuan.

Qu Yuan had refused to let Jin Sheng, the chief minister to the King of Chu, have a look at a draft of a decree he had been asked to draw up. In anger Jin spread the rumour that Qu Yuan was leaking state secrets.

He said that Qu Yuan had boasted that without his aid no decree could be drafted. This made the King of Chu feel that Qu Yuan was belittling Him.

When the story of the incident in Chu reached the ears of Zhang Yi in Qin, he secretly sent a large amount of gold, silver and jewels to Chu to bribe Jin Sheng and the king's favourite concubine to form an anti-Qu Yuan clique. The result was that the king banished Qu Yuan from the capital in 313 BC.

The next year, as relations between Qin and Chu worsened, Qu Yuan was called back and named to a high office, but the clique continued its machinations against him.

In 299 BC after several unsuccessful forays against Chu, Qin invited the King of Chu over, ostensibly for talks. Qu Yuan feared this was a trap and urged his king not to go. The latter would not listen and he even accused Qu Yuan for interfering.

On the way, the King of Chu was seized by Qin troops. He died in captivity three years later. Chu came under the rule of the king' eldest son, later known as King Qing Xiang. Under him the state administration deteriorated.

Qu Yuan hoped to institute reforms and in poems satirized the corruption, selfishness and disregard for the people on the part of dubious characters who had achieved trusted positions. Neither this nor Qu Yuan's resolve to resist Qin set well with King Qing Xiang, who was in fact married to a daughter of the King of Qin, In 296 BC. Qu Yuan, then in his mid 50s, was banished for the second time. Grieving for the condition of his homeland, for years he wandered about south of the Changjiang.

During this time he poured out his feelings of grief and concern for his state in the allegorical Li Sao, a long autobiographical poem in which he tells of his political ideal and the corruption and mismanagement of the court.

In 280 BC Qin launched an overall invasion of Chu and in 278 BC captured the capital. This news reached Qu Yuan while he was near the Miluo River in northeastern Hunan province. In frustration at being unable to do anything to save his state, he clasped a big stone to his breast and leaped into the river to end his life.

Although many attempts were made, his body was never found. Much later, his ghost was seen in the spot where he drowned, moaning that Chu Yuan had been devoured by monstrous water creatures. Today, the dragon boats competition honours the distant memory of an upright and honest statesman. The following events happen on the day of his death:

Dragon boat races, which are said to represent the search for his body, The Chinese people eat zongzi, little packets of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, thought to have their origin in the bamboo tubes of rice thrown into the river as food for his spirit. Originally, to keep the river dragons from eating them, the packets were tied with coloured silk threads which dragons fear.

Remember dragon boat festival is held around the world you could go watch the racing event or even take part one year, take it from me it is really enjoyable.