The rice dumpling custom can be traced back to the Warring States Period of the third century B.C. According to legend, Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and a state minister, drowned himself in the river to protest the king's refusal to institute reforms.
It is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (May 28 in 2009) to honour scholar-poet, Qu Yuan who took his life by jumping into a river. He did so because he was greatly saddened when the king refused to take his advice, leading to a war. The king eventually got himself trapped and captured in a foreign land by his enemies, which then lead to his own death.
Fearing that fish would eat Qu’s body, then, his friends and supporters made dumplings and threw them into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of the body.
Do you think the reason is acceptable or logical?
For years i am doubtful about this reason but since i have a blog now, i wish to put forth my reason.
Do fish eat rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves - or even without the bamboo leaves i am doubtful that those sticky rice would lure them to eat. If it says that the throwing of the rice dumpling (perhaps at that time, some people were selling dumplings by the side of the river)would scare the fish away, then this is more logical. Even any heavy objects like stones, rocks, mud-balls would do the same. Splashing their paddles on water surfaces may have the same effect too.
However there exists many versions. But whichever version you choose to believe, it seems the death of Qu Yuan also gave rise to dragon boat races in some countries like in Hong Kong and at the same time celebrating the day with dumplings made with glutinous rice (zong zi) that are stuffed in bamboo leaves.
Happy Dumpling Day!
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2 comments:
interesting story! never knew there was a story behind it! :O
As the event happened about 300 years BC, there is bound to be many versions. Glad you like this ;-)
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