The Dragon Boat Festival is here, and the fragrance of zongzi fills the air. Every year, the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is known as the 'May Festival' and also as the 'Dragon Boat Festival'. Generally, it is considered that 'initial' and 'beginning' have the same meaning, while 'five' and 'noon' are homophonic, thus the fifth day of the fifth month is called the Dragon Boat Festival. So why choose this 'repetitive day' as a festival? What kind of 'numerical code' does it contain?
According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, folklorist and researcher Wang Laihua from the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences introduced that during the Three Kingdoms period, Xu Zheng from the State of Wu mentioned in his book "Three-Five Calendar Records," that: 'Numbers start at one, stand at three, accomplish at five, flourish at seven, and settle at nine.' His emphasis on these odd numbers 'one, three, five, seven, and nine' left a deep impression on later generations. Since ancient times, the significant folk festivals nearly always occur on these 'repetitive days' made of odd numbers, such as the first day of the first month, the third day of the third month, the fifth day of the fifth month, the seventh day of the seventh month, and the ninth day of the ninth month.
'In Han culture, choosing odd numbers and the worship of numbers have always been valued. The ancients preferred the representation of light, growth, and prosperity by the 'Yang', and odd numbers represent 'Yang', thus more in line with the auspicious wishes of the ancients,' said Wang Laihua. 'On the fifth day of the fifth month, both the month and the day are five. According to the Book of Changes, 'five' symbolizes an active, upward, strong, and enterprising spirit. Two fives add up to ten, and the Chinese see ten as perfection, aspiring for everything to be perfect.'
The ancients attributed stories and meanings to some 'repetitive days'. For example, regarding the Dragon Boat Festival, it is said that Qu Yuan, an official of the Chu state, drowned himself on the fifth day of the fifth month. The villagers, to prevent the fish and shrimp in the river from eating his body, threw zongzi, eggs, and other food into the river and rowed boats to retrieve his body, which later evolved into the customs of making zongzi and dragon boat racing. This legend endows the Dragon Boat Festival with a rich humanistic sentiment.
'On the fifth day of the fifth month during the Dragon Boat Festival, may you have a safe and happy year after year. On this day, one might as well appreciate the essence and wisdom of Chinese outstanding traditional culture through the commemoration and blessings of the festival,' said Wang Laihua.