"Ba-Tsang" : The story of this Tradition
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month
in 277BC (about 300 years before the birth of Christ), in
the Warring States
Period, the statesman-poet Chu Yuan was living in the state of Chu. Frustrated
with his attempts to gain a favorable response from the king for much-needed
reforms, out of despair over the future of his country, threw himself into the Miluo River and drowned.
His followers jumped into their boats and rushed out to
try to save him, and
today's Dragon Boat races commemorate this vain attempt.
When the attempt to rescue him failed, the people had to throw bamboo stuffed
with cooked rice into the water to preserve his body from being eaten by fish.
From that, it evolves to the present day custom of eating
"ba-tsang", a kind of
dumplings of sticky rice which they wrapped in bamboo leaves. Over time these
rice balls became more elaborate and varied with the addition of pork, peanuts,
salted eggs, and other fillings. Large or small, sweet or savory, with meat or
vegetarian, "ba-tsang" come in almost every size and flavor imaginable.
Dragon Boat Festival is highlighted by the dragon boat
races, in which competing
teams drive their boats forward rowing to the rhythm of pounding drums. This
lively and colorful tradition has continued unbroken for centuries to the
present day. Many people attended the festive boat races in Taipei, Lukang,
Taiwan and Kaohsiung, with teams coming from all over the world.
Adults drink hsiung huang wine (realgar wine) and children wear colorful
herb-filled sachets around their neckswear, both of which are said to possess
qualities for preventing evil and bringing peace. Another custom practiced in
Taiwan is "fetching noon water," in which people draw well water on the
afternoon of the festival in the belief that it will cure illness. And if you
can successfully stand an egg on its end exactly at 12:00 noon, then the coming
year will be a lucky one.
Since Chu Yuan was also a famous poet, the day is also known as Poet's Day
