Dragon Boat Festival is associated with Qu Yuan (屈原) , who was a patriotic poet and a beloved minister during the Warring States period. He was falsely accused, which resulted in his exile by Emperor Huai. The next emperor surrendered the country to the rival states, and in his despair, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River.
When the villagers heard what he did, they raced out in boats to recover his body. To keep the fishes from eating his body, the villagers made rice dumplings and threw them into the river. They also beat drums to frighten off the fish. This has since evolved into a yearly Chinese traditions of eating rice dumplings and dragon boat races on the 5th day of the 5th month in the lunar calendar.
What does it mean for us as Christians today?
(1) Honouring admirable virtues:
Qu Yuan demonstrated virtues such as loyalty, courage, and integrity. As Christians, we can appreciate the virtues Qu Yuan was upholding. The Bible also teaches values such as faithfulness, integrity, and justice.
(2) Appreciate our cultural heritage:
Being Christians does not mean we have to abandon our Chinese culture. We can still have family gatherings and eating rice dumplings as expressions of family unity and heritage.
(3) Discernment regarding spiritual practices:
Some traditional customs have roots in folk religion or beliefs about warding off spirits and bad luck. As Christians, we should not participate in such practices but we can still enjoying the cultural and social elements of the festival, some of which includes family gathering and dinners.
(4) Opportunity for family and community:
The festival can be a time to strengthen relationships, such as: show hospitality and love to family, friends, and neighbours.
1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
We can still enjoy the family gatherings or watching the Dragon Boat races while remaining clear that our worship belong to the triune God alone.
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