Getting to know the Chinese calendar

大家好！今天是端午节！

It's one of four major Chinese festivals, along with the Spring Festival, the Qingming Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival.

端午节与春节、清明节、中秋节并称为中国四大传统节日。

Duanwu is more commonly known as the Dragon Boat Festival, mainly due to the fast, fun and sometimes furious① races. Follow the drumbeat② to a village near Foshan, Guangdong Province, where skilled paddlers maneuver③ their dragon boasts along narrow waterways. More than just a showcase of athleticism and teamwork, the 2,500-year-long custom now has a fairly strong international following with many associations and clubs.

端午节也叫龙舟节，这一天百舸争流、飞舟遏浪，一场场水上的“速度与激情”火热开赛。鼓声阵阵龙舟急，在广东佛山市附近的水乡，龙舟在狭隘弯曲的赛道中上演龙舟“漂移”大战。作为一项具有现代体育精神和团队精神的水上运动，2500年历史的端午龙舟赛已成为一项国际性的体育赛事，在世界多地拥有龙舟协会和俱乐部。

Zongzi, the pyramid-shaped④ glutinous⑤ rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves, are another symbol of Duanwu.

粽子，由粽叶包裹糯米，呈金字塔状。吃粽子，是端午节又一传统习俗。

Last but not least, great importance was attached to the festival as it also acted as “national hygiene awareness day” in ancient times. As insects and snakes were a nuisance⑥ in summer, people hung calamus⑦ and wormwood above their doorways, wore a herbal sachet⑧, drank realgar wine⑨, and bathed in herbal water. These TCM methods offered some protection against germs and diseases. People today still follow these traditions.

最后，同样重要的一点是，端午节是中国古人非常重要的“全民卫生日”。端午临中夏，各路蛇虫开始进入活跃期，人们会在门口挂菖蒲、艾草，身上佩药草香囊，饮雄黄酒，沐浴兰汤，以祛病防疫，这些节俗传统延续至今。

Here’s to a safe and happy Dragon Boat Festival!

五月五过端午，愿您端午安康。

高频词汇

①furious a. 激烈的

②drumbeat n. 鼓声

③maneuver v. 调遣、操纵

④pyramid-shaped a. 金字塔形状的

⑤glutinous a. 黏的

⑥nuisance n. 讨厌的东西

⑦calamus n. 菖蒲

⑧sachet n. 香囊

⑨realgar wine 雄黄酒