Every year, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (usually in June), people all over the world take out their rowing paddles for the ancient tradition Chinese Dragon Boat Festival; a time of seasonal celebration, good luck and good food.

Legendary Origin

This day has various origin stories, but a popular one states that the Dragon Boat Festival is a commemoration of the life and death of Qu Yuan, a poet known for his patriotism and contributions to classical Chinese verse. Once the main advisor for the King of Chu, Qu Yuan fell from grace when his rival courtiers spoke poorly of him without his knowledge. These rumors caused the king to not trust Qu Yuan’s advice, ultimately resulting in the loss of his throne and eventual imprisonment.  Qu Yuan was banished to the south of the Yangtze River, where he spent his remaining time studying folk legends, which continued to influence his poetry.

 

Eventually, in 278 BC, Qu Yuan learned that the state of Qin had captured Ying, the capital city.  It is believed that the thought of witnessing the fall of his beloved country, combined with his despair over being exiled, lead Qu Yuan to drown himself by wading into the Miluo River. The local people, who thought highly of Qu Yuan, raced in their boats to try to save him. When they realized he was gone, they threw rice dumplings into the river to keep the fish away from his body while also rowing their longboats and beating their drums to scare the fish away; originating the legend of the Dragon Boat Festival.

 

Qu Yuan’s death also shares in anniversary remembrances in certain areas of China with Wu Zixu and Cao E,  other legendary people commemorated during the festival. Today, observers stuff rice inside bamboo stalks and toss them into the river as an offering.

Important Symbols and Traditions

Along with eating good food and warding away bad spirits, many people compete is the Dragon Boat races. These long, human-powered boats share the appearance of a dragon and are raced across the river to the beat of a drum, the “heartbeat” of the dragon. Before the race begins, there is an honored tradition of painting the eyes of the dragon onto the boat to “liven it” prior to racing. Large dragon boats hold 18 to 20 people with smaller boats having a company of 8 to 10 people.

 

With more than a billion followers, Islam is the world’s second largest religion after Christianity. A key aspect of practicing Islam is participating in the month-long holiday known as Ramadan, also spelled as Ramadhan. Here’s a little more information.

 

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is a holy month consisting of fasting, prayer, introspection, and charity. Ramadan occurs on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which is determined by different moon phases. Due to this, Ramadan occurs during different time periods each year. This time is chosen because it is believed that it is the month that Muhammad received his first revelations of what later became the Quran.

For 2018, Ramadan began May 16th and will end on June 14th.

 

Observance

Fasting, also referred to as “Sawm,” is where participants will avoid impure thoughts, negative emotions, drinking, eating as well as other sinful behaviors of mentalities throughout the entire time period of Ramadan. Fasting is included within the five pillars of Islam and is intended to be a period of spiritual focus and encourages participants to concentrate on their relationship with God, charity in the community, and studying of the Quran.

Prior to sunrise, a meal known as “Suhur” is served which begins the daily fasting. This is the only meal of the day until the fast is broken with the meal called “Iftar” at dusk. The iftar meal often includes dates and is enjoyed with family and close friends. Between suhur and iftar, participants may not drink, eat, smoke or partake in any sexual activities.

A key reason for the fasting is to help remind Muslim’s of the importance of helping those around them who go through these feelings daily as well as minimizing distractions, so they can further build their relationship with God.

Members who are very young, elderly, pregnant or sick often do not partake in fasting, but will often eat in secluded areas or in private out of respect for those fasting. Participating Muslims will also tend to avoid loud music, cursing, and other potentially negative or distracting activities during Ramadan.

After the lunar cycle is complete, Muslim’s participate in Eid al-Fiter to mark the end of Ramadan. Often, communities hold festivals or parties to celebrate once the fasting has ended. The entire holiday is highly focused on spending time with loved ones and the community, keeping that theme consistent from beginning to end.

 

Other Things to Know

Two appropriate terms associated with the holiday are Ramadan Kareem, which translates to “Wishing you a happy/generous Ramadan,” and Ramadan Mubarak meaning “Have a blessed Ramadan.”

The symbol of the crescent moon and stars represents how Islam guides people and shows them how to live. The Ramadan Lantern symbol is called the Fanouz. Verses are usually written in calligraphy throughout the Ramadan holiday.

From our team at LewerMark International Student Insurance to you, Ramadan Kareem.

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