A little girl learns to make Zongzi, or glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves in the shape of a pyramid, in Zibo City, Shandong Province on June 4, 2008. On the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is Sunday this year, all Chinese celebrate one of their major traditional festivals, the Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, June 7 -- On the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is Sunday this year, all Chinese celebrate one of their major traditional festivals, the Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival. The highlights of their celebrations include eating zongzi, glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves in the shape of a pyramid, racing dragon boats and sticking mugwort leaves on their doors.

    There is a touching story behind the festival, too. Qu Yuan, a poet in the Warring States Period more than 2,000 years ago, drowned himself on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of 278 BC in the Milo River in despair over his country's future. Hearing of his death, people who loved Qu raced in boats to recover his body from the river and threw zongzi into it to feed the fish to keep them away from Qu's body.

    In 2006, the folk customs for celebrating the Duanwu Festival were approved by the State Council as a national cultural heritage. A year later, the central government decided to add the Duanwu Festival, together with two other traditional festivals - Tomb Sweeping Day and Mid Autumn Festival - to the list of public holidays.

    According to tradition, our ancestors believed the hot weather in midsummer might cause various diseases. So, to ward off diseases and drive out evil were the main purposes of the Duanwu Festival.

    As we celebrate the Duanwu Festival for the first time, following the earthquake that rocked Sichuan province, we should make full use of our traditional celebration to drive away bad luck and pray for long-term peace and prosperity for the people and country.

    However, it is a regretful fact that the traditions of Duanwu are fast disappearing. For an average city dweller, his or her typical celebration is to buy several frozen zongzi from the supermarket. And many young people only know it is associated with Qu.

    South Korea's Gangneung Danoje Festival, occurring at the same time, and rooted in Chinese culture, was included in UNESCO's Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity list in 2005.

    It sparked heated discussion among the Chinese for conservation of our own traditional culture. But it soon lost momentum and no progress was made.

    Why does the Duanwu Festival no longer receive the same attention as it did? One of the main reasons is accelerating urbanization.

    As more rural residents swarm into cities, agriculture is replaced by industrialization.

    Skyscrapers leave no room for dragon boat racing. Built of steel, iron and cement, the apartments do not need mugwort leaves to drive away mosquitoes. Thus, eating zongzi has become the most convenient way to celebrate.

    This is understandable today, but people cannot help feeling a sense of nostalgia for the lost customs of the festival.

    As a matter of fact there is a common reason behind people's increasing indifference to the traditional festivals including Duanwu. These festivals are no longer important occasions for entertainment.

    In our tradition most festivals, except for Tomb Sweeping Day, were days for happiness and celebrated with carnivals, Duanwu was no exception.

    Parents used colorful threads to make necklaces and bracelets for children, gave them beautiful embroidered bags, painted the Chinese character for "king" (wang) on their foreheads to drive away bad luck, and even taught them how to make bows and arrows as special toys.

    The Duanwu Festival was also called "kids festival" in some localities. Spending such happy hours with parents and siblings, young children began to understand the festival as well as the traditions and culture behind it. Repeating the customs annually makes it possible for kids to learn the traditions, accept it and pass it on when they become adults.

    When grown-ups no longer take traditions seriously, it is only natural children follow suit.

    A random survey by a TV station showed that most people lacked knowledge about Duanwu except for commemorating Qu. While Qu is a respectable figure in our history, he is far from the festival's only significant feature.

    To restore the former prominent position of traditional festivals, it is necessary to spread knowledge of their rich significance and adapt it to modern society.

    The decision-makers have made a good start by making traditional festivals public holidays. But they can do more than simply allowing people to take one day off work. More promotion of our traditional culture is needed with extensive participation. This will ensure their conservation.

    The author is a freelance commentator on culture based in Beijing.

    (Source: China Daily)