Qu Yuan (343-278 BC) was a poet who served in high offices in the ancient state of
Chu, known for his contributions to the classical poetry, especially through the poems of the
Chu Ci anthology (also known as
The Songs of the South), written in exile. It is said that, when his king decided to ally with the powerful state of
Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured
Ying (the Chu capital), and Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the
Miluo River. It seems that the locals, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him or at least retrieve his body. This fact it is supposed that was the origin of the
Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival), marked until 1949 as a festival culturally in China. Because his body couldn't be found, the people dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of
zongzi (rice dumplings).
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