農(nóng)歷五月初五為端午節(jié)，又稱端陽節(jié)、午日節(jié)、五月節(jié)、艾節(jié)、端五、重午、午日、夏節(jié)。端是“開端”、“初”的意思，初五可以稱為端五。農(nóng)歷以地支紀(jì)月，正月建寅，二月為卯，順次至五月為午，因此稱五月為午月，“五”與“午”通，“五”又為陽數(shù)，所以一些地方又將端午節(jié)稱之為五月節(jié)、艾節(jié)、夏節(jié)。從史籍上看，“端午”二字最早見于晉人周處《風(fēng)土記》：“仲夏端午，烹鶩角黍”。端午節(jié)是我國漢族人民的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日，這一天必不可少的活動(dòng)逐漸演變?yōu)槌贼兆樱慅堉?，掛菖蒲`蒿草、艾葉，薰蒼術(shù)、白芷，喝雄黃酒。據(jù)說，吃粽子和賽龍舟，是為了紀(jì)念屈原，所以解放后曾把端午節(jié)定名為“詩人節(jié)”，以紀(jì)念屈原。至于掛菖蒲、艾葉，薰蒼術(shù)、白芷，喝雄黃酒，則據(jù)說是為了避邪。

國家非常重視非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)的保護(hù)，2006年5月20日，該民俗經(jīng)國務(wù)院批準(zhǔn)列入第一批國家級非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)名錄。

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by eating zongzi, or glutinous rice dumplings, and racing dragon boats. However some other traditions also relating to the festival have been neglected by many Chinese living in big cities. Let's follow our Liu Min to find out more about the Dragon boat festival's interesting customs. Reporter: Every Dragon Boat Festival, the renowned Chinese traditional food shop Dao Xiangcun is packed with customers. The manager Wen Jie says the rice dumplings are selling well. "There are only some with fresh meat stuffing left. We usually start selling early in the morning, and those with dates sold out just before 10:00am …Now that Zong Zi is sold out, many elderly people will have to buy the leaves and rice to make it themselves."

A lady is picking wrapping leaves and some stuffing. I asked her which filling she prefers. "Dates, I like rice dumplings with dates."(In Chinese I asked her - are you northern Chinese?) "Yes, northern Chinese usually love the ones with dates better and in the south they love the meat stuffing." That's something most Chinese people know about rice dumplings, buthere are some things we don't know. Professor Zhao Shu, from the Chinese folk literature and Art Society, explains that there are some idioms relating to the number of dates put into the rice dumplings. "One date in the dumpling means whole-hearted love. Two dates means friendship between two people. Three dates means elderly people have three blessings, such as good luck, wealth and health. Four dates means keeping safe and sound during the four seasons. Five dates are for those whose career will go smoothly in the future."

Besides rice dumplings, Wudu cakes are also a kind of traditional food people enjoy at this time of the year. Cake Shop manager Wen Jie says this is one of their marketing strategies to win over more traditional Chinese customers. "Wudu Cakes are usually welcomed by elderly people. It means driving away the evil spirits and praying for blessings."

The Dragon Boat Festival is usually held during the transition from spring to summer. Some bugs and poisonous animals such as scorpions, toads, spiders, centipedes and serpents would come out at this time of the year. Ancient Chinese people regard them as the five poisonous spirits which can bring bad luck and disease. They believed eating cakes carved with these animals' patterns in them could chase away them, and no longer hurt them. With the Wudu cake, Xiong Huang liquor is also a necessity during the festival. Professor Zhao Shu explains. "In ancient times, people had the tradition of drinking Xiong Huang liquor and now more people are drinking Panax wine. While drinking this wine, ancient Chinese people would take a spa in the water floating with orchids to get rid of bad luck and keep healthy."

Besides these traditions, there are also some traditions rarely seen in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Fore example, wearing Wudu fragrant decorations is also a tradition to keep away from the poisonous bugs. Girls usually would wear bracelets made from five different coloured threads to ensure a better future. Certain wormwood called Ai Cao is also hung on the gate of residents to drive away mosquitos and ghosts.