摘要：又是一年端午时，宝子们翘首以盼的三天假期也到了。众所周知，端午节（Dragon Boat Festival）这天，我们要划龙舟、吃粽子、挂艾草、放纸鸢、祭奠屈原.......，不过，你知道端午是如何起源的吗？屈原的故事只是众多传说中的一个，端午的渊源，远比我们

粽子香，香厨房。

艾叶香，香满堂。

桃枝插在大门上，

出门一望麦儿黄。

又是一年端午时，宝子们翘首以盼的三天假期也到了。众所周知，端午节（Dragon Boat Festival）这天，我们要划龙舟、吃粽子、挂艾草、放纸鸢、祭奠屈原.......，不过，你知道端午是如何起源的吗？屈原的故事只是众多传说中的一个，端午的渊源，远比我们想象的更久远、更丰富......

屈原——伟大的爱国者

端午节最广为人知的故事来自于屈原。一提到屈原，脑海里浮现的是一个披头散发，踽踽独行的老者形象。他面容瘦削，两眼无光，嘴角甚至还念念有词。他行吟江畔之时，微风不断吹起他残破的衣襟，他望着滔滔的汨罗江水，心绪却早已飘向让人难以捉摸的远方。

这是我们大多数人对屈原的印象。放到今天，我们已经很难理解他那个时代的风雨晴明，还有他投江自杀的举动。但我们之所以祭奠屈原，是因为他对楚国刻骨铭心的真爱，虽九死其犹未悔。

后来，当楚怀王再度需要他而起用他时，他立刻准备回去。有人劝他：“凭你在各国的影响，你随便去哪个国家都可以更好，何必在这个地方受辱！”他淡淡一笑，俯下身，用双手捧起一撮土，眼含热泪，说道：“只有楚国的这片热土，才是我的家啊！只要楚国需要，我个人的荣辱又算得了什么！”

Later, when King Huai needed Qu Yuan again, and Qu Yuan prepared to answer the royal summons, somebody urged him: "Many other states have heard of your prowess, so it would be better for you to go to any of them rather than stay here and risk humiliation." Qu Yuan smiled coldly, bent over and scooped up some soil with both hands. Then, with tears in his eyes, he said, "My home is precisely here, in the warm earth of the Kingdom of Chu. If Chu needs me, how can I consider either glory or shame?"

屈原虽屡遭贬谪乃至放逐，但他始终心系楚国安危，不在乎个人得失，这种爱国精神让后人敬仰。

Although Qu Yuan suffered many demotions—even exile—he remained devoted throughout his life to the welfare of the Kingdom of Chu. His patriotism manifested in his selfless disregard for his own gain or loss won him the reverence of people of later times.

——《用英语讲中国故事》基础级

屈原的爱国精神

伍子胥——以悲剧谢幕的英雄

屈原的事迹家喻户晓，但在江浙一带却流传着另一个版本的端午起源故事。

春秋时期的楚国，有一位年轻人名叫伍子胥。他的父亲伍奢是太子太傅，伍子胥本生活在显赫的官宦之家，却因一场宫廷阴谋，命运急转直下。

楚平王听信谗言，废黜太子，还将伍奢和伍子胥的哥哥伍尚杀害，伍子胥却在父兄的庇护下逃了出来。

经历了家庭变故和流离之苦的他最后投奔了吴国，他全力辅佐吴王练就了一支精锐之师。当吴国大军兵临楚国都城时，楚平王早已死去。但伍子胥心中的仇恨未消。他掘开楚平王之墓，鞭尸三百。

数十年磨一剑，就为今日报仇雪恨，有人劝他适可而止，他却悲愤道：“我要他尝到杀我家人的代价！”

后来，吴王夫差听信谗言，与勾践讲和，赐死伍子胥。临终前，伍子胥要求家人把他的眼睛挂在吴国东门上，他要亲眼看着越国灭吴。夫差听后大怒，命人把伍子胥的尸体投江喂鱼，而这一天正是农历五月初五。果然，不听劝言的夫差在三年后自刎而死，吴国也被越国所灭。

吴国老百姓缅怀伍子胥的正义和刚烈，于是端午节就成为纪念伍子胥的日子。

伍子胥面对着这把闪着冷光的宝剑，心如死灰，也知道自己已经没有退路。在死之前，他对人说道：“等我死之后，你们将我的眼睛挖出来挂在东门上，我要看看越国是怎么把吴国打败的。”

Chilled at the sight of the flashing blade, Wu Zixu was in deep despair, knowing well that this was the end. "After I die," he instructed his family, "you shall scoop out my eyes and have them hung above the east gate, so I can see with my own eyes how Wu is defeated by Yue."

——《用英语讲中国故事》提高级

端午的纪念

龙舟竞渡——古越族的祭祀传统

在屈原投江的千余年前，江浙地区生活着一个神秘的族群——古越人。他们断发文身，自称"龙的后代"。

农历五月初五，对古越人来说是个特殊的日子。这一天，古越族的勇士们会驾着龙形木船在水上竞速，用这种方式与祖先对话，那些在竞渡中胜出的人们，被视为得到了神的眷顾。

他们几人一组，坐在用水草装饰的木船中。船被雕刻成龙的形状，因此也被当地人称作“龙舟”。一阵喧嚣过后比赛开始，平静的江面顿时水花四溅，坐在舟里的小伙子们互相配合着划桨。大家一边划船，一边踩着船头击鼓人的鼓点，争着抢着朝终点划去。没有人会觉得累，因为大家都认为“竞渡”是在与天神对话，呼唤祖先同行。

Teams of several men each would row a boat decorated with water plants and carved in the shape of a dragon—which is why the local people called them "dragon boats." Following a blaring of musical instruments, the competition would begin. The placid river would be suddenly transformed into a riot of splashing as the members of each team plied their oars in unison in time with a drummer in the prow, as each crew strove to be first across the finishing line.None of the competitors felt tired, as they all felt that the "race" was a dialog with the spirits and an invocation to their ancestors.

——《用英语讲中国故事》基础级

端午源说

历史长河奔流不息，端午的故事代代相传。无论是屈原的"举世皆浊我独清"，还是伍子胥的"君子报仇，十年不晚"，抑或是古越族"同舟共济、荣辱与共”的竞渡精神，都化作中华民族的文化血脉。

这个端午节，当你品尝甜糯的粽子时，不妨也给家人们讲讲端午起源的故事，共同回顾那些感人至深的文化记忆吧！

来源：CHNstories