Qu Yuan’s hometown, Zigui County, Hubei Province - the hometown of poets
Zigui is the hometown of the great poet Qu Yuan during the Warring States Period in my country. It is located at the foothills of Woniu Mountain on the north bank of the Yangtze River and is surrounded by city walls. , shaped like a tilted gourd, has a strong classical architectural style. Therefore, it is called "Gourd City". And because the city walls are made of stacked stones, it is also called "Stone City". Counties were first established in the Han Dynasty, and Guizhou was established in the Tang Dynasty. In the first year of the Republic of China, it was changed to Guizhou County, and in the third year of the Republic of China, it was changed to Zigui County, which is still in use today.
It is said that Zigui County was named after Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan had an older sister. Before Qu Yuan was exiled, she rushed back to comfort her younger brother. Her feelings and scenes were deeply touching. In order to show respect for this virtuous sister, later generations changed the name of the county to "Sister Gui", which later evolved into the current "Zigui".
Most of the scenic spots in Zigui are related to Qu Yuan. Outside the east gate of Zigui County, there is a tall archway with the four words "Qu Yuan's Hometown" written in Guo Moruo's handwriting. There are two stone tablets next to it, respectively engraved with "Hometown of Qu Yuan, Doctor of Chu" and "Hometown of Wang Qiang, Zhaojun of Han Dynasty".
There is a beach between Zigui and Xiangxi. It is said that it is the burial place of Qu Yuan's body and was later named "Qu Yuantuo". There is Qu Yuan Temple on Tuoshang. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been relocated and repaired several times. Later, due to the construction of the Gezhouba Water Conservancy Project and the rise in water levels, this temple was built in 1976. It is now located in Xiangjiaping, east of Zigui City. It was renamed "Qu Yuan Memorial Hall". Due to the construction of the Three Gorges Project, Qu Yuan Temple will be relocated again.
In Lepingli, there are many places of interest and legends about Qu Yuan, such as Xiangluping, Zhaomian Well, Reading Cave, and Three Corn Hills. The ancients once collected them as "Eight Scenes" and linked up a poem with the names of the sceneries: "The dragon subdues the tiger and roars from the sky, and the village drum rock is connected to the drum platform. The cold in the face of the well kills the courage, and the reading hole reveals the talented scholar. The corn on the hill is in line with the sentiment, and the languid Dropping pearls and shaking the valley, locking the water and returning to the bank of Longhan Ze, the three passes and eight scenery are more beautiful than Penglai." Zigui is also the hometown of citrus with a long history. Qu Yuan once made a profound description of the image and character of the tangerine tree in his famous poem "Ode to Oranges" in Qu Yuan Temple. Today, Zigui has become one of the seven major citrus production bases in my country. In late autumn, there are citrus groves everywhere, with green branches and leaves and saffron fruits, which is as picturesque as a poem.
There is another wonder worth mentioning in Qu Yuan’s hometown. The cattle here don't wear ropes, but they can obey commands. It is said that when Qu Yuan returned home from Chudu, when he was approaching the door of his house, the rope used by the waiter to pick up the slips broke. An old farmer immediately untied the cow-nose rope and gave it to him. From then on, the cattle here no longer use the cow-nose rope.
Qu Yuan was born in Leping, a city with beautiful mountains and green waters. Qu Yuan was a politician of far-reaching excellence, the first great poet in the history of Chinese literature, and the "first-rate talent" in the Three Gorges. He was worried about the country and the people, and finally threw himself into the Miluo River and died for his country. The glorious poems left by Qu Yuan such as "Li Sao", "Nine Chapters", and "Nine Songs" are still popular today and are famous at home and abroad.
Qu Yuan, named Ping, was born in the Chu state in 340 BC in Lepingli, Sanlu Township, Zigui. Qu Yuan was diligent, studious and ambitious since he was a child. At the age of 26, he served as the left disciple of Chu State and the official of Sanlu. He advocated conferring talents and appointing capable people, clarifying the laws and regulations, and uniting Qi to resist Qin. His ideas were jealous and slandered by the villains in the court. King Huai of Chu believed the slander and alienated Qu Yuan. After King Qingxiang succeeded to the throne, Qu Yuan was exiled to the south of the Yangtze River. Qu Yuan's political thoughts were shattered. Although he was determined to serve his country, he was unable to save his life. He had no choice but to die to clarify his ambition. He threw himself into the Miluo River and died on the Dragon Boat Festival in May 227 BC.
The Zigui bird is the Zigui bird. According to legend, it was transformed by the spirit of Qu Yuan's sister Qu Mo Gu. Every year in the fifth lunar month, this bird cries "My brother is coming back! My brother is coming back!" to remind people to make rice dumplings and repair dragon boats in preparation for the Dragon Boat Festival and to worship Qu Yuan.
The original form of the Dragon Boat Festival was to celebrate the harvest. Later, because the day when Qu Yuan threw himself into the river happened to be the Dragon Boat Festival, the significance of this festival gradually gave way to mourning Qu Yuan, also known as the "Poet's Day".
Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, people in Zigui still race dragon boats on Quyuantuo. This ancient custom of comforting Qu Yuan's loyal spirit has been passed down from generation to generation and continues to this day.