It was during his exile that Qu Yuan became a true poet, writing many beautiful poems about the kingdom of Chu. When Qu Yuan discovered that Qin Shi Huang had taken over the kingdom of Chu, he walked into the Miluo River and got drowned. When the people heard that he had got drowned in the Miluo River, they rushed to the river-bank and took to their boats. They beat drums and hit the water.
The people also threw rice parcels into the water presuming that the fish would eat the rice and leave the body of the poet in peace. Qu Yuan’s death is remembered even today. Every year, people in China hold the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Many boats take to the river, racing one another. People throw parcels of rice into the river and beat drums in memory of the hero poet.
