1. The Loyal Statesman (楚国孤臣)
Unlike most mythological figures, Qu Yuan (屈原, c. 340–278 BC) is a strictly historical person, yet his cultural impact is so colossal that he is revered with near-deity status.
During the Warring States period, Qu Yuan was a highly trusted minister of the State of Chu. He was a visionary who advocated for domestic reforms and an alliance with other states to resist the rising, aggressive power of the State of Qin. However, corrupt rival ministers slandered him. The King of Chu, swayed by these false accusations, banished Qu Yuan from the capital.
2. The Father of Chinese Poetry (辞赋之祖)
During his long exile, Qu Yuan wandered the countryside, witnessing the suffering of the common people. He poured his grief, his love for his country, and his despair over its impending doom into poetry.
He created a new style of poetry known as Chu Ci (Songs of Chu). His magnum opus, Li Sao (The Lament / 离骚), is a sprawling, deeply emotional, and wildly imaginative poem where he uses metaphors of fragrant flowers and mythological journeys to express his unyielding political integrity. He is widely considered the first named poet in Chinese history, shifting poetry from anonymous folk songs to individual artistic expression.
3. The Tragic End and Legacy (绝望投江与端午起源)
In 278 BC, Qu Yuan’s worst fears were realized: the Qin army captured the Chu capital. Plunged into absolute despair upon hearing that his beloved homeland was destroyed, the 62-year-old Qu Yuan waded into the Miluo River clutching a heavy rock and drowned himself on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
The local people, who deeply loved him, raced their boats out to save him (the origin of Dragon Boat Racing) and threw rice wrapped in leaves into the water to stop the fish from eating his body (the origin of Zongzi). For over 2,000 years, the Dragon Boat Festival has served not just as a summer health ritual, but as a national memorial to Qu Yuan’s tragic patriotism and literary genius.