农历五月初五，是中国民间的传统节日——端午节，端午节始于中国的春秋战国时期，至今已有2000多年历史。 

Duan Wu Festival is a Chinese traditional festival that falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. With a history of more than 2000 years, Duan Wu Festival has its origins dating back to the period of the Warring States.

 

在历史发展演变中，传统节日大多数被附会上某些传说作为“起源”，关于其起源众说纷纭，在中国江浙一带有一说法广为流传，便是纪念春秋时期的伍子胥。伍子胥是楚国的一名军事家，父兄均为楚王所杀，后来子胥弃暗投明，奔向吴国，助吴伐楚。

As history evolves, many traditional festivals become linked to legends which are then said to be the source of their origin. While there are many stories of its origin, the most popular one linked to Duan Wu Festival around Jiangsu, is that of the commemoration of Wu Zixu. Wu Zixu was from a military family in the State of Chu. Following his father and brother’s executive ordered by the King of Chu, Wu Zixu was forced to flee to the State of Wu, where he assisted the King of Wu to conquer the State of Chu.

 

当时楚平王已死，伍子胥掘墓鞭尸以报杀父兄之仇。吴王死后，其子夫差继位，之后吴国与越国交战，越国大败，越王勾践求和，夫差同意了。而伍子胥建议，应彻底消灭越国，夫差不愿听从伍子胥，反对其忠言颇有厌恶，直至最后听信他人谗言而将其赐死。

Upon the death of the King of Chu, Wu Zixu excavated his tomb and flogged his corpse to avenge his father and brother’s death. After the King of Wu died, he was succeeded by his son Fuchai who later declared war on the state of Yue. Facing impending defeat, the King of Yue offered a truce which was accepted by King Fuchai. Wu Zixu objected to the truce, advising King Fuchai to annihilate the State of Yue instead. However his words were not heeded by the King, who had turned his trust to corrupt officials, leading to him ordering Wu Zixu’s death by suicide instead.

 

伍子胥本为忠良，被污蔑后视死如归，在死前对邻舍人说：“我死后，将我眼睛挖出悬挂在吴京之东门上，以看越国军队入城灭吴”，便自刎而死，夫差闻言大怒，令取子胥之尸体装在皮革里于五月五日投入大江。千百年来江浙一带相传伍子胥死后忠魂不灭化为涛神，因此许多人将端午节作为纪念伍子胥之日。

As a loyal subject, Wu Zixu did not fear death even after being slandered. “When I die, gouge out my eyes and hang them at the eastern gate of the capital, so that I can watch as the armies of Yue match in to destroy the State of Wu”, he said before he committed suicide. King Fuchai was furious when he was told of those words, and ordered Wu Zixu’s corpse to be placed in a leather bag and thrown into the river. Since then, Wu Zixu has been worshipped as ‘Tao Shen’ around Jiangsu, and many people takes Duan Wu Festival as a day to commemorate him.