Therearemanylegendsabouttheevolutionofthefestival,themostpopularofwhichisincommemorationofQuYuan(340-278BC).QuYuanwasministeroftheStateofChuandoneofChina'searliestpoets.InfaceofgreatpressurefromthepowerfulQinState,headvocatedenrichingthecountryandstrengtheningitsmilitaryforcessoastofightagainsttheQin.However,hewasopposedbyaristocratsheadedbyZiLan,andlaterdeposedandexiledbyKingHuai.Inhisexileddays,hestillcaredmuchforhiscountryandpeopleandcomposedimmortalpoemsincludingLiSao(TheLament),TianWen(HeavenlyQuestions)andJiuGe(NineSongs),whichhadfar-reachinginfluences.In278BC,heheardthenewsthatQintroopshadfinallyconqueredChu'scapital,sohefinishedhislastpieceHuaiSha(EmbracingSand)andplungedhimselfintotheMiluoRiver,claspinghisarmstoalargestone.Thedayhappenedtobethe5thofthe5thmonthintheChineselunarcalendar.

　　Afterhisdeath,thepeopleofChucrowdedtothebankoftherivertopaytheirrespectstohim.Thefishermensailedtheirboatsupanddowntherivertolookforhisbody.Peoplethrewintothewaterzongzi(pyramid-shapedglutinousricedumplingswrappedinreedorbambooleaves)andeggstodivertpossiblefishorshrimpfromattackinghisbody.Anolddoctorpouredajugofreaglarwine(Chineseliquorseasonedwithrealgar)intothewater,hopingtoturnallaquaticbeastsdrunk.That'swhypeoplelaterfollowedthecustomssuchasdragonboatracing,eatingzongzianddrinkingrealgarwineonthatday.

　　据《史记》“屈原贾生列传”记载，屈原，是春秋时期楚怀王的大臣。他倡导举贤授能，富国强兵，力主联齐抗秦，遭到贵族子兰等人的强烈反对，屈原遭馋去职，被赶出都城，流放到沅、湘流域。他在流放中写下了忧国忧民的《离骚》、《天问》、《九歌》等不朽诗篇，独具风貌，影响深远（因而，端午节也称诗人节）。公元前278年，秦军攻破楚国京都。屈原眼看自己的祖国被侵略，心如刀割，但是始终不忍舍弃自己的祖国，于五月五日，在写下了绝笔作《怀沙》之后，抱石投汨罗江身死，以自己的生命谱写了一曲壮丽的爱国主义乐章。

　　传说屈原死后，楚国百姓哀痛异常，纷纷涌到汨罗江边去凭吊屈原。渔夫们划起船只，在江上来回打捞他的真身。有位渔夫拿出为屈原准备的饭团、鸡蛋等食物，“扑通、扑通”地丢进江里，说是让鱼龙虾蟹吃饱了，就不会去咬屈大夫的身体了。人们见后纷纷仿效。一位老医师则拿来一坛雄黄酒倒进江里，说是要药晕蛟龙水兽，以免伤害屈大夫。后来为怕饭团为蛟龙所食，人们想出用楝树叶包饭，外缠彩丝，发展成棕子。