6月16日是我国的传统节日端午节，我跟妈妈去上山踏青。
刚一上山，我就被这眼前的景色吸引住了：山上松柏滴翠，苍青色的群山，一座叠着一座，像大海的波涛，无边无尽伸到遥远的天边。还有黄灿灿、红艳艳的小花从草里冒出来，在山坡上一簇簇喷放。
这时，太阳升起来了，红艳艳的太阳射在山尖上，把山顶的雾气像幕布一样拉开了，人们拿出准备好的毛巾，开始用溪水清洗手部和面部，传说端午这一天，当太阳升起，用溪水洗手洗脸可以除灾袪百病。
踏青结束，人们手里都拿着新鲜的艾蒿，在传说中，把艾蒿挂在门上可以避邪，防止鬼邪进入家门。
走在回家的路上，我想到回家可以吃到热腾腾的粽子，自然很高兴，但我又想到了我国的爱国诗人屈原，人们为了纪念他，发明了粽子这种食品。
时间真是过得太快了，我只好等候着下一个端午节的到来，可以继续上山踏青。
6月2日是端午节，一大早起来，妈妈就开始包粽子，看着一盆白白的糯米在妈妈的手中变戏法似的成了一个个菱角分明的绿色精灵，我也忍不住想试一试，可是妈妈说什么也不让，我也不敢违抗上级的命令，只能回到房间里，从门缝偷偷地往外看。
妈妈首先把粽叶卷成空心的三角形，在往里面放进糯米，放到一半的时候，把一粒蜜枣放进去，然后再盖上一些糯米，最后，把顶上的粽叶折叠下来，再用线捆上，就大功告成了。这时我高兴地发现妈妈站起身走出去了，我连忙跑出来，拿起粽叶，学着妈妈的样子包起来。先卷一个空心三角形，再往里边儿装糯米，原来动起手来远不像看起来那么简单，一会儿，糯米放多了包不拢；一会儿，糯米少了看上去像个瘪嘴老太太；一会儿，捆得太松散开了；一会儿，捆得太紧又把粽叶勒破了。忙碌了半天总算包出了一个其貌不扬的白粽子。我正看着自己的大作发笑，妈妈突然不知从什么地方冒了出来，我不知所措地低下头，假装欣赏妈妈包的粽子，妈妈笑逐颜开地说：别装了，我都在后面看见了！。
我摸摸自己的头用央求地语气说：妈妈，您就教教我吧！，妈妈居然答应了，我兴奋得不得了。经过我不懈地努力，圆鼓鼓的可爱的粽子，终于在我手中诞生了，它们一个个像打胜了仗的将军一样昂首挺胸。
晚饭的时候，品尝着自己亲手做的粽子，那滋味别提有多美了。
At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the area we now know as China had fallen into a state of fragmentation and conflict. While the Zhou dynasty had ruled for several centuries, several other states, originally feudal domains, tried to carve out their own kingdoms. The state of Qin would eventually emerge the victor and unify all of China under one rule for the first time in history.
Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. A wise and articulate man, he was loved by the common people. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court-- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service. In exile, he traveled, taught and wrote for several years. Hearing that the Zhou had been defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou River. His last poem reads:
Many a heavy sigh I have in my despair,Grieving that I was born in such an unlucky time.I yoked a team of jade dragons to a phoenix chariot,And waited for the wind to come,to sour up on my journey
As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing zong zi into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuans body.
The Modern Dragon Boat Festival started from that time to this day, people commemorated Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi, and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death: the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. Dragon Boats are generally brightly painted and decorated canoes. Ranging anywhere from 40 to 100 feet in length, their heads are shaped like open-mouthed dragons, while the sterns end with a scaly tail. Depending on the length, up to 80 rowers can power the boat. A drummer and flag-catcher stand at the front of the boat. Before a dragon boat enters competition, it must be brought to life by painting the eyes in a sacred ceremony. Races can have any number of boats competing, with the winner being the first team to grab a flag at the end of the course. Annual races take place all over China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other overseas Chinese communities.
