This is the hometown of Qu Yuan, the great patriotic poet revered as the “Father of Chinese Poetry” and one of the world’s four great cultural figures. It is the birthplace of the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, a sacred spiritual site for the ancient people of the Chu state, and the essence of the Three Gorges culture. This is Zigui—the homeland of Qu Yuan.
Three thousand years ago, the ancient State of Gui built a city here. Two thousand years ago, the State of Kuizhi flourished in this region. During the era of the Five Hegemons and Seven Powers, the ancient Chu state unified the lands of Ba and Chu, giving rise to the Ba-Chu culture. From then on, the ancient Chu people had a name of their own, and from then on, the Ba-Chu culture and the Three Gorges culture found their place in the five-thousand-year history of China.
This is the birthplace of the Songs of Chu and where the “Li Sao” was written. The scent of zongzi and mugwort fills the air, and the rhythmic chants of dragon boat races echo through the land. Countless beautiful legends delight descendants of the Chinese nation. Yet, the most resounding calling card of this place is one—Qu Yuan’s Hometown. The Songs of Chu and the “Li Sao” established Qu Yuan’s towering status in the history of Chinese poetry. His unwavering loyalty and his ultimate sacrifice in the name of patriotism earned him everlasting acclaim, which also gave rise to the Dragon Boat Festival—the only traditional Chinese festival dedicated to commemorating and honoring a great figure. For thousands of years, under the radiant legacy of the Sage of Chu, nurtured by the Ba-Chu and Three Gorges cultures, and infused with the aroma of zongzi and mugwort, Zigui’s Chu charm has grown ever richer, and the glory of Qu Yuan’s Hometown has shone ever brighter.
If you want to experience an authentic Dragon Boat Festival, you must come here. If you wish to savor the refined charm of the Chu culture, you should come here. If you’re eager to uncover the mysteries of the Three Gorges culture, you ought to come here. And if you aspire to appreciate the essence of the Father of Poetry and relive the spirit of the Sage of Chu, you absolutely must come here. Come, let us together grasp the profound breadth of the Sage of Chu’s spirit amid the mingling scents of zongzi and mugwort. Come, let us together savor the enduring richness of the Chu culture through the echoes of poetry and dragon boat chants.