Dragon Boat Festival comics: The magical journey of poet Qu Yuan

China's time-honored Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 3 this year, the festival has been celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar for centuries.

There are different versions about the origin of the festival, the story about patriotic poet Qu Yuan, is the most widespread one.

Poet Qu Yuan is connected with the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. /CFP

China Media Group's comics "The magical journey of poet Qu Yuan" showcases what would happen if Qu Yuan had come to spend the Dragon Boat Festival today.

Comics "The magical journey of poet Qu Yuan." /CMG

Born in the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), Qu was served as a high-ranking official in Chu. However, his appeal for a political overhaul sets back his career. He wrote many famous poems, including the longest piece of lyric poetry in ancient China “Li Sao.” His poems always express a deep concern and love for his country, and he is considered as the founder of romanticism in Chinese literature.

The legendary poet enjoys a great influence both at home and abroad in many fields. China's Tianwen-1 probe, the country's first Mars mission spacecraft, was named after his classic poem "Tianwen." The name could be translated into "asking the heen" in Chinese.

Poet Qu Yuan is connected with the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival. /CFP

As is given away in the title, the poem "Tianwen" contains verses in question format addressed to the heen that delve into the ancient culture of China and Chinese mythology.

（CGTN）