几千年前，中国南方分布着杂草密布的湖泊和一群群的毒蛇和昆虫。

　　But people born and brought up in this Yangtze River area had also built up a rich store of culture.

　　但是成长在长江地区的人们依旧建立了丰富的文化。

　　And from these differing culture of patterns evolve many of folk customs associated with the Dragon Boat Festival.

　　从这些不同的文化模式发展出了许多与端午节相关的民俗。

　　粽子.jpgBy 2500 years ago, the Dragon Boat Festival had gradually become one of china's traditional festivals held each May 5th according to the lunar calendar.

　　到2500年前，端午节已经渐渐成为中国的一个传统节日并在每年农历5月5日举行。

　　The Dragon Boat Festival is popular amongst most Chinese people, both those living at home in their native country and those overseas.

　　端午节在大多数中国人中十分受欢迎，不管是居住在祖国的还是海外的。

　　But it is particularly celebrated in Zigui County and Huangshi City, Hubei Province, Miluo City in Hunan Province, and Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province.

　　但是，在湖北省的秭归县和黄石市，湖南省汨罗市和江苏省苏州市，人们会进行特别庆祝。

　　The colorful and diversified folk customs involved in the Dragon Boat Festival have developed from older customs around this season aimed at driving away evil.

　　从这个季节的旧习俗中发展出了和端午节有关的丰富多彩的民俗，旨在驱赶邪恶。

　　Chief amongst these where the elimination of diseases, the chasing away evil spirits and warding off natural disasters, the festival possesses a unique national spirit and abundant connotations which have deep influence on the lives of Chinese people.

　　主要在这些疾病的消除，恶灵的驱赶，自然灾害的趋避上，节日具有独特的民族精神和丰富的内涵，对中国人的生活有很深的影响。

　　During the Dragon Boat Festival, people from different areas organize many folk custom activities.

　　端午节时，不同地区的人们会组织许多民俗活动。

　　These include sacrifices made in memory of Chinese historical figures, the poet Qu Yuan is chiefly venerated around Zigui County in Hubei Province, and Miluo City in Hunan Province.

　　这些包括纪念中国历史人物的牺牲，诗人屈原主要是在湖北省秭归县被崇敬着，还有在湖南省的汨罗市。