The Double Third Festival is an ancient Chinese festival. It comes on the third day of the third lunar (阴历) month, so it’s not on the same day every year. The day is said to be the birthday of Yellow Emperor (Huangdi). The date was fixed after the Wei and Jin dynasties.
In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, people often bath (沐浴) in the river on that day to wash away bad luck. Wang Xizhi wrote in his LantingjiXu about how people took a bath and wrote poems while drinking. In the Tang Dynasty, people enjoyed drinks and sightseeing. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, people did activities like throwing stones, hiking and listening to music.
In modern times, it is mainly celebrated by the people in the southern parts of China. For the Zhuang people in Guangxi, it is a festival for young people to sing songs and find their true love. Bamboo dancing is another important activity for them. For the Li and Miao people in Hainan, it is a day for remembering ancestor (祖先). For the Han people, it is a time to go outside to enjoy flowers and cook eggs with jicai. The Han people believe the special eggs are good for their health.
【小题1】Why do people in the Eastern Jin Dynasty bath in the river on the Double Third Festival?| A．To wash away bad luck. | B．To improve their health. |
| C．To enjoy the sights. | D．To remember ancestors. |
| A．Different people in China. |
| B．Different dynasties in China. |
| C．Why the Double Third Festival is celebrated |
| D．How the Double Third Festival is celebrated. |
| A．It falls on the third day of March every year. |
| B．People in the Tang Dynasty celebrate it by listening to music. |
| C．It is mainly celebrated in the southern parts of China nowadays. |
| D．In Hainan, it is a day for young people to sing songs and find love. |
