Qu Yuan, whose given name was Ping and whose courtesy name was Yuan, was born into a noble family of Chu State. He was born in Lepingli, Sanlu Township, Zigui in 340 BC. Qu Yuan was studious and ambitious since childhood. In his early years, he was trusted by King Huai of Chu and served as Zuotu and Sanlu. He often discussed state affairs with King Huai, participated in the formulation of laws, advocated clear rules, promoted talents, reformed politics, and united Qi to resist Qin. At the same time, he presides over foreign affairs. He advocated that Chu and Qi should unite and fight against Qin together. Promote "beautiful politics". With Qu Yuan's efforts, Chu's national strength increased. However, due to their own upright character, King Huai of Chu's Ling Yin Zi Liao, Shangguan official Jin Shang and his beloved concubine Zheng Xiu, etc., were bribed by Qin's envoy Zhang Yi, which not only prevented King Huai from accepting Qu Yuan's opinions , and caused King Huai to alienate Qu Yuan. In 305 BC, Qu Yuan objected to King Chu Huai's signing of the Yellow Thorn Alliance with Qin, but Chu still completely fell into the arms of Qin. As a result, Qu Yuan was also expelled from Yingdu by King Huai of Chu and began his life in exile. As a result, King Huai of Chu was lured away by Qin and died in prison in Qin. After King Qingxiang came to the throne, Qu Yuan continued to be persecuted and was exiled to the south of the Yangtze River. In 278 BC, Qin general Bai Qi led his troops southward and captured the capital of Chu. Qu Yuan's political ideals were shattered and he despaired of his future. Although he wanted to serve his country, he was unable to save his life and had to die to express his ambition. In May of the same year He committed suicide by throwing himself into the Miluo River. Qu Yuan is a descendant of Qu Xia, the son of Xiong Tong, King of Chu Wu. He was born in Danyang of Chu State (now Zigui County, Yichang City, Hubei Province) around 340 BC. He claims to be a descendant of Zhuan Xu. "The morning departure is in vain, and the sunset is in the morning sun..."; "After entering Xupu, I am wandering here, and I am confused and don't know what I am doing..." During his exile, Qu Yuan left many immortal poems for future generations. His works have gorgeous words, strange imagination, novel metaphors and profound connotations, and have become one of the origins of Chinese literature. "The water in the Canglang is clear, and I can wash my tassel; the water in the Canglang is turbid, and I can wash my feet." After Qu Yuan was exiled, in a conversation with his fisherman, the fisherman advised him to "get away from the world." Don't "think deeply and exalt yourself" and ask for trouble. Qu Yuan said that he would rather throw himself into the river and die than let his innocent body suffer the dust of the world. According to the fisherman, one does not need to be too arrogant in life. If the world is clean and honest, you can become an official; if the world is turbid, you can rise and fall with the world. As for "thinking deeply and exalting" and ending up in exile, it is unnecessary. The conversation between Qu Yuan and the fisherman showed two philosophies of life. In 278 BC, the Qin State captured Yingdu, the capital of the Chu State. On May 5 of that year, out of despair and grief, Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River with a large stone in his arms and died. The Dragon Boat Festival also comes from this. Experience Qu Yuan's deeds are mainly recorded in Sima Qian's "Historical Records". According to "Li Sao" "Photographed Ti Zhen in Meng Zouxi, but Geng Yinwu surrendered", it can be inferred that Qu Yuan was born on the fourteenth day of the first month of the first year of King Wei of Chu (339 BC). Qu Yuan was born on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month of that year in Danyang, now Zigui, Hubei Province. He experienced three periods in his life: King Wei of Chu, King Huai, and King of Qingxiang, and he was mainly active during the period of King Huai of Chu. The period when Qu Yuan lived was on the eve of China's imminent unification, "horizontally, it was the Emperor of Qin, and vertically, it was the King of Chu." Qu Yuan was born into a noble family, and he was good at governing chaos and adept at rhetoric. Therefore, he was deeply favored by King Huai of Chu in his early years. In order to realize the great cause of revitalizing the Chu State, Qu Yuan actively assisted King Huai in reforming and strengthening the country internally, and insisted on uniting Qi to resist the Qin Dynasty externally, which made the Chu State become rich and powerful, and powerful among the princes. However, due to sharp conflicts between Qu Yuan and the decadent aristocratic group of Chu state in domestic and foreign affairs, and due to the jealousy of Shangguan officials and others, Qu Yuan was later framed by a small group and alienated by King Huai of Chu. According to "Historical Records: Biography of Qu Yuan and Jia Sheng", out of jealousy, Shangguan official Jin Shang took advantage of Qu Yuan to draft a constitution for King Huai of Chu and framed Qu Yuan in front of King Huai. King Huai then "was angry and alienated Qu Ping". After Qu Yuan was dismissed from the post of Zuo Tu, he was transferred to the position of Sanlu doctor, in charge of the affairs of the three surnames of the royal family, Zhao, Qu and Jing, and was responsible for the sacrifices in the ancestral temple and the education of the aristocratic children. In the fifteenth year of King Huai (304 BC), Zhang Yi traveled from Qin to Chu and bribed Jin Shang, Zinan, Zheng Xiu and others with heavy sums of money to act as traitors. At the same time, he deceived King Huai with the promise of "a land of six hundred miles to offer business". As a result, Qi and Chu broke off diplomatic relations. After being deceived, King Huai became angry and sent troops to Qin twice, but was defeated miserably both times. So Qu Yuan was ordered to send an envoy to the state of Qi to restore the old friendship between Qi and Chu. During this period, Zhang Yi once again traveled from Qin to Chu to disintegrate the "Qi-Chu Alliance", which made the Qi-Chu Alliance unsuccessful. In the twenty-fourth year of King Huai's reign, Qin and Chu formed the "Yellow Thorn Alliance", and Chu State completely fell into the arms of Qin. Qu Yuan was also expelled from Yingdu and arrived in northern Han Dynasty. In the 30th year of King Huai's reign, Qu Yuan returned to Yingdu. In the same year, Qin asked King Huai to meet at Wuguan, but Qu Yuan tried to dissuade him. However, King Huai's youngest son Zilan and others urged King Huai to enter Qin. King Huai also refused to listen to the advice of Qu Yuan and others. As a result, the day of the alliance was overthrown by Qin. He was detained and died in China three years later. After King Huai was detained, King Qingxiang took over the throne, Zilan was appointed Lingyin (equivalent to prime minister), and the diplomatic relations between Chu and Qin were severed for a time. However, in the seventh year after he took over the throne, King Qingxiang actually married Qin in order to seek temporary peace. Because Qu Yuan opposed their shameful stance and accused Zilan of being responsible for King Huai's humiliating death, Zilan instigated Shangguan officials to spread rumors to slander Qu Yuan in front of King Qingxiang, which led to Qu Yuan being exiled to Yuan and Xiang again. Around the thirteenth year of King Qingxiang. While Qu Yuan was in exile for many years, the situation in Chu State became increasingly critical. In the 21st year of King Qingxiang's reign, Qin general Bai Qi conquered Ying, the capital of Chu (today's Jiangling, Hubei), which heralded a crisis for the future of Chu. The following year, the Qin army penetrated further.
Qu Yuan saw that his once prosperous country had no hope, and he considered leaving for another country, but in the end he still loved his homeland, and in a mixture of grief and anger, he drowned himself in the Miluo River, sacrificing his ideals. The date of Qu Yuan's death may be the fifth day of May, or a day very close to this day. The fifth day of May was originally a traditional festival in the Chu region. Later, people used this day as a day to commemorate Qu Yuan, but its original meaning is rarely known.