Qu Yuan Story

“Qu Yuan” is a story for HSK3+ learners. Stories I shared some are Chinese folk tales, and some are my creations. 

This story is one of the most famous stories associated with the Dragon Boat Festival. However, there are three different versions of it, each with slight variations. So, if you hear a different story, don’t be surprised.

Listen the Complete Story

Story

Story Part 1　　Story Part 2

屈原qūyuán是shì戰國zhànguó時代shídài楚國chǔguó人rén， 相當xiāngdāng愛ài國guó。 屈原qūyuán是shì战国zhànguó时代shídài楚国chǔguó人rén， 相当xiāngdāng爱ài国guó。

但是dànshì楚國chǔguó的de楚王chǔwáng卻què是shì一位yíwèi懶惰lǎnduò愛ài玩wán的de王wáng。 但是dànshì楚国chǔguó的de楚王chǔwáng却què是shì一位yíwèi懒惰lǎnduò爱ài玩wán的de王wáng。

楚王Chǔwáng非常fēicháng不bù喜歡xǐhuān總是zǒngshì在zài他tā身旁shēnpáng提醒tíxǐng他tā該gāi做zuò什麼shénme， 不該bùgāi做zuò什麼shénme的de屈原Qūyuán。 楚王Chǔwáng非常fēicháng不bù喜欢xǐhuan总是zǒngshì在zài他tā身旁shēnpáng提醒tíxǐng他tā该gāi做zuò什么shénme， 不该bùgāi做zuò什么shénme的de屈原Qūyuán。

於是yúshì他tā聽tīng了le壞人huàirén的de話huà， 把bǎ屈原Qūyuán流放liúfàng到dào遠處yuǎnchù不准bùzhǔn他tā回來huílái。 于是yúshì他tā听tīng了le坏人huàirén的de话huà， 把bǎ屈原Qūyuán流放liúfàng到dào远处yuǎnchù不准bùzhǔn他tā回来huílái。

在zài流放liúfàng期間qíjiān， 屈原Qūyuán寫xiě下xià了le各種gèzhǒng的de愛國àiguó詩詞shīcí， 表達biǎodá他tā內心nèixīn的de失望shīwàng和hé難過nánguò。 在zài流放liúfàng期间qījiān， 屈原Qūyuán写xiě下xià了le各种gèzhǒng的de爱国àiguó诗词shīcí， 表达biǎodá他tā内心nèixīn的de失望shīwàng和hé难过nánguò。

一天yìtiān他tā喝hē著zhù酒jiǔ來lái到dào了le江邊jiāngbiān遇yù到dào了le一位yíwèi划huá著zhù船chuán的de漁夫yúfū。 一天yìtiān他tā喝hē着zhe酒jiǔ来lái到dào了le江边jiāngbiān遇yù到dào了le一位yíwèi划huá着zhe船chuán的de渔夫yúfū。

屈原Qūyuán難過地nánguòde說shuō道dào： 屈原Qūyuán难过地nánguòde说shuō道dào：

「 這zhè世界shìjiè所有suǒyǒu的de人rén都dōu醉zuì了le， 只有zhǐyǒu我wǒ是shì清醒qīngxǐng的de。 這zhè世界shìjiè都dōu是shì骯髒āngzāng的de， 只有zhǐyǒu我wǒ是shì乾淨gānjìng的de。 」 “ 这zhè世界shìjiè所有suǒyǒu的de人rén都dōu醉zuì了le， 只有zhǐyǒu我wǒ是shì清醒qīngxǐng的de。 这zhè世界shìjiè都dōu是shì肮脏āngzāng的de， 只有zhǐyǒu我wǒ是shì干净gānjìng的de。 “

漁夫yúfū不bú認識rènshì屈原Qūyuán， 只是zhǐshì搖搖頭yáoyáotóu回huí他tā說shuō： 渔夫yúfū不bú认识rènshi屈原Qūyuán， 只是zhǐshì摇摇头yáoyáotóu回huí他tā说shuō：

「 你nǐ看看kànkàn這zhè江水jiāngshuǐ！ 如果rúguǒ水shuǐ很hěn髒zāng， 我wǒ就jiù用yòng這zhè水shuǐ洗xǐ我的wǒde髒zāng腳jiǎo。 如果rúguǒ水shuǐ很hěn乾淨gānjìng， 我wǒ就jiù用yòng這zhè水shuǐ來lái洗xǐ我wǒ白色báisè的de帽子màozi。 」 “ 你nǐ看看kànkàn这zhè江水jiāngshuǐ！ 如果rúguǒ水shuǐ很hěn脏zāng， 我wǒ就jiù用yòng这zhè水shuǐ洗xǐ我的wǒde脏zāng脚jiǎo。 如果rúguǒ水shuǐ很hěn干净gānjìng， 我wǒ就jiù用yòng这zhè水shuǐ来lái洗xǐ我wǒ白色báisè的de帽子màozi。 “

Qu Yuan English Translation

Qu Yuan was a person from the state of Chu during the Warring States period, and he had a deep love for his country. However, the king of Chu was a lazy and indulgent ruler. The king did not like Qu Yuan, who was always by his side reminding him of what he should and should not do. So, he listened to the words of malicious people and banished Qu Yuan to a distant place, forbidding him from returning.

During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote various patriotic poems to express his inner disappointment and sadness. One day, while drinking, he came to the riverside and met a fisherman rowing a boat.

Qu Yuan, feeling sorrowful, said: “Everyone in this world is drunk, only I am sober. The world is all dirty, only I am clean.”

The fisherman didn’t know Qu Yuan and simply shook his head in response, saying:

“Look at this river water! If the water is dirty, I’ll use it to wash my dirty feet. If the water is clean, I’ll use it to wash my white hat.”