Yichang was once a hub for the development of Chu and Ba cultures. It nurtured numerous sages and figures, including Qu Yuan, Wang Zhaojun, the envoy of ethnic peace, and the scholar Yang Shoujing. Literati throughout history, including Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Ouyang Xiu, Su Shi, and Lu You, also frequented the area. The poetry and prose they left behind during their visits to the Xiling Mountains and Rivers have enriched Yichang's cultural heritage.Yichang is also known as the "Three Kingdoms Site." Thirty-six stories in the classic novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" take place here. It is also the site of the "Wuyang" (Five Suns) where Guan Yu's body is buried, and where the Guan Yu Mausoleum is located. It is also a site for research and study of Guan Yu culture.
Qu Yuan, known as one of the "Four Greatest Cultural Figures of the World," and Wang Zhaojun, known as one of the "Four Beauties of Ancient China," were both born in ancient Yichang. The area is home to numerous historical and cultural sites, including the Qu Yuan Shrine, Zhaojun Village, Reading Cave, and Niangniang Well.
Because Zigui, Yichang, is Qu Yuan's hometown, the Dragon Boat Festival here holds special sentiments and significance for its residents. For thousands of years, the people of Zigui have cultivated unique "Qu Yuan's Hometown Dragon Boat Festival Customs" to commemorate Qu Yuan, which have been included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage protection lists. While dragon boat racing is practiced in many places during the Dragon Boat Festival, the pre-race rituals of river parading and summoning the spirit of the deceased are unique to Qu Yuan's hometown. After these rituals, the actual race begins.