Father's Day has caught on in China in recent years, but more and more Chinese are calling for China's version of Father's Day, among them a vocational school in the central province of Hunan.

Students and leaders of Xiaoxiang Vocational School take a group photo in front of banner that reads "We suggest setting the Dragon Boat Festival as Chinese Father's Day". [rednet.cn]

Xiaoxiang Vocational School in central Hunan sent a proposal over the weekend to the State Council, suggesting the adoption of China's traditional Dragon Boat Festival as China's Father's Day. They cited that Qu Yuan, a symbolic figure of the festival was also a great loving father, reported rednet.cn, the provincial web portal.

Legend has it that Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), a poet is considered the father of Chinese poetry and a true patriot. He ended his life by throwing himself into Miluo River in today's Hunan Province with a stone, after learning enemies had seized the capital city of his state.

The day he died, the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, was later set as the Dragon Boat Festival in honor of this patriotic poet. Villagers traditionally race out in dragon boats and throw dumplings in the water so that the fish would not eat his body on that day.

The school's Youth League Committee and Students Union sent a letter to shed light on another side of this great poet -- that he was a loving father.

"Qu Yuan only had a daughter called Xiao Xu, but refused to remarry to increase his chances of having a son, which was considered normal for a high-ranking official in feudal society, " explained the letter.

The letter went on to exemplify Qu's love for the daughter. "On the night before his suicide, Qu went to see his daughter who was sound asleep. Tears welled out of his eyes, but Qu, fearing the tear drops may disturb the daughter, turned around and wiped away the tears before giving a farewell-kiss on her forehead," it said.

In return, the daughter was extremely filial. After her father's death, Xiao Xu tried to call out to his soul, embroiderd a portrait of him, and eventually killed herself with a sword on the river bank.

"The story between the father and daughter are the most moving in the world," the letter claimed.

The letter also pointed out that Chinese people, though keen on foreign festivals, hardly know anything about the culture behind them. "We need a father's day rich in Chinese culture," it urged.

"China has a great many wonderful fathers, and we can choose a good example for Chinese fathers to follow, and Qu Yuan is the most appropriate." said the letter.