Throughout the world, wherever Chinese is spoken, boat races are held on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month to commemorate a long dead poet. The Day is some times called the Fifth Fifth and since it is celebrated according to a lunar calendar it does not always occur on the same date. We know how ever that it is never celebrated before May or after June.

In California an organization called the California Dragon Boat Association sponsors events all over the state. The San Francisco Bay Area, where many people of Chinese origin reside is a hotbed of Dragon Boat racing. Regattas and races are held in San Francisco, Redwood City and Fremont.

There are many legends about the origin of the Dragon Boat Races but the most popular involves the poet Qu Yuan. He was a government minister as well as a poet. He was sent into exile over his political opinions. He suffered an even greater reversal of fortune when a city of his partisans was lost to his enemies. He was so aggrieved by the loss that he threw himself into a river and drowned. The people, on hearing of the suicide of the renowned poet were said to have thrown food into the water so that the fish would eat the food and not the dead poet's body.

During the festivities that accompany the dragon boat races, a special rice dish is eaten, since rice was thrown into the water on the day of the poet's death. The boats themselves are reminiscent of the idea that people jumped into boats to spread the rice on the water.

The main rice dish for the festival is called zonzi. It is a wrapped handful of rice formed around meat, or vegetables or sweet red bean paste. It looks like a triangle or a pyramid. The whole concoction is wrapped in bamboo leaves and held together by string until you are ready to eat it.

Some of the threads of the legend of the poet's death say that a dragon intercepted the food meant for the poet and that therefore the food must be placed in the water each year to keep the dragon at bay.

Dragons are supernatural beings in China that are associated with bodies of water. Dragons are also associated good luck and fortune so it is not surprising that an ancient tale of loss involving a body of water should summon a dragon over centuries of retelling.

Even though the boating events are often called "races" much of the literature that appears on Dragon Boat races talks about fun, exercise, good health, and camaraderie. For those who need to know "who won" The California Dragon Boat Association does offer some race results on its website.

Dragon Boat racing is a world wide phenomenon. The umbrella organization for world wide activities is the International Dragon Boat Federation.

The boats that are used in Dragon Boat races look like the ones used by university sculling crews only they are much more colorful, often pained red and they always have the head of a dragon on the bow of the boat so that the rowers are riding the dragon as they race along.

Learn more about this author, Michael Skinner.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Traditional activities during the Dragon Boat Festival in China?
We want to hear your view. Write now!