by Anne Marie Whitmore

Created on: June 17, 2009   Last Updated: June 18, 2009

Dragon Boats are long, low and sleek; canoe-like paddle propelled vehicles, often brightly painted and with (removable) dragon heads and tails, up to forty feet long and carrying a crew of 22, 20 of them rowers. They are raced especially on the ancient Chinese Duanwu Festival, but can be seen on any other day of the year as well, in any country around the world.

Duanwu

Duanwu jie, or the Double Fifth, is a traditional Chinese holiday, banned by the previous government but reinstituted in 2008. The date varies; in 2010 it will fall on June 16, in 2009 it was on May 28. It is always on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

In China, the dragon (and his nine sons) is a powerful, father-god figure, and people are proud to be descendants of the dragon. The emperors were sons of the dragon, and both emperors and dragons were worshipped. The dragon is benevolent and protective, menacing only to the country's enemies.

The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF)is a world-wide organization for news and information regarding the sport, and has a newsletter which can be downloaded or read online. It lists upcoming events such as the 13th European Club Crew Championships on July 10 in Budapest, Hungary, and the World Games Invitational Regatta on July 17 in Taiwan.

In the United States of America, Dragon Boat Races are held on various dates in major cities such as: Boston, Charleston, Cleveland, Miami, Long Beach, and Washington, D.C.

The Poet

The origin of Duanwu is said to derive from the poet Qu Yuan's suicide by drowning in the year 278 B.C. Why honor a long dead poet? Qu Yuan was an innovator in the early days of Chinese literature, being the main contributor to the second-oldest Chinese book, the Songs of the South or the Songs of Chu (the state or kingdom he lived in). He was the founder of a new school of long poetry (about 12 pages in our format). But he is remembered mainly for his patriotism, loyalty and heroism.

In those long ago days, 2300 years ago, China was divided into five competing states or kingdoms, and it was known as the Warring States Period. Before his exile, Qu Yuan was a court minister and advisor to his king, a statesman and diplomat. He lost favor and was banished several times, only to be returned to favor. The king foolishly went to a conference, was captured and died. The king's son, instead of avenging the death, made a humiliating peace. The poet was old by now, and, in exile, wrote the work for which he is best known, the Li Sao.

The title is translated as The Lament, or Encountering Trouble.

Zongzi

Food is always a major part of any festival, and Duanwu is no exception. Zongzi are triangular wrapped food, containing rice (glutinous or any other kind), and any of dozens of chopped ingredients such as: red bean paste, mushrooms, duck eggs, chestnuts, shrimp, chicken or pork. They are wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. Today, they are mostly eaten rather than thrown into the river to keep the fishes from eating the poet's body or to appease the river gods.

Realgar Wine

Realgar is an arsenic sulfide mineral, according to Wikipedia encyclopedia. Why a toxic chemical should be added to wine as a ritual celebration, then or now remains a mystery. Does it contain only a trace of the element, or does the wine today retain only the traditional name without the poisonous ingredient?

Does anyone know the answer to this perplexing Chinese mystery?

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