Dragon Boat Racing

The Dragon Boat Festival takes place every year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calender, which usually falls in May/June. The festival has a history of over 2,000 years, and is said to be held to commemorate Qu Yuan, an ancient patriotic poet who committed suicide after being exiled. It is said that the villagers raced in their boats to rescue him, which is the origin of one of the most famous traditions of the festival - Dragon Boat racing. 

Today, Dragon Boat races are held across China. They are an exciting spectacle, and some of the most famous races are held in Hangzhou, Hong Kong and areas of Southwest China in Guangxi, Guizhou & Yunnan. Teams race wooden boats which are shaped and decorated as dragons. A drummer sits at the front of the boat and beats the drum in time with the paddlers' strokes.