Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

When: 28 May 2009

Where: Hong Kong

The Dragon Boat Festival was first held in Hong Kong in 1976 and has grown into a spectacular annual event. Nowadays, over 100 teams from around the globe compete on the Shing Mun River at Sha Tin.

After the locals have raced, the event becomes an international open. The teams race the elaborately-decorated boats to the beat of heavy drums. The boats, more than ten metres in length, have ornately-carved and painted dragon heads and tails and each carries a crew of 20-22 paddlers. Sitting two abreast, with a steersman at the back and a drummer at the front, the paddlers are urged on by the pounding drums and the roar of the crowds.

The festival forms part of the 2000-year-old Tuen Ng Festival, celebrated across China in honour of the death of poet Qu Yuan. A national hero, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Mi Lo River during the 3rd century BC, in protest against a corrupt government. Legend has it that as locals attempted to rescue him they beat drums and threw dumplings into the sea to keep the fish from eating his body. During the festival period, people eat rice-and-meat dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and many look forward to swimming, or even simply dipping their hands in the water, to symbolize trying to save him.

In more traditional times, the racing area was blessed in a special ceremony, crowds threw stones at rivals’ boats and it was considered good luck if a participant drowned. On a less serious note, there is also the Bathtub Race. Each bathtub can have two paddlers and handsome prizes are promised to the winners.

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Come and enjoy Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival!