Asia Celebrates: Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the oldest celebrations across East Asia. The festival in China is the one with the longest history, tracing its roots back to the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 277 B.C., when the legend says that patriotic poet Chu Yuan drowned, and to rescue his body from being eaten by the fish in the river, the people threw bamboo leaves filled with cooked rice into the water. The fish would rather eat the rice rather than the hero poet. This legend developed later into the custom of eating tzungtzu and rice dumplings, which is still a tradition during the Dragon Boat Festival.

There are many dragon boat races marking the event, at various locations, including Lantau Island, Macau, and Hong Kong, but also at many locations across the US. The following are some of the most popular races and festivals:

• Tai O Dragon Boat Race in Celebration of Tuen Ng Festival 2011, June 4 – Lantau Island
• 2011 Macau International Dragon Boat Races, June 4
• Eastern District Dragon Boat Race, June 5 – Chai Wan Cargo Handling Basin
• Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Carnival 2011, June 5-6 – Tai Pak Beach, Discovery Bay
• Stanley International Dragon Boat Championship 2011, June 6 – Stanley Main Beach, Stanley
• 2011 Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race, June 6 – Seafront of Aberdeen Promenade, Aberdeen
• Shatin Dragon Boat Race 2011, June 6 – Shing Mun River, Sha Tin
• 2011 The Sai Kung Dragon Boat Races Gala, June 6 – Sai Kung Town Waterfront
• Tuen Mun District Dragon Boat Races 2011, June 6 – Castle Peak Bay Typhoon Shelter
• Tai Po District Dragon Boat Race 2011, June 6 – Promenade at Tai Po Waterfront Park
• Cheung Chau Dragon Boat Races, June 6

The following are some of the Dragon Boat Festival 2011 celebrations in the US:

• Boston Dragon Boat Festival, June 11 – www.bostondragonboat.org
• Washington DC Dragon Boat festival, June 18-19th – www.dragonboatdc.com
• Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, July 30th and 31st – www.cdbf.org
• San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival, September 17th and 18th on Treasure Island, San Francisco – www.sfdragonboat.com
• Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival, October 1st – www.philadragonboatfestival.com

Evidently, the festivals that trigger the largest interest, are the ones in China and Hong Kong. They are the authentic festivals, promoting the true spirit of this international event.