HAPPY DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL!
The Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival, Duānwǔ Jié, Double Fifth, Tuen Ng Jit) is a traditional holiday that commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan). The festival occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar.
Dragon Boating is a fast and furious, paddle-driven water sport that originated in China over 2000 years ago. The modern sport sees crews of up to 20 paddlers (10 for small boats), plus a sweep and drummer, train and race in fiberglass boats with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails.
Therefore, venerating the awakening Dragon was meant to avert misfortune and encourage rainfall, needed for the fertility of crops and prosperity of the people. This annual celebration is meant to protect the people from evil & disease for the rest of the year.
