Dragonboat festival

A few weeks ago I started dragonboat training! We are competing with a completely dutch team. A dragonboat looks like a big long rowingboat with space for 20 people with paddles, a drummer and a helm guy. The front of the boat is in the shape of a dragons head. The goal is to move all that people over a distance of 500 meter as fast as possible down the river.

But what is it all about? Why would we do that? A short history...

The story behind the dragonboat festival

In a kingdom called Chu, there lived a great patriot and poet by the name of Qu Yuan. He championed political reform and truth as essential to a healthy state. The King, who had fallen under the influence of corrupt ministers banished his most loyal counselor, Qu Yuan, from the kingdom.

Left to wander if the countryside, Qu Yuan composed some of China's greatest poetry expressing his fervent love for his country, his deep concern for his country and its future. Upon learning of Chu's devastation at the hands of a rival kingdom, he leaped into the Mi Lo river holding a great rock in a display of his heartfelt sorrow.

The people loved Qu Yuan very much and raced out in their fishing boats to the middle of the river in a vain attempt to save him. They beat on drums and splashed their oars in the water, trying to keep the of fish and water dragons away from his body. To honour his soul and to ensure it didn't go hungry, they scattered rice into the water.

However, late one night, but spirit of Qu Yuan appeared before his friends and told them that the rice that was meant for him was being intercepted by a huge river dragon. He asked his friends to wrap their rice into three-cornered silk packages and to tie five colours of string about it to ward off the dragon. This tradition is
continued to today, although now the dumplings are wrapped in leaves rather than silk.


The dragonboat races

Two weeks ago we started with our first training. We found out going straight isn't as easy as it looks! After making circles for twenty minutes we managed to zig zag our way from one side to the other. Luckily we already improved a lot. Today we did a full racing distance at full speed. It too us a bit under three minutes. But afterwards I heard to be really competitive, our time should be under two minutes. I guess we are just going to join for the cultural and social aspect. And it is a huge event! One of the few national holidays. Teams come from as far as Orchid Island from the south of Taiwan. That's what I call dedication! Friday June 11 are the first races. The finals are on Sunday 13.

Below I added some pictures, no pictures from the training or races yet, but I'll make some more pictures during the event next Friday. Hope to update you guys soon. But in in the mean time, wish us luck!

加油!

(Jia you literally means to add fuel, but also can be translated as to make an extra effort)


On my way to training.


The races and training are on the river by the DaZhi bridge. The building in the back is the Grand Hotel.


Teams are not only there to race, it's also a social event. This team just finished training and are having a barbecue.


Did you notice the print on the square? I only discovered it after I took this photo from the bridge.


All the boats are free for use for all competing teams. Thanks Taipei City!