Enter The
SUE BRATTLE and COLIN SIMPSON
TEAMS of rowers in long, narrow boats with carved dragon heads on the prow raced furiously against each other to the clamour of drums and spectators’ cheers in towns around Hong Kong on June 7.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a big deal in Hong Kong – where it’s a public holiday and there are 30,000 participants – as well as in parts of China.
Dragon boat racing is reckoned to be the fastest growing team sport globally, and the festival has been included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
It dates back to 278 BC, when the poet Qu Yuan is said to have drowned himself in a river in what is now Hubei province in China. According to legend, villagers dashed out in boats to try to save him, but were too late. Zongzi, a traditional food made of glutinous rice that is associated with the poet, is eaten during the festival celebrations.
The pace is set for the oarsmen by a cox beating a drum. Teams – many from financial companies with offices in Hong Kong – practice for months in the lead-up to the festival. A rower explained to Afaranwide that the sport does not require brute force, the secret is to master a technique that enables power to be applied from the entire body.
Discovery Bay on Lantau Island is held its racing event on June 9, and we blogged live from there.
According to Hong Kong legend, dragons live in the hills overlooking the sea. They fly down to the water to feed, so many buildings, including this Discovery Bay apartment block, have holes to let them through. Feng shui adherents believe that blocking the dragons’ path would disrupt positive energy flows.
Dragon boat races were also held at Stanley (above), Tai O, Aberdeen, Cheung Chau, Saikung, Sha Tin and Tai Po.
The Stanley event is always a big deal and attracts large crowds, both on the beach and crammed onto boats and junks that line up to watch the racing.
Aberdeen is also a major dragon boat centre.
June 2019
MORE INFO
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL page on the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s site has some background information and other details. READ MORE
DETAILS OF EVENTS, training, the Hong Kong team and more can be found on the site of the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. READ MORE
RELATED
FERRARI-PRICE GOLF CART: You’re in the market for a new ride and have $250,000 to spend? How about a gleaming new Ferrari Portofino, which costs from $214,000 in the US? Or a fresh-from-the-factory Lamborghini Huracan – they start at $203,000… READ MORE
NIGHTMARE BUDDHAS: You may think of Buddha as a jolly, fat figure that brings peace and joy to the world. Visit this monastery and you’ll think again. Some of the golden statues of Buddhas… READ MORE
HONG KONG TRAM DASH: Join us on a high-speed trip on board one of its iconic double-deckers – right the way across the city in just five minutes! VIEW VIDEO
WATCHING PINK DOLPHINS: Yes, there really are pink dolphins in the waters around Hong Kong, and regular boat trips mean you can watch them frolicking… READ MORE
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our detailed guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE
LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH!
GALLERY: HONG KONG
Enter The
DRAGONS
SUE BRATTLE and COLIN SIMPSON
TEAMS of rowers in long, narrow boats with carved dragon heads on the prow raced furiously against each other to the clamour of drums and spectators’ cheers in towns around Hong Kong on June 7.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a big deal in Hong Kong – where it’s a public holiday and there are 30,000 participants – as well as in parts of China.
Dragon boat racing is reckoned to be the fastest growing team sport globally, and the festival has been included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
It dates back to 278 BC, when the poet Qu Yuan is said to have drowned himself in a river in what is now Hubei province in China. According to legend, villagers dashed out in boats to try to save him, but were too late. Zongzi, a traditional food made of glutinous rice that is associated with the poet, is eaten during the festival celebrations.
The pace is set for the oarsmen by a cox beating a drum. Teams – many from financial companies with offices in Hong Kong – practice for months in the lead-up to the festival. A rower explained to Afaranwide that the sport does not require brute force, the secret is to master a technique that enables power to be applied from the entire body.
Discovery Bay on Lantau Island is held its racing event on June 9, and we blogged live from there.
According to Hong Kong legend, dragons live in the hills overlooking the sea. They fly down to the water to feed, so many buildings, including this Discovery Bay apartment block, have holes to let them through. Feng shui adherents believe that blocking the dragons’ path would disrupt positive energy flows.
Dragon boat races were also held at Stanley (above), Tai O, Aberdeen, Cheung Chau, Saikung, Sha Tin and Tai Po.
The Stanley event is always a big deal and attracts large crowds, both on the beach and crammed onto boats and junks that line up to watch the racing.
Aberdeen is also a major dragon boat centre.
June 2019
MORE INFO
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL page on the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s site has some background information and other details. READ MORE
DETAILS OF EVENTS, training, the Hong Kong team and more can be found on the site of the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. READ MORE
RELATED
FERRARI-PRICE GOLF CART: You’re in the market for a new ride and have $250,000 to spend? How about a gleaming new Ferrari Portofino, which costs from $214,000 in the US? Or a fresh-from-the-factory Lamborghini Huracan – they start at $203,000… READ MORE
NIGHTMARE BUDDHAS: You may think of Buddha as a jolly, fat figure that brings peace and joy to the world. Visit this monastery and you’ll think again. Some of the golden statues of Buddhas… READ MORE
HONG KONG TRAM DASH: Join us on a high-speed trip on board one of its iconic double-deckers – right the way across the city in just five minutes! VIEW VIDEO
WATCHING PINK DOLPHINS: Yes, there really are pink dolphins in the waters around Hong Kong, and regular boat trips mean you can watch them frolicking… READ MORE
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our detailed guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE