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The Origins of Dragonboat Racing
This document has been sourced directly from the
The
Cape Town Paddlesnappers of South Africa. Thanks.
| More than 2000 years ago in the Chinese
Kingdom of Chu, there lived a poet-statesman called Qu Yuan.
He was an honest man who was dearly loved by the people. The
government of the kingdom of Chu was however, a corrupt one,
and many of the courtiers resented Qu Yuan's talent, his sense
of righteousness and his popularity. They finally convinced
the Emperor that it was, in fact Qu Yuan who was a corrupt
influence and he was banished from the kingdom. |
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For many years after, Qu
Wan wandered the countryside composing poems about his love for the
people until, one day, perhaps unable to bear his sorrow any longer,
or maybe as a final protest against the corrupt government of the
time, he threw himself into the Mi Lo River.
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Local fishermen who witnessed
this desperate act dashed to their boats and attempted to
rescue Qu Yuan. They were unsuccessful but in an attempt to
prevent the hungry fish from eating the poet's body, they beat
the water furiously with their paddles. As a sacrifice to his
spirit, the fishermen then threw rice dumplings, wrapped in
silk, into the river. |
The tragic
death of Qu Yuan is commemorated each year on the fifth day of the
fifth moon when the fishermen's frantic attempt to save the poet is
re-enacted in the form of dragon boat races. Also at this time of
the year, in keeping with the legend, rice cakes are made, but
instead of being thrown into the water, are enjoyed by everyone.
It is not clear how the actual dragon-head and prow came
into being - it is unlikely that the original boats used to try to
save Qu Yuan were similarly decorated - it is thought that, during
the evolution of the races over the years, the fierce-looking
dragon-heads were added to ward off evil water spirits.
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Last Updated Febuary 2003
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