The Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boats in Taipei. The Dragon Boat festival takes place on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month in the Chinese calndar. In 2011 that falls on June 6th.
Happy Dragon Boat Festival.
Today is the dragon boat festival, a traditional Chinese festival that is celebrated in Chinese communities and countries throughout the world. Occurring annually on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, the dragon boat festival features dragon boat races and the eating of rice dumplings. It originates from the story of Qu Yuan, a poet in the warring states period who lived from 340 BCE until 278 BCE. It’s said that he was banished and accused of treason following the king of the Chu state’s alliance with the Qin state. In exile, he compiled a lot of poetry and upon the Qin’s conquering of the Chu, he drowned himself in despair. Local people are said to have paddled out on boats to either scare away the fish or to retrieve is body, and it’s from this that dragon boat racing has its origin.
If you ever get an opportunity to participate or be a spectator, it’s a colorful and exciting holiday. Below is a compilation of photographs from dragon boat festivals in previous years.
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