- Title: TAIWAN: Dragon boat races mark the beginning of summer in Taiwan
- Date: 16th June 2008
- Summary: (L!1) TAIPEI, TAIWAN (JUNE 8 ,2008) (REUTERS) DRAGON BOAT TEAM WARMING UP COMPETITORS STRETCHING ARMS A COMPETITOR STRETCHING HIS LEGS COMPETITORS STRETCHING LEGS TEAMS WALKING TOWARDS THE DRAGON BOATS AND PREPARING FOR THE RACE COMPETITORS BOARDING DRAGON BOAT
- Embargoed: 1st July 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVAC0WW6T0CCZ3VJI7XB0EXRAJP4
- Story Text: Taiwan celebrates the annual dragon boat festival with races of different forms across the island.
On the riverside as well as in swimming pools, Taiwanese celebrated their annual dragon boat festival on Sunday (June 8) with boat races, marking the beginning of summer.
One hundred and seventy rowing teams competed at Keelung River since Friday (June 6), trying to secure top honours at the annual competition.
Participants included rowers from different walks of life including locals, foreign residents and the disabled.
Rowing to the rhythm of drums, hundreds of teams of dragon boat racers descended on the water in order to commemorate the death of a popular Chinese national hero, Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Mi Lo River over 2,000 years ago to protest against corrupt rulers.
Legend says that people attempted to rescue Qu Yuan by beating drums to scare the fish away and throwing dumplings into the sea to prevent the fish from eating his body.
Dressed in colourful attire, the rowers raced to the finish line, trying to grab the winning flag, as the spectators cheered them on.
The dragon boat race is commonly practised among ethnic Chinese around the world.
The tradition evolved into a sports event that has attracted non-Chinese participants and will be an official sport in the next 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.
But while the tradition is well-kept alive, many in Taiwan are celebrating the festival in innovative ways.
To promote tourism during the long weekend, a cold spring pool in eastern Taiwan hosted a special kind of event.
Tourists experienced rowing in a swimming pool, but only with the use of wooden spoons or table tennis rackets.
Contestants participated in a lucky draw to decide which tools they would be allowed to use in the race.
"I was out of luck. I drew the small devices from the cast,"
said an unidentified tourist after an unsuccessful attempt at rowing with small wooden spoons.
Others enjoyed the experience because it was unlike the traditional races.
"This is different from the usual dragon boat contests and it is also a good dip in the cold spring pool," said another unidentified tourist.
Other activities which took place on the sidelines of the dragon boat festival included making rice dumplings, standing an egg straight up at noon, and making sachets to expel bad luck. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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