DRAGON BOAT RACING & FESTIVALS 2010
Hong Kong has two major Dragon Boat festivals in 2010, both of which are events forming part of Hong Kong Tourism Board’s FESTIVE HONG KONG 2010 programme in addition to several other dragon boat racing competitions. The Hong Kong DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL (TUEN NG) takes place on 16th June, a public holiday in Hong Kong, and features local dragon boat races in various locations. The three-day HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT CARNIVAL from 23rd to 25th July this year sees the annual International Dragon Boat Regatta relocate to Victoria Harbour at East Tsim Sha Tsui and becoming a “mega-event” including “biergarten”, musical performances and food stalls.
HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL (TUEN NG) 16TH JUNE 2010
The Dragon Boat Festival (Chinese Duanwu Festival) is a lunar holiday, occurring on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and known locally by its Cantonese name Tuen Ng. This festival is a significant holiday celebrated in China and the one with the longest history. The name for the festival in China was originally the Upright Sun Festival but this was changed by foreigners to the Dragon Boat Festival, notably for the dragon boat races, held particularly in the southern provinces, Hong Kong and Macau where there are many rivers and lakes.This festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a popular poet and minister who is said to have committed suicide at the age of 35 by drowning himself in a river on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 277 B.C. Qu Yuan was an honest and loyal minister who was held in high esteem in the kingdom of Chu (situated in the present day Hunan and Hubei provinces). When a corrupt prince vilified Qu Yuan, he was disgraced and dismissed from his office. Realising the kingdom was now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu Yuan jumped into a river. Nearby fishermen tried to save him and were unable to recover the body. Mourning the death of the poet, the people threw cooked rice so the fish would eat the rice rather than their hero. The spirit of Qu Yuan appeared in the river and said that a huge reptile in the river had stolen the rice offering and suggested that they wrap the rice in silk and bind it with threads before throwing it in the river. This later turned into the custom of eating “Zong Zi” (boiled glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) and rice dumplings to symbolize offerings to Qu Yuan. The dragon boat races represent the attempts to rescue and recover the body of Qu Yuan.
Dragon boat racing is a popular sport in Hong Kong which has an estimated 30,000 active paddlers and the Dragon Boat Festival on 16th June sees local races taking place in Sai Kung, Tuen Mun, Tai Po and Stanley.
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/festivehk2010/eng/summer/dragon_boat_festival/highlight_celebrations.jsp
Further information will be published here when available.
Other local dragon boat races take place before and after the Tuen Ng Festival and at other times of the year and these are listed below under "OTHER DRAGON BOAT RACES"
HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT CARNIVAL 23rd TO 25th JULY 2010
Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Regatta is this year being expanded and relocated to Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront at Victoria Harbour as a “mega event” organised under Hong Kong’s FESTIVE HONG KONG programme. The annual regatta began in 1976 as a fishermen’s boat race involving nine local and one Japanese team and was the first international dragon boat race, setting standards which have subsequently been adopted in over 60 other countries and regions. Since its initiation the regatta has rapidly expanded with last years races featuring 101 teams from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. The races have been organised by Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association (HKDBA) since 2000 and been held on the Shing Min River at Sha Tin. However this year, the 35th anniversary of the international races, the profile of the event is being raised by Hong Kong Tourism Board who are jointly organising the event with the HKDBA and, along with corporate donors, is providing substantial sponsorship. The exhilarating and colourful races will be held in six lanes over a 640-metre course and are expected to draw at least 40,000 spectators. Races are held in 16 categories including open championships, women championships, mixed championships, junior championships, inter-company championships, fishermans championships and travel industry and hotel championships. 191 overseas and local dragon boat teams will compete in the races with teams consisting of 28 members including manager, coach, paddlers, reserve paddlers, drummer and steersman.
Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade will be decorated and there will be numerous events including San Miguel Biergarten, food stalls, artificial snow, laser show, roving performers and live music to add to the carnival atmosphere.
In the event of the races having to be cancelled owing to adverse weather they will be held two weeks later at Shatin.
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/festivehk2010/eng/summer/highlight_highlights.jsp
To coincide with the races the Home Affairs Department is organising a Dragon Boat Family Carnival at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza and the Avenue of Stars featuring the Dragon Boat Cultural Exhibition and Family Fun Days. The Dragon Boat Cultural Exhibition takes place between 23rd and 25th July. Large traditional dragon boats made of wood and panels introducing various types of dragon boats will be displayed to showcase dragon boat culture and the history of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races. Experts will be on site on 24th and 25th July to offer briefings and demonstrations for the public to learn and experience the fun of rowing. The Family Fun Days will be held in the afternoon of 24th and 25th July. Apart from live broadcast of important races of the 2010 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, there will be stage performances by local organisations, booth games, clown shows, a kids zone and traditional arts and crafts. Participants can enjoy various games and get prizes or souvenirs and the public and tourists are welcome to join the carnival.
The captain of the four Canadian False Creek Racing Canoe Club (FCRCC) dragon boat racing teams, Mr Kerry Chow (right), presents "Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival" souvenirs to the sponsoring organisations' representatives. From left are Vice President of HSBC Bank Canada, Mr Paul Irving; District Vice President of HSBC; Ms Jocelyn Hsiung; Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, Ms Maureen Siu; and Director, Canada and Central and South America, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Mr Michael Lim. FCRCC won one gold, two silver and one bronze trophy in the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival 2010
OTHER DRAGON BOAT RACES 2010;
2 MAY - CHEUNG CHAU SAI WAN INVITATION RACE
5 MAY - PO TOI TIN HAU DRAGON BOAT RACE (PO TOI ISLAND)
6 MAY - YUNG SHUE WAN TIN HAU DRAGON BOAT INVITATION RACE (LAMMA ISLAND)
8 MAY - TYPHOON 8 MINI DRAGON BOAT RACE (DEEP WATER BAY)
9 MAY - THE 10th DEEP WATER BAY DRAGON BOAT RACES
16 MAY - LAMMA INTERNATIONAL DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL (POWER STATION BEACH)
21 MAY - STANLEY DRAGON BOAT SHORT COURSE RACE
29 MAY - SOK KWU WAN TIN HAU DRAGON BOAT INVITATION RACE (LAMMA ISLAND)
30 MAY - THE 1st INTERSCHOLASTIC DRAGON BOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS (SHATIN)
6 JUNE - TAI TAM DRAGON BOAT INVITATION RACE
12 JUNE - LAMMA LUK CHAU TIN HAU DRAGON BOAT INVITATION RACE
13 JUNE - MUI WO DRAGON BOAT RACE (LANTAU ISLAND)
13 JUNE - CHAI WAN LARGE DRAGON BOAT INVITATION RACE
16 JUNE - TUEN NG FESTIVAL (TAI PO, SAI KUNG, STANLEY, TUEN MUN) - see above
20 JUNE - TAI O DRAGON BOAT INVITATION RACE (LANTAU ISLAND)
27 JUNE - STANLEY DRAGON BOAT WARM UP RACE
1 JULY - LAMMA SMALL DRAGON FESTIVAL (SOK KWU WAN)
4 JULY - "SUMMER VIGOR" MINI DRAGON BOAT RACE (SAI KUNG)
31 OCT - THE 1st 10km HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS (SHATIN)