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No plans for Hong Kong’s Dragon Boat Festival? The Post has you covered

  • Revellers can enjoy dragon boat races in Victoria Harbour, Stanley, Tai O, Aberdeen, Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and Tai Po

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Aberdeen is one of the locations hosting dragon boat races. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong has prepared a spate of fun-filled activities to celebrate Tuen Ng Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival.
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The festival starting on Monday commemorates Qu Yuan, a poet and exiled statesman from the ancient Chu kingdom during the Warring States Period (476BC – 221BC).

He drowned himself in the Miluo River in today’s Hunan province in 278BC following his state’s defeat.

Yuan’s followers threw rice dumplings in the river to prevent fish from eating his corpse while also paddling boats and banging on drums to ward off evil spirits, prompting the dragon boat tradition, which subsequently evolved into races.

The Post lists five activities you can do over the extended weekend in the city.

1. Go to dragon boat races

The Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races are due to take place on June 15 and 16. About 170 teams and 4,000 athletes are expected to take part in the mega events at Victoria Harbour.

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