bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Yingjie Wang

While the Dragon Boat Festival is an important holiday across China, it is particularly special in Milou, the central Chinese city where the myth that founded the celebrations was born.
For Yang Qiujun, 63, a long-time resident of the Hunan province city, the day marks another year as captain of a community boat team and 30 years since he began to compete in the races.
Recently the big race has become more special for Yang because three of his teammates are his sons – Yang Fan, Yang Jie and Yang Jian.
In the days leading up to the big race, the family is easy to find, practising their timing and coordination for the competition along the city’s river.
“It is important to get the most out of your movements, with everyone’s strength directed in one direction,” the Yang senior told his teammates. “Are you confident?” he asked.
“Yes!” everyone replied in unison.

Yang founded the team recently, and he said they have always been among the first to sign up for competitions in the city.
“Rowing dragon boats is a tradition to honour the patriotic poet Qu Yuan,” Yang explained. “We want to pass on our passion for the sport and the culture to the next generation.”
The Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the story of Qu, a Chinese poet and politician during the Warring States period who is said to have drowned in the Miluo River over 2,000 years ago.
According to legend, the people living along the river’s banks were in mourning and rowed around the river searching for his body.
These days, people flock to the river every year to row dragon boats and toss zongzi, a glutinous rice treat wrapped in bamboo leaves, into the water to honour him. Originally the practice of throwing zongzi into the water was meant to feed the fish so they wouldn’t eat his body.
The festival has spread across China, with most cities hosting a Dragon Boat competition in some form.
Yang, as captain, is always full of energy and said he started rowing dragon boats thanks to his father, who introduced him to the sport in 1993. Yang began as a paddler, progressed to a coxswain in charge of steering, then became a drummer controlling the timing, and finally, he is now the captain in charge of the entire race.


Yang said his experience with dragon boat racing had become an important part of his life, giving him meaning and an avenue to connect with his three grown-up sons.
“The spirit of dragon boats has inspired me to move forward over the years,” Yang said.
Like his father, Yang imbued his three sons with a deep love for the sport as they grew up.
“To us, rowing dragon boats is full of meaning,” said the youngest son Yang Jian. “In the past, it was exciting for us to watch from the sidelines as our father paddled the boat, and as we grew older, we began to row ourselves.”
The son said that the three siblings made a pact with their father in 2015 to continue their family’s tradition of rowing dragon boats and to return to their hometown for the festival every year.
“Our father is getting old, so we have to take on the responsibility of passing on the tradition,” said the oldest brother Yang Fan.
“My father can row, I can row, and my son must be able to row when he grows up.”


Chinese province makes labour pain relief pledge to ease childbirth jitters

China is better off letting young people let off steam

From abusive patients to harassment: the mistreatment of China’s medical students

Tourist’s US$8,300 night in hotel, aquarium’s robot whale shark, dog’s graveside vigil: 6 social stories from China

China society

How a Chinese ‘dragon boat family’ bonds at the festival’s most important river

Yang Qiujun is the captain of a dragon boat team that includes three of his sons. Photo: Yang Qiujun

The dragon boat team practices on the river in  Milou. Photo: Yang Qiujun

‘Father of the fishermen’ put Hong Kong dragon boat racing on the global map

Handout image shows Charles Thirlwell beside the flagstaff at Waglan Island.&#xA;&#xA;CREDIT: Courtesy of the Thirlwell family

Dragon boat races in Shau Kei Wan. Charles Thirlwell, who befriended Hong Kong’s Tanka fishing community, helped put them on the international map.

Charles Thirlwell beside the flagstaff at Waglan Island, in Hong Kong. Photo: Courtesy of the Thirlwell family

Thirlwell and a Chinese lighthouse assistant at Waglan Island Lighthouse tower, in Hong Kong. Photo: Courtesy of the Thirlwell family

Thirlwell with young fisherman Lai Kam-dai. Photo: Courtesy of the Thirlwell family

The Thirlwells at Green Island Lighthouse European staff quarters. Photo: Courtesy of the Thirlwell family

A picture of Thirlwell at Chai Wan Fisherman’s Recreation Club. Photo: Stuart Heaver

Thirlwell (centre), then president of Chai Wan Fishermen’s Association, working on nets with brothers Cheng Muk (left) and Cheng Ngan in January, 1982. Photo: SCMP

Shau Ki Wan dragon boat races in May, 1979. Photo: SCMP

Thirlwell, then president of the Chai Wan Fishermen’s Recreation Club, speaking at the Y’s Men’s Club in December, 1978. Photo: SCMP

Way of the Dragon: All you need to know about the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

Aberdeen Boat Club Buzz Dragon Boat Team practice at Aberdeen. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Aberdeen Boat Club Buzz Dragon Boat Team practise at Aberdeen.22MAY16 SCMP/K. Y. Cheng

Men on the Dragon film review: dragon boat racing tale a bittersweet comedy about mid-life crisis

Billed as an underdog sports comedy-drama, it’s really the problems of its protagonists that is the backbone of this tale – a life-affirming gem of a film, and one of the more enjoyable Hong Kong features of recent times

Jennifer Yu in a still from Men on the Dragon.

From left: Poon Chan-leung, Tony Wu, Kenny Wong and Francis Ng in a still from Men on the Dragon.

Kenny Wong (far left), Francis Ng (second left), Poon Chan-leung (centre) and Tony Wu (third right) in a scene from Men on the Dragon (category: IIB, Cantonese), directed by Sunny Chan.

Homesick Malaysians in Hong Kong keep hopes afloat with dragon boat racing team to mark annual Tuen Ng Festival amid Covid-19 restrictions

Malaysian team the ‘Merdeka Paddlers’, training at Stanley Beach. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The Merdeka Paddlers have bonded over their training sessions. Photo: Jonathan Wong

University student Derek Leong was encouraged by fellow Malaysians on the team. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Angie Fuhrich is a novice in dragon boat racing but that has not stopped her from keeping pace with other teammates. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Kenneth Foo, captain of the Malaysian team. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Malaysian Consul General Yap Wei Sin. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Why do we eat zongzi during Dragon Boat Festival? The history behind the rice dumpling, plus 10 ways it’s prepared throughout Asia

Dragon Boat Festival means zongzi – but where does the wrapped sticky rice treat come from? Photo: @xlbcr/Instagram

Lunar New Year in China means eating longevity noodles; zongzi are a summer treat with a story too. Photo: @limjenjen/Instagram

A resident washes polished glutinous rice at home in Zigui County of central China’s Hubei Province. Photo: Xinhua

Zongzi with peanut, shallots and dried shrimp rice. Photo: SCMP

Locals making zongzi during Dragon Boat Festival at a pastry store in east China’s Zhejiang Province. Photo: Xinhua

Tuen ng style zongzi with red bean paste and sweet rice. Photo: SCMP 

News

People & Culture

Social Welfare


The father has been taking part in dragon boat races for 30 years, and founded a team a few years ago
Three of his teammates are his sons, who return to their hometown every year to participate in the races



A family in central China has used the annual Dragon Boat Festival to reconnect every year and bond.


Chinese culture

Dragon Boat Festival

How a Chinese ‘dragon boat family’ bonds at the festival’s most important river

The father has been taking part in dragon boat races for 30 years, and founded a team a few years ago Three of his teammates are his sons, who return to their hometown every year to participate in the races

The father has been taking part in dragon boat races for 30 years, and founded a team a few years ago

Three of his teammates are his sons, who return to their hometown every year to participate in the races