Traditions & Background
of Dragon Boat Racing

Honouring the River Dragon

Dragons have been a symbol of Chinese culture for thousands of years.  The ancient Chinese believed that each river and lake had guardian dragons living in palaces deep in the waters.  Dragons were usually well meaning creatures, protectors of the people, but when they were angry, dragons wreaked havoc.  They brought too much rain, with floods and storms, or no rain at all.  For this reason, it was important to keep the River Dragon happy.  Sacrifices were made to the River Dragon so that it would, in return, bring the right amount of rain.  Since ancient times, Chinese festivals have been celebrated in pursuit of happiness and good health.  They were set long ago according to the sowing and reaping of crops.  The dragon boat festival occurs when young rice shoots have been planted and the summer rains are about to begin.

To honour the River Dragon, long, narrow boats were built in its image.  The dragon head held a prominent position at the bow.  It was a ferocious looking creature with the head of a camel, the horns of a stag, the eyes of a demon, the neck of a snake and the ears of a cow.  Fierce races were held in the belief that they would bring prosperous and bountiful crops.  The competitions became a tradition of the rain making festival, which took place at the beginning of the summer.  Dragon boat races were not connected with the dragon boat festival until the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).

Some people say the dragon boat festival started with the ancient worship of the River Dragon and the dragon boat races.  Others believe it began in memory of one of China's famous poets, Qu Yuan.

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Awakening the Dragon

Dragon boats commemorate the tragic end of Qu Yuan.  They represent the boats of the villagers who raced in a desperate attempt to save him from drowning.  Ranging from thirty to one hundred feet in length, dragon boats are wide enough to fit two people side by side.  Traditional dragon boats are made out of teak wood, while modern ones are made of fibreglass.  A fierce looking dragon head is at the prow, a tail at the stern.  Scales are painted in the traditional colours of red, yellow and green, red being the most predominant.

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The Dragon Boat Team

The rules for dragon boat races vary depending on the size of the dragon boats and the length of the race course.  Typically, a dragon boat team is made up of twenty paddlers, a drummer and a steersperson (sweep).  The paddlers, sitting in pairs, provide the power that drives the dragon boat through the water.  The first three rows of paddlers are called the "pacers."  The middle rows are called the "engine."  The paddlers at the back of the boat are called the "rockets" or "terminators."

Dragon boat teams are made up of men, women, students and mixed teams of all ages and abilities.  There was a time, however, when only men were allowed to compete.  The Chinese believed that all things in the universe were male (yang) or female (yin).  The powerful dragon represented all things male.  Allowing women to participate in dragon boat races would have angered the River God.  Women raced separately in phoenix boats.  The phoenix, a mythological bird of great beauty, was the symbol of the female.

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Preparing for the Races

Dragon boat racing is a strenuous activity that requires endurance, technique, timing and teamwork.  To build endurance, paddlers prepare with strength training and aerobic exercises such as jogging and cycling.  Endurance is important to give the strength and stamina to finish the race.  Even paddlers with good endurance will tire quickly without the proper technique.  The paddling stroke can be broken down into several parts, each designed to achieve maximum power and speed.  Hours are spent practicing the technique of a perfect stroke.

Timing, or paddling in unison with the boat crew, is also critical for success.  If the timing is off, a paddle may clash with another in front or behind.  When the timing is perfect, the dragon boat surges at each stroke and flies through the water.

Teamwork, the last key element of training, pulls everything together.  Paddlers must follow the pacers in the front three rows, listen to the drummer and focus on their strokes...all the time working in perfect harmony as a team.

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The Dragon Boat Race

The dragon boats are lined up in their race lanes.  There is a hush among the spectators.  The teams await the signal for the race to begin.  It will be a cannon blast, a gunshot, or the honk of a starter's horn.  Paddles up!  The paddlers are poised to attack the water.  Race ready!  The teams position the tips of their paddles in the water in readiness for the first powerful pull.  If there is any movement of the paddlers after this point, the team is disqualified.  The tension mounts.  BANG!  The race is on.

A surge of energy drives the dragon boats forward from a dead stop.  The first few strokes are deep and strong to pull the dragon boat out of the water as much as possible.  These strokes are followed by the sprint, a series of fast race strokes that get the boat up to racing speed.  There is a frenzied sea of arms and paddles, each team paddling in harmony.  Within seconds, the dragon boats are like arrows flying through the water.  The team settles in for a steady race pace of long, strong strokes.

The steersperson manoeuvres the straightest course from the start to the finish lines.  If the dragon boat strays into another race lane, the team is disqualified.  The paddlers focus their energy as one team, the sound of their drum pulsing like the heart of the mighty dragon.

The finish line approaches.  The drummer decides at precisely what point the team must make its final effort.  The paddlers are nearing complete exhaustion, their arms and bodies crying out for the end of the race.  At the drummer's command, the team increases the stroke rate.  The paddlers use every last ounce of energy.  The dragon boat crosses the finish line.  The race is over.

The winning teams raise their paddles triumphantly above their heads.  In the spirit of fun and sportsmanship, the racers splash each other.  According to an old custom, likely from the water splashing festival, paddlers believe that the wetter they become, the happier they will be.  Spectators cheer for the teams.  Their enthusiasm for one of the fastest growing sports is echoed around the world in countries like New Zealand, the Philippines, England, Germany, the United States and Canada.  Thousands of paddlers and spectators come together every year to participate in the rich cultural traditions of the dragon boat festival.

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Most of the above information taken from the book

"Awakening the Dragon - The Dragon Boat Festival"

by Arlene Chan and illustrated by Song Nan Zhang

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