Dragon Boat Festival

Yes, there is a lot to learn for the Dragon Boat Festival

The legend is that in ancient China, there was a poet by the name of Qu Yuan (340 BC - 278 BC). He was a rebel and eventually banned by the king. It was during this bannishment that he wrote most of his poetry and became a legend at that time, and still to this day. When the government he was banished by came closer to home, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th month (Chinese calendar, not May 5th... that's Cinco de Mayo!!!)

The local people wanted to protect Qu Yuan's body, so they threw food into the river to feed the fish (instead of them eating the dead person), and they used dragon boats to paddle out to retrieve his body.

So the big festival involves eating zongzi (basically rice inside of a bamboo leaf) and watching people race dragon boats. Providing the weather holds up, should be a fun excuse to go drink and basically tailgate up by the river!!!

The dragon boat has a person beating a drum to keep them unified in the strokes, plus a person in the front who reaches out for the flag at the finish line and tosses it up in the air.

I know, sounds like fun! I'll take lots of pictures!!!