Duanwu and dragons

BJW “Well people we’re here today outside of Longtan Park or Deep Dragon Lake for the 5th day of the 5th month by the Chinese Lunar calendar, Duanwu, or what we in English call – the dragon boat festival.

Now remember it was only last year that the Chinese Government declared this a public holiday and now in its second year, as you can see it’s proving to be very popular with families, since early this morning hundreds if not thousands have already been queuing up coming through the gates.

Park goer, “Duanwuyue is about Quyuan, a great poet, it’s to commemorate him. People make zongzi and throw it in the river.

BJW – Traditionally the 5th day of the 5th lunar month is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere – it’s a time for celebrating harvest and always for warding off disease. This has merged into more recent history with the legend of Quyuan, a famous official and poet, who threw himself into the Miluo river after his homeland was overrun by the Qin forces back in 278BC.

Service Leader, “As for traditional Chinese culture we should revitalize it to bring more cohesion to the Chinese people and their spirit which is beneficial to the construction of our society.

BJW – And as the big drums began to pound offerings of zongzi were thrown into the water, and then the young paddlers downed their bowls of wine and then set out in their dragon boats – to the joy of onlookers old and young alike.