I had the pleasure to visit Tai O during the Dragonboat Festival in 2008.
I don’t think the Dragonboat Festival has been a favourite traditional festival of my generation, and certain not for the younger generation. Traditionally there has been live! TV coverage of dragonboat races in different locations around Hong Kong all morning and early afternoon, so there is nothing else on, and this is a bore to children. My old man has never taken me to any of the races, citing big crowds not suitable for children. It is a day off but otherwise non-event. And children in general don’t care about any poet dead or alive. Rice dumplings also can’t beat candies as children’s favourite food.
Despite what has been taught in schools, the Dragonboat Festival did not begin because of a dead poet. It came from the ancient superstitution that some deity in the local river wants human sacrifice, and from folklore it would appear that there was a time when young girls were offered to the river deity. This was eventually considered uncivilized and as a result were forbidden by the state. However, the habits of superstitious local folks die hard, and they turned the thing around into a sport: the dragonboat race, where the odds of someone drowning are quite high given the relatively large number of participants and the unstable dragonboats, and the race would go on until someone is “taken” by the river deity. It is not clear when the state decided to make use of the Dragonboat Festival as a propaganda to promote a passive form of patriotism by the example of an allegedly gay poet. [Citation Needed]
These days as far as the mainstream society is concerned, the Dragonboat Festival is now mostly enjoyed by members of old fishery unions, university students and professionals such as bankers, solicitors and architects alike, as a competitive sport, a tribute to tradition, and a gesture to the local community. I remember when I was a kid there were like three different sizes of dragonboats racing in their own separate leagues, and the races would go on pretty much all day. These days there is only one size of dragonboats and the races would be all finished before noon. This annual event is on a slow decline.Good thing I went to Tai O for the Dragonboat Festival, as this allowed me to closely observe and participate in the local celebration, which turns out to be one of the most important annual events of the Tai O community. This has given me some ideas on possible ways to revitalize the Dragonboat Festival by re-interpreting its meanings and significance.
More to follow. Meanwhile, enjoy a movie clip on how to board a dragonboat.