| June is the time of dragon boat races, an event whose
origins lie deep in Chinese mythology. During the course of the month,
dragon boats will take to waters all over Asia, from Nagasaki to
Singapore to Macau.
Macau's dragon boat racers compete on the Pearl River, keen
competition between crews representing local clubs, schools and work
places. Be sure to sit close enough to the water's edge to watch the
rowers pulling on their oars, propelling their slender boats towards the
finish line. Both ends of the craft are ornately carved and painted to
resemble the head of a dragon or another mythological beast.
Hidden beneath the spectacle of the regatta is an interesting fable
from ancient Chinese mythology. There are many versions of the legend of
the dragon boat races, but the one most frequently heard is the tale of Chu
Yuan, a faithful and honest servant of a Chinese emperor who reigned
four centuries before Christ.
Chu Yuan had many fine qualities, but foremost among them was
a desire to be a poet, which made him an example of rectitude in an
epoch troubled by widespread corruption that extended even as far as the
king. Because he was incapable of persuading the king to mend his ways. Chu
Yuan tied an enormous rock around himself and threw himself into the
waters of Tung Tin Lake in Hunan Province.
Although many attempts were made, his body was never found. Much
later, his ghost was seen in the spot where he drowned, moaning that Chu
Yuan had been devoured by monstrous water creatures. Today, the
dragon boats competition honors the distant memory of an upright and
honest statesman.
The Macau races are watched by great crowds of spectators who cheer
their local racing teams as they compete against oarsmen from Europe and
North America. They are applauding not only the rowers, but the spirit
the day, when everyone must eat a delicacy called zhongzi--
glutinous rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves.
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