Simply put, dragon boat racing is a boat of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steerer paddling to cross the finish line faster than their competition. It's a team sport that encompasses the elements of power, speed, synchronization and endurance. People who never thought of themselves as athletes can thrive in a dragon boat, and people who are athletes discover a challenging alternative to general sports.
With origins dating back 2,300 years to Southern China, dragon boat racing is the most fun, unique cultural event featuring adrenaline-pumping action. Teams race in authentic 46-foot-long, Hong Kong-style dragon boats. Today, dragon boat racing is the fastest growing international team water sport. People are drawn to the excitement, friendly competition, and community spirit surrounding the sport.
The Dragon
In Chinese culture, the classic Dragon (or “Loong”) rides the clouds in the sky and commands the wind, mist and rain.
The Chinese dragon is made up of many different types of animals on Earth. The dragon is said to have the head of a camel, 117 fish scales of the carp, deer horns, rabbit eyes, ears of a bull, the neck of a snake, stomach of a clam, paws of a tiger, and claws like an eagle. 바카라사이트
The dragon symbolizes power and excellence, courage and boldness, heroism and perseverance, nobility and divinity. A dragon overcomes obstacles until success is his. He is energetic, decisive, optimistic, intelligent and ambitious.
The Dragon Boat
Originally Dragon Boat was used for religious purposes as a way to appease the rain gods.
Each boat has an ornately carved dragon’s head at the bow and a tail in the stern. The boat is painted with scales. The paddles symbolically represent the dragon’s claws, the drum represents the heart. .
The Dragon Boat Festival
The traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (also known as Tuen Ng, Duanwu, Double Fifth, Dumpling Festival or Poet’s Day) is held on the fifth day of the fifth Chinese lunar month (varying from late May to middle June). It is celebrated not only as a festival but also a public holiday in the People's Republic of China.
The fifth Chinese lunar month is traditionally considered a month of death and disease, evil and darkness, due to the high summer temperatures in China. Therefore, venerating the awakening Dragon was meant to avert misfortune and encourage rainfall, needed for the fertility of crops and prosperity of the people. This annual celebration is meant to protect the people from evil & disease for the rest of the year.
WHY IS IT GOOD FOR ME? Dragon boating has a variety of benefits from social inclusion, physical fitness and mental wellbeing. Dragon boating is open to all fitness levels and can help you to gradually increase your fitness. It is a whole body workout which is can improve cardiovascular fitness, endurance, stamina and coordination. Dragonboating also provides an opportunity for a diverse range of people to get to know other like minded people in their community. Over the past 15 years, Dragon Boat Racing has become extremely popular among Breast Cancer Survivors due to its proven physical benefits. It is an invaluable part of the recovery process.
