Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong seems to be all about dragon boat races and dumplings. 

The Dragon Boat Festival is 端午節 in Chinese. But most people just call it Dragon Boat Festival. 

It is supposed to commemorate Qu Yuan (屈原, Wat Jyun in Cantonese), a poet who was also a high official of the state of Chu (楚) during the Waring States period, around 300 BC.  Who drown himself in a river when the king would not listen to his advice about threats to the state.  

It is said that dumplings are dumped into the water, to commemorate his death. Others say dragon boat races are carried out for the same reason.  

Dumplings are great to eat, of course.  They can come in a wide range of styles.  The basic ingredient is sticky rice.  Many also contain mung beans.  They can be relatively plain, fortified with a piece of fatty pot belly, and further supplemented by a salted egg yoke.  But they can also contain more expensive items such as mushrooms, scallops, dried shrimps, etc.  In most cases, they are a delicious meal by itself.

Dragon Boast races, of course, are a lot of healthy exercise, and fun. 

But we should also not forget Qu Yuan (or Wat Jyun, 屈原),  Poetry, a higher purpose, civic concern, are as much as a part of our Chinese culture and heritage, as is food and physical activity.