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Tuen Ng or the Dragon Boat Festival is a major celebration in China. This festival is celebrated every year in Hong Kong on a grand scale during the fifth day of the Fifth Moon that usually takes place in the month of June. Commemorating the death of a famous Chinese poet and patriot called Wut Yuan the Tuen Ng Festival comprises of many events full of excitement and life. A high court official of the State of Chu by profession, Wut Yuan was a poet by passion. He wrote many empathetic and passionate poems for his countrymen, mainly rebellious in nature against the cruel officials of the state.Oppressed and downtrodden, Wut Yuan committed suicide at the end by jumping into the Milo River. As the news of Yuan’s drowning spread, people in hordes came to the Milo River and started to beat the water with paddles of the boats to save his body from being eaten by the fishes. Some people also threw rice dumplings into the river to distract the attention of the fishes from their savior.
Tuen Ng Festival or the Dragon Boat Festival is held every year to commemorate this hero’s death. Long boats of say 45 feet to 120 feet are decorated with pennants and fierce looking dragon heads at the front. These dragon heads symbolically stand for the heads looking for Wut Yuan’s body in the waters.
Some of the important places where these Dragon Boat races are conducted include Shaukiwan and Stanley Beach, Yaumati Typhoon Shelter and Aberdeen. Sponsored by local companies, the Dragon Boat race teams prepare quite a lot throughout the whole year to be in a good shape during the festivals. On this day, small family picnics are also held on the beaches by the people. Hence, enjoying the excitement on the waters along with relishing some good food on the beaches is a nice way to spend the day along with family members.
So, if you are planning to visit China, then do make it a point to share the excitement at the Tuen Ng Festival (or the Dragon Boat Festival). You will surely be taken in for a joyride!
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