Dragon Boat Festival celebrated in Sungai Siput to preserve tradition
SUNGAI SIPUT: About 100 people gathered at the Kg Baru Rimba Panjang basketball court this morning to celebrate Duan Wu Jie, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival.
The event, attended by village residents, was officiated by Perak Tourism Committee Chairman Loh Sze Yee.
Loh emphasized the importance of educating younger generations about the origins of traditional festivals like the Dumpling Festival to preserve cultural heritage.
"Young people need to be curious about their traditions. They should ask questions like why we eat dumplings or the story behind the dragon boat. There is a reason behind every element, a deeper meaning that often gets forgotten," he said to reporters today (May 24).
He added that understanding the historical and cultural significance behind such practices is key to keeping them alive.
"It's not just about the food or the celebration; it's about the message and the story behind it. It's important to have knowledge in preserving our traditions," he added.
In Malaysia, a key highlight of Duan Wu Jie, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, is enjoying dumplings with family and friends.
The festival commemorates the poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself about 1,000 years ago to protest corrupt practices in China. After his death, people threw zongzi in a gesture to stop fish from feeding on his remains.
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Boat racing in Yinzhou dates back more than 2,200 years, as evidenced by the discovery of an ancient bronze axe adorned with an image of men in feathered hats racing boats. At the event, a new provincial training base for village-level dragon boat teams was inaugurated in Yinzhou, in a step toward expanding access and reinforcing grassroots participation in this age-old tradition. The scene in Zhejiang echoes a nationwide surge in mass sports enthusiasm -- a result of China's ongoing efforts to enhance public fitness, seen as a cornerstone of the country's long-term ambition to become a leading sporting nation and build a healthy China. While the most iconic races remain concentrated in the water-rich southern regions, dragon boat activities are gaining traction across the country. According to preliminary estimates, dragon boat races will be held in 25 provinces nationwide during the three-day Duanwu holiday from Saturday to Monday. In south China's Guangdong, long regarded as a stronghold of dragon boat tradition, local races began as early as May 1. Over 100 races are scheduled around the holiday period in the provincial capital of Guangzhou alone. Among the races will be the high-profile 2025 Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. Set to be held on Sunday, the event, with a history of 40 years, will see the participation of 116 teams and over 4,000 competitors. Seven teams from Russia, the United States, Canada, Malaysia and Kazakhstan are expected to join the action. Meanwhile, in Beijing, the festival is being marked by a sports carnival of over 30 events extending beyond traditional boat racing to include paddleboarding, kayaking and other activities aimed at engaging the public in festive fitness. "The growing popularity of dragon boat racing is expected to attract more people to water sports, helping promote aquatic recreation across China," said Zhai Junshuai, general manager of a water sports club in the northern port city of Tianjin. Zhai also emphasized the potential of this dragon boat racing craze nationwide to invigorate the local economy, which is aligned with China's broader efforts to stimulate domestic consumption. National action plans released in March and April highlighted the integration of sports, culture and tourism as a strategic pillar, calling for more high-quality sports programs and distinctive events. Data from major travel platforms has showcased clear economic ripple effects. Tongcheng Travel reported a 270 percent week-on-week spike in searches for "dragon boat" as of May 19. Data from Group shows significant year-on-year growth in bookings for cities with dragon boat traditions. 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And teaching people how to play sports will be the first step to boost sports consumption," said Wang Yuxiong, head of the sports economics research center at Central University of Finance and Economics.
