Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Dragon Boat Races are cancelled or rescheduled all over the world. Here are the latest updates of all Dragon Boat Festival events in Taiwan.
| Name | Location | Time | Status |
| 2020 Hualien Pacific International Dragon Boat Festival | Hualien Liyu Lake | March 20-22 | Rescheduled to November 20-22 |
| 2020 Taipei Dragon Boat Festival Carnival | Dajia Riverside Park | June 25-26 |
As Planned (online watching only) |
| 2020 New Taipei City Dragon Boat Speaker Cup | Luzhou Breeze Park | June 25-26 |
As Planned (online watching only) |
| 2020 Dayuan Sea Dragon Boat Carnival | Zhuwei Fishing Harbor | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Hsinchu County Magistrate Cup Dragon Boat Race | Chihe Lake | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Hsinchu City Dragon Boat Festival Competition | Nanliao Old Port | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Miaoli Dragon Boat Festival | Jhonggang River | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Lukang Dragon Boat Festival International Dragon Boat Race | Fulu Stream | June 24-25 | As Planned |
| 2020 Taiwan International Dragon Boat Championships | Fulu Stream | July 03-05 | Canceled |
| 2020 Yunlin Dragon Boat Championship | Yiwu Wet Pond | June 25-26 | Canceled |
| 2020 Dongshih Duanwu Festival Dragon Boat Racing | Dongshih Fishing Harbor | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Tainan City International Dragon Boat Championships | Anping Canal | June 23-25 | As Planned |
| 2020 Kaohsiung Love River Dragon Boat Festival | Kaohsiung Love River | June 25-28 | Canceled |
| 2020 Donggang Dragon Boat Race | Donggang River | June 25-26 | Canceled |
| 2020 Keelung Dragon Boat Festival | Badouzi Fishing Port | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Erlong River Dragon Boat Race | Erlong River | 25-Jun | Canceled |
| 2020 Yilan County Dragon Boat Championships | Dongshan River | June 25-26 | Canceled |
| 2020 Kinmen Dragon Boat Championship | Guningtou Shuangli Lake | 25-Jun | Postponed |
(Latest updated on: June 9, 2020)
Activities to participate during Dragon Boat Festival
2020 Taipei Dragon Boat Festival Carnival
- Event Time: 2020/06/25~2020/06/26 (as planned)
- Organizer: Department of Sports, Taipei City Government
- Event Location: Dajia Riverside Park (under Dazhi Bridge)
2020 New Taipei City Dragon Boat Speaker Cup
- Event Time: 2020/06/25~2020/06/26 (as planned)
- Organizer: New Taipei City Council
- Event Location: Luzhou Breeze Park
2020 Yilan County Dragon Boat Championships
- Event Time: 2020/06/25~2020/06/26 (cancelled)
- Organizer: Yilan County Government
- Event Location: Dongshan River
2020 Hualien Pacific International Dragon Boat Festival
- Event Time: 2020/03/20~2020/03/22 (rescheduled to 2020/11/20~2020/11/22)
- Organizer: Hualien County Government
- Event Location: Hualien Liyu Lake
2020 Lukang Dragon Boat Festival International Dragon Boat Race
- Event Time: 2020/06/24~2020/06/25 (as planned)
- Organizer: Changhua County Government
- Event Location: Fuluxi River
2020 Taiwan International Dragon Boat Championships
- Event Time: 2020/07/03~2020/07/05 (canceled)
- Organizer: Chinese Taipei Dragon Boat Association
- Event Location: Fuluxi River
2020 Tainan City International Dragon Boat Championships
- Event Time: 2020/06/23~2020/06/25 (as planned)
- Organizer: Tainan City Government
- Event Location: Anping Canal (from Anyi Bridge to Chengtian Bridge)
2020 Kaohsiung Love River Dragon Boat Festival
- Event Time: 2020/06/25~2020/06/28 (canceled)
- Organizer: Sports Development Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government
- Event Location: Kaohsiung Love River (from Zhongzheng Bridge to Kaohsiung Bridge)
The legend of Dragon Boat Festival
The best-known story originates from 2,000 years ago. In the end of the Chu Dynasty, envied by the officials, the patriotic poet Qu Yuan got exiled by the emperor due to political reasons. He traveled and wrote poems during his exile. Eventually he threw himself into Milou River after he heard that Chu was being defeated by the Qin.
After Qu Yuan’s death, locals raced out in their boats to rescue him, but to no avail. To attract the fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan’s body, locals threw sticky rice balls into the river. The locals racing to his aid has become the dragon boat race, and the sticky rice balls are the origin of “Zongzi”. Zongzi is now the dish associated with the festival.
When to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival, or “Duan Wu Jie” in Mandarin (“Jie” means “festival”), falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. For year 2020, it’s on June 25. It is celebrated in Taiwan, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau.
Dragon Boat Festival customs in Taiwan
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Nowadays, dragon boat racing has become a common event during summer in June. Dragon boat racing is even part of the World Games competition, held every four years.
A dragon boat team consists of 22 members aboard. 20 paddlers sitting two abreast, a Cox who steers the dragon boat from the rear, and a drummer who sits at the front. The team of paddlers work in unison to propel the boat forward from a standing start, they follow the beat of a drummer who stands center stern of the boat and the aim is to reach the finish line in the fastest time.
A race consists of between 4 and 6 boats, powering their boat in a straight line for 500 meters in general. Teams can be all men, all women, or a mixed crew with equal numbers of both gender. When dragon boat approaches the finish line (and flag), the “flag runner” (an extra person in the boat) jumps up on the bow of the boat and stretches his/her arms and body to pluck the flag. This determines the winner of the race. The flag runner needs to be careful not miss the flag or the boat will be disqualified.
Timing, strength and endurance are 3 key elements of a successful team; the fourth and most critical is teamwork. It is for this reason that the sport has achieved such a high profile around the world.
Reference: IDBF COMPETITION REGULATIONS & IDBF COMPETITION REGULATIONS and Rules of Racing
2. Eat Zongzi
Zongzi is made of sticky rice stuffed with an often meaty filling wrapped in bamboo leaves. Zongzi normally need to be boiled for several hours and carefully folded and wrapped as a pyramid-shaped parcels, to prevent the filling from tumbling out. In southern and northern Taiwan, Zongzi differ in their making process, tastes and ingredients.
In the north, the glutinous rice used to make zongzi is firstly fried with seasonings, then wrapped in the leaves and at last steamed in a steamer. It is chewy and has a strong seasoning flavor.
In the south, the raw glutinous rice and other cooked fillings are directly wrapped in the leaves, and then boiled. The glutinous rice is soft and dense; the calories are lower and the taste is lighter. When eaten, it will be topped with a special sauce to highlight the natural characteristics and aroma of the ingredients.
3. Stand Eggs on End
The most interesting activity of the Dragon Boat Festival in Taiwan is “standing eggs on end”. People believe the one who can quickly set up an egg at 12 o’clock in the Dragon Boat Festival will obtain good luck.
In terms of science, the earth’s axis is perfectly in line with the center of the sun during the Dragon Boat Festival. An equal time proportion of the sun above and below the horizon (equinox). This gives the perfect balance of day and night in all places on earth, making it easy for the eggs standing on the ground. (Read More: What’s the Difference Between a Solstice and an Equinox?)
4. Wear Incense Bags
According to the Chinese Zodiac, the fifth month on the lunar calendar marks the emergence of many poisonous insects. To ward them off, people hang wormwood, drink realgar wine, and wear incense bag. They believed this would not only protect them from the diseases but from evil spirits too.
It would be great to see an exciting dragon boat game or even be in it! Enjoy the atmosphere of dragon boat festival and maybe make a zongzi for yourself! (Read Also: Time: Google Doodle Celebrates Asia’s Dragon Boat Festival. Here’s What to Know)
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