Also known as Duanwu, the Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday in the Chinese calendar and in parts of Asia where Chinese immigrants live. In Singapore this annual race comes to life at the Bedok Reservoir. A significant number of crews participate in the Dragon boat race which commemorates the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan. Overall the festival is meant to be a celebration; it is a display of Chinese culture and habits. Those who are not racing at the event generally feast on some of the delicious Chinese cuisine prepared for the day. The main items available are rice dumplings and rice wine and the Bedok Reservoir is filled with stalls that serve steaming dumplings for the spectators. Enjoying Chinese food is simply one aspect of the Festival, there are several other activities lined up for those who come to watch the race. Hanging icons of ZhongKui, Mugwort and Calamus, sporting perfumed medicine bags and writing spells is all part of the day’s celebrations.
Most of the activities have a symbolic and cultural meaning tied to it. For instance, making an egg stand at noon time was believed to be an effective way of preventing the spread of disease and evil. Chinese people consider it a sign of good health and well-being and look at it as a guard against evil spirits entering their homes. The major component of the festival is the dragon boat. The boat is human powered and is usually made from teak wood. Brightly colored designs often adorn the teak structure of the boat and it is somewhere between 40 to 100 feet long. The end of the boat is shaped like the open mouth of a dragon and the rear end is a jagged tail. There are around 80 oarsmen/women who row in the boat.
The race begins with a sacred ceremony; the boat is ‘brought to life’ with the painting of the dragons eyes. The winner of the race is determined by the first team to grab the flag that is at the end of the course. If you want to catch the action and get a good view of the race, then 5 start hotels Singapore would be a good fit for you. Singapore luxury suites offer a spectacular view of the Bedok Reservoir and most of the city’s landmarks. The St. Regis Singapore can be recommended for visitors who are keen to be at the center of all the action and enjoy the festival’s many activities.