FÊTE DES BATEAUX DRAGONS

This celebration commemorates the date at which the patriot poet of the Kingdom of Chu in Ancient China, Qu Yuan, threw himself into Miluo River, because he had lost all hope for his country's future. Legend is that the people have played the drum to scare the fish, and thrown into the water of the rice balls to stop them from mutiying Qu Yuan. Today, it's always the same pyramid-shaped glutinous rice cakes wrapped with a bamboo leaf that you taste that day. The children weave multicolored sachets around the neck, filled with closes, to hunt bad spirits and attract good fortune. It's also an opportunity to organize boat races with a dragon's head and tail, advancing with drum beats. These races symbolize attempts to save Qu Yuan and hunt fish. This colorful festival includes the most spectacular races in Stanley, Hong Kong, and Sai Van in Macau.