The History

The history of Dragon Boat Racing dates back to the 4th Century BC. At that time, in the kingdom of Chu, there was a minister by the name of Qu Yuan. Although much loved by the people, his king thought him foolish and had him expelled from his high position in the court. Unhappy and dejected, he wandered about the countryside writing poetry about his love of his country and its people. Later, unable to bear all the sorrow, or perhaps as a final protest against the government, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Mi Luo River on the day the kingdom of Chu was conquered by the Kingdom of Qin

Legend has it that local fishermen raced out with their boats in an attempt to save him but they failed. To prevent his body from being eaten by fish, they beat the waters furiously with their paddles and threw rice dumplings into the river as a sacrifice to his spirit.

The people continued the custom of commemorating Qu Yuan's death by racing dragon boats and throwing rice dumplings into the River each year. One night however, Qu Yuan appeared in a dream to one of his former associates and told him that the rice dumplings were easily washed away by currents so the fish ate the rice and he had nothing to eat. The next year the people made dumplings wrapped in reef leaves and tied up with silk thread ('Zongzi') to prevent the fish from robbing Qu Yuan of his food

Today, Dragon Boat racing is a celebration of Chinese culture and tradition. The Melbourne International Dragon Boat Festival re-enacts this ancient legend.

This historical celebration provides an opportunity for greater understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture and beliefs.

The Museum of Chinese Australian History in Melbourne is an important educational and cultural centre for the general public and school groups, providing the venue for an invaluable learning resource.

The Museum Of Chinese Australian History Inc. is located at 22 Cohen Place
Melbourne, (03) 9662 2888.