What is the history of Dragon Boats?

Answer 1

The custom of dragon boating dates back more than 2,000 years. Its origin was a commemoration of the patriot poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Mei Lo River after being exiled from his state. It is said the villagers, who loved Qu Yuan, feared the fish and water dragons would devour his body so they rowed around the river splashing their paddles and beating their drums to scare away the beasts. And to ensure that Qu Yuan never went hungry, or maybe to divert the fish from eating his body, they wrapped rice in leaves and threw them into the river. (Rice cakes are still eaten today as part of dragon boat festival celebrations in Asia).