A dragon boat race is a major part of the celebrations during the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar; and this year it falls on June 23. The boats are generally decked out with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. The regatta commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, an honest minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), who committed suicide by drowning himself in a river after being disgraced and dismissed from office. The dragon boat races symbolize people attempting to rescue and recover Qu's body. The following slide shows dragon boat races held across the country before the festival.
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