Ancient China comes to Charlotte as the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce presents the Dragon Boat Festival in conjunction with Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation. The folklore of dragon boat racing has existed for more than two millennia and began in southern China with the rescue of Qu Yuan, an advisor to the emperor. As legend goes, Qu Yuan jumped into a river in protest of a corrupt government and the local fisherman raced to save him while distracting the water dragons with rice dumplings wrapped in silk. The annual festival serves as a reenactment of the fable, connecting past with present. This introductory year coincides with the Asian Festival in celebration of National Asian/Pacific-American Heritage Month. In addition to the race, other festivities include performance art, a beauty pageant, exhibits, merchandise and food. Go to Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius on Saturday, May 6, to enjoy this grand event. Opening ceremonies begin at 11am. Check out www.charlottedragonboat.com or www.caacc.com for more details.
This article appears in May 3-9, 2006.
