Dragon-boat Race & Tzungtu
When it comes to the Dragon Boat Festival, dragon-boat race and Tzungtu are the first two things jumping into your mind. Dragon-boat race is a traditional sport activity, mostly hosted during the Dragon Boat Festival time. While Tzungtu, also known as rice dumpling, is usually eaten in memory of the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet from the kingdom of Chu who lived during the Warring States period. Both of them are the representives of this important Chinese festival.
Dragon-boat Race
Having experienced thousands of winters and summers, the origin of dragon-boat race has been covered with a mysterious veil, as a great number of legends are told from one generation to another. Among them, the most popular one is the story of Qu Yuan during the Warring States Period (475-221BC), who was a great patriotic poet and protested against the corrupted regime by jumping into the Mi Luo River. According to legend, local fishermen, upon seeing their beloved poet's act of courage, raced out with their boats in an attempt to save him. To their dismay, they arrived too late. Thereafter, Chinese people organize dragon-boat race every year so as to commemorate this admirable poet.
Dragon Boat Race prevails in the southern part of the Yangtze River, especially in Hangzhou. The most reputable spots are Jiangcun Village (蒋村)and Chengxi(城西). A place named “Shentan Kou” is situated in Jiangcun Village, Hangzhou West Valley. With a depth of over 5.5 meters, “Shentan Kou” has attracted the locals to host Dragon-boat Race. When the Dragon-boat Festival comes, various-sized dragon boats start to gather here, waiting for the time to break waves and scramble for the first place. A lot of multinational corporation staff will also assemble to complete with the natives. Another place is Chengxi, where grand-scale dragon-boat races can be seen each year. With advanced transportation facilities, Chengxi always becomes a hot tourism spot during the festival.
Bus Available: take bus X1, K24, K25, K42, K43, K186, K189 and K194.
The National Sports Committee listed the Dragon Boat Race as an official sport activity in 1984, and in the same year, the first Chuyuan Cup Dragon Boat Festival was held in Foshan, Guangdong Province. The Chinese Dragon Boat Association was established in June 1985. Ten years later, the International Dragon Boat Association was established with the first Dragon Boat Tournament held in Yueyang, Hunan Province.
Nowadays, the Dragon Boat Race is not only held in China, but also in other countries. In the Southeast Asian Games, the Dragon Boat Race is a formal game, and some other countries even propose to add it to the Asian Games. In recent years, the Dragon Boat Race is becoming an international game.
The dragon is a symbol of the Chinese nation with the best features of strong, powerful, protective and benevolent. It is why the dragon boat races are viewed as a means of spreading good luck. By far, the largest dragon boat in the world is of 69 meters long, 2.38 meters wide and weighs 23 tons. It has been listed in the Guinness World Records. A benediction ritual is also to be held before the race, which involves the making of offerings and the chanting of prayers to the heavenly gods. This ritual serves to ward off evil and to sanctify and bless the boats. In addition, it is supposed to make the dragon boats strong and fierce and therefore fit to compete in the exciting races.
Tzungtu
Tzungtu is a typical Chinese food made of glutinous rice, being stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. It is usually eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival to memorize Chuyuan. We known that in order to protest against the corrupted regime, the great poet finally jumped into the Mi Luo River to commit suicide. Aiming to prevent his body from being eaten by fish, the locals threw rice dumplings wrapped in silk into the river to distract the fish. Thus, Tzungtu is introduced to be a vital element of the celebration of the Dragon-boat Festival.
Hangzhou Jiaxing Tzungtu
The most renowned Tzungtu is Hangzhou Jiaxing Tzungtu, which was firstly made by a Jiaxing citizen Feng Changniang. Later the Tzungtu was sold in a franchised store called “Wufangzhai”(五芳斋). With the characteristics of glutinous but not frazzled, fat but not greasy, tender, sweet as well as aromatic, Jiaxing Tzungtu enjoys great reputation both home and abroad. A lot of tourists treat it as one of their favorite Chinese snacks concerning its super taste and the convenience for carrying and eating.
Where to buy:
Wufangzhai(Suzhou)
Tel: 0512-65223282 0512-65237034
Address: NO.22, Beiju Road, Pingjiang district(near Renming Shopping mall)平江区北局路22号人民商场旁
How to get there: take bus NO.101,Y 1, 8, Y4, 933, 5, 502, 406 and 102.
Jiaxing Wufangzhai(Suzhou)
Tel: 0512-62008316
Address: NO.434, Pingjiang Road, Suzhou.苏州市平江路434号
How to get there: take bus NO. 301, 305, 811, 923, 178 and 202.
Wufangzhai(Shanghai)
Wufangzhai Xinhu Store
Tel: 021-66340058
Address: NO.1168, Xinhu Road, Shanghai.上海新沪路1168号
Wufangzhai Sichuan Middle Road Store
Tel: 021-63216643
Address: NO.136, Sichuan Middle Road.上海四川中路136号
Wufangzhai Hongqiao Airport Store
Tel: 021-51151578
Address: at the conjunction of Buildong A and Building B
Wufangzhai(Hangzhou)
Wufangzhai Tzungtu Wulingmen Store
Tel: 0571-85060337
Address: NO.4, Shihu Road, Hangzhou.杭州狮虎路4号
How to get there: take bus NO.151, K251, K188 and 155.
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