Race for Community: How Dragon Boat Fest builds connections

Throngs of people strolled along the John W. Weeks Bridge over the Charles River on June 14 as elaborate dragon boats raced by. On an adjacent street, vendors served iced beverages, Asian dishes, and snacks from their tents, while performers passed by wearing intricate dance costumes or paraded vibrant red and yellow dragon and lion outfits. At the peak of the event in the early afternoon, the streets grew so crowded that attendees had to elbow their way through to their next destination.

Celebrating a Chinese tradition that dates back more than 2000 years, the Dragon Boat Festival, which fell on June 19 this year, occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Often accompanied by zongzi, this holiday celebrates poet Qu Yuan’s choice to drown in the river — an act of choosing death over surrender when the kingdom was conquered.

This year, Boston’s iteration hosted 72 teams and around 2,000 paddlers. Similar festivals also took place in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in mid-June. Teams consisted of students and alumni from New England schools, including local universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Northeastern. Many Chinese universities — such as Peking, Tsinghua, and Fudan — also formed teams. Others were not associated with universities at all and were instead in club or community divisions.

But the event was not all about competition. In fact, according those at the races, it was more about community and connecting with others.

Esther Yi, at age 14, was one of the youngest people participating. She noted that the perseverance of the community allowed her to feel connected to her Tsinghua teammates despite the age difference: “I love it because…they all seem like a big family to me ... After every practice, we go out to cool restaurants to eat, and it's fun.”

Due to the significance of cooperation in dragon boating — specifically how the pacers, the engine, and the rocket work together — Yi said that she has learned teamwork skills. “It isn't just you,” she said, “It's the whole boat working together in tandem.”

Dragon Boat Festival. Photos by Adam Smith

For Fudan University paddler Liu Xiang, dragon boating serves as a way to enrich his life outside of work.

“I get to meet people from various walks of life here — people who work in similar fields or share similar backgrounds. It’s like an alumni gathering; I meet peers and expand my social circle and knowledge,” he said in Mandarin.

He also noted that there are multiple appealing aspects for anyone: “On one hand, I think it’s a great way to carry on Chinese culture. On the other, the environment here is incredibly diverse—people with all sorts of ideas, and the Chinese community.”

Hugo Tan, the Harvard China Dragon team coach, described the intense practice schedules, which began for them in March. During the colder weather, they stay indoors for muscle and fitness training. As the season warms, they head out onto the water.

“We usually have in-between 10 to 15 practices in each season,” he said. The Tsinghua team similarly has a frequent practice schedule. According to paddler Eric Guo, they continued training during the winters, and the week before the race, he was on the water for four or five days.

Even though the boat races centered the event, the cultural events also served as a method of celebrating Bostonians’ Chinese heritage and sharing that with people of other cultures. Isaiah Sanchez, who accompanied Stanley To to the event, said, “It's just amazing seeing the different ways that beauty can present itself here.” He continued, “Just in the way that people are dressing and interacting with each other. I think it's really interesting having a little bit of insight into a culture I wouldn't normally see.”

As someone of Chinese heritage, To said, “It's all about community. Just the fact that everyone at this time on this day decided to come to this one place and throw up chairs and tents and unload everything and just enjoy each other's company and culture and [heritage].” He added, “That's what being human is all about. Just seeing the flags fly, seeing all the people. It really grounds you.” When asked about the food, they commented that they were surprised by the diversity in caterers and that the lamb kebabs were “pretty yummy. Pretty good.”

Sophia Chen, an attendee supporting her friends Alyson Lee and Kingsley at Wah Lum Kung Fu, explained that she was there “to have a good time and to connect with her heritage.”

She elaborated, “I feel like everyone has a special identity whether you're born in China or (the U.S.) or you're from everywhere else…I find it so incredible with everyone here together from the lion dancing to the dragon dancing to the dancing in general.” Chen added, “It’s crazy.”

Brian Yi, a volunteer who is part of the event’s marshaling group that aids the boat loading process, said his reason for participating also stems from cultural connection.

“This event has…a special place in my heart,” he said, as a Korean person originally from New Jersey. He explained that currently being in Somerville means that, despite some diversity, it’s also a city where “you don't see very many Asians gathering or a very large Asian representation as of yet.”

“I just really enjoy watching the races, the cultural performances, and getting in touch with my roots and all my friends that are a part of this.” Through his experiences, he has met people from all different parts of Asia, including Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea. “It's been a fun cultural experience, and I hope I'll be at it for a long time.”