Dragon boats are dragon-shaped vessels used in the Dragon Boat Festival’s competitive rowing events, and dragon boat racing is one of the festival’s most prominent traditions.

Historical Origins

• Origins Theories: There are several theories regarding the origins of dragon boats. Among the most widely accepted are the Wu-Yue ethnic group’s dragon totem worship ritual in the Jiangsu–Zhejiang region and the theory that dragon boats first emerged in Yuanling, northwestern Hunan. According to the former, the Jiangsu–Zhejiang area had long practiced dragon totem rituals involving dragon boat races on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month as early as the Spring and Autumn Period; the latter suggests that dragon boats in Yuanling date back 5,000 years, with their sacred rites dedicated to Panhu—the common ancestral figure of the Wuxi peoples—making them more than 3,000 years older than the tradition of commemorating Qu Yuan.

• Historical Evolution: During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, dragon boat racing was a popular pastime in the states of Wu, Yue, and Chu. By the Tang and Song dynasties, dragon boat racing had evolved into a uniquely distinctive and highly ceremonial competition. The Tang Dynasty introduced the “flag‑grabbing” (duo biao) segment, while after the Song Dynasty, flag‑grabbing became an official rule governing dragon boat races.