Cheering spectators and dragon boat race teams roared to life in Hong Kong on Saturday (May 31) as the city celebrated the annual Dragon Boat Festival.

Forty-six teams competed in the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race for a total of 12 trophies in different categories, with the rowers coming from schools, companies, professional dragon boat teams, and also NGO sectors.

"From not knowing the paddling rhythm and the history, to now forming a complete team, padding in sync, and winning the competition. I feel happy," said Twista Chan, who added that she "grew up" with the team.

While dragon boat racing originated in China's southern Lingnan region over 1,000 years ago, the modern version found its roots in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, approximately 40 years ago.

The festival's origins trace back to the tragic suicide of the beloved Chinese poet and aristocrat, Qu Yuan, who chose to end his life by drowning himself in a river. In a bid to prevent fishes from consuming his body, locals threw steamed rice dumplings into the river and paddled vigorously downstream. This tradition evolved into the annual customs of eating steamed rice dumplings and engaging in dragon boat racing.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

HONG KONG, CHINA (MAY 31, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF DRAGON BOATS WITH PARTICIPANTS GATHERING AT START LINE / SPLASHING WATER WITH PADDLES

2. DRAGON BOAT RACE IN PROGRESS

3. RACE UNDERWAY AT ABERDEEN HARBOUR

4. VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS LOOKING ON

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 37-YEAR-OLD TOURIST FROM GREECE, ALEXANDROS KARAGIANNIS, SAYING:

“A lot of people are enjoying, small kids, bigger people (adults), very big people. So it’s nice. It’s a way to bring the community together. We have a lot in Greece as well, so we like traditions.”

6. VARIOUS OF DRAGON BOATS AND PARTICIPANTS IN WATER AT ABERDEEN HARBOUR

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) 26-YEAR-OLD DRAGON BOAT RACE PARTICIPANT, TWISTA CHAN, SAYING:

“I feel very happy, I saw my teammates and myself growing up. From not knowing the paddling rhythm and the history, to now forming a complete team, padding in sync, and winning the competition. I feel happy.”

8. VARIOUS OF DRAGON BOAT RACE TEAMS ABOARD BOATS AT HARBOUR

9. VARIOUS OF BOAT RACE IN PROGRESS WITH TEAMS PADDLING IN HARBOUR

10. ABERDEEN HARBOUR AREA WITH RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN BACKGROUND