Cultural roots

Sticking to tradition for the likes of the Dragon Boat Festival, which fell Wednesday, is neither pragmatic nor possible despite the great effort to ensure that the ritual is conducted the way our ancestors did.

The custom was devised for a way of life closely attuned to the harvest seasons of yore. This time of the year usually involves a transition from mild summer days to scorchers. Initially, our ascendants concocted herbal medicines and organized rites at the festival to prevent people from contracting diseases associated with the hot season.

Later on, the legend of patriotic poet Qu Yuan (340 - 278 BC) added a political dimension to the occasion. And, the dragon boat race and preparing glutinous rice dumplings gradually developed into a celebration of the winter harvest.