Dragon Boat Festival – Hsinchu County (新竹縣龍舟競賽)

Dragon Boat Festival in Hsinchu

Taiwan has enough temples, mountains, and beaches to keep your average tourist entertained for weeks. From culinary masterpieces and night markets to coastal bike trails, this is a country that has travelers planning their next trip to the island even before their vacation is over! One thing that may be overlooked while you are busy temple hopping and checking out what cities to visit next are the traditional holidays.

To truly get to know a culture, you’ll want to be sure to participate in the festivals and holidays which are most important to the locals. These are times when customs and traditions are put on full display. Showcasing everything that makes Taiwan’s culture beautiful and unique. One of these spectacular holidays is the Dragon Boat Festival (端午節).

If you’re in downtown Hsinchu, be sure to check out the massive Tiangong Temple!

Dragon Boat Races

Nearly every city and county in Taiwan have its very own Dragon Boat Festival and race. Hsinchu is no exception. For Hsinchu, you’ll actually have the choice of attending two different dragon boat races. One in Hsinchu City (新竹市) and the other in Hsinchu County (新竹縣). Every year, Dragon Boat Festival is held on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month according to the Chinese calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, the holiday typically falls in either late May or June.

The Hsinchu City dragon boat race is held in Nanliao (南寮) at the Nanliao Fishing Harbor (南寮漁港). Hsinchu County’s Dragon Boat Festival is particularly special with it being held in Xinfeng’s (新豐) Chihe Temple (池和宮). With a lake directly in front of the massive gate of the temple, you’ll be watching colorful dragon boats race by astounding traditional architecture.

If you’re wanting to get more off of the beaten path, be sure to visit the one-of-a-kind Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

Rules of the Game

The rules of a dragon boat race are simple. At the start of the buzzer, the teams will row as fast as they can to the other side of the lake. The first team to grab the flag is the winner. Other than the rowers, there is also one team member designated to grab the flag and another to beat the drum. The team member who will capture the flag is often sitting on top of the dragon’s head. As they approach the flag, they will have to reach out to grab it without falling off of the boat.

Nearly anyone can sign up to participate in Hsinchu’s Dragon Boat Festival. All you need is a team. Most of the teams who are racing are made up of different companies and businesses. There are also more professional teams that attend. Don’t be surprised when you see a group of office workers being smoked by a highly sequenced team rowing and grunting in unison.

If you want to see Hsinchu City really come alive, be sure to go to the weekend flower market!

Chihe Temple (池和宮)

What really makes Hsinchu County’s Dragon Boat Festival one of a kind is the fact that it is in front of a traditional Daoist temple. The massive intricate gate makes for the perfect backdrop of the race as the boats go flying by. There are few Dragon Boat Festivals in Taiwan that have such an intimate atmosphere as Hsinchu. Although your eyes may be glued to the races, you’ll want to be sure to check out the temple itself before you head home.

Xinfeng’s Chihe Temple was built in honor of Chih Fu Wang Yeh (池府王爺). According to legend, This god was originally a man named Chih Mengbiao (池夢彪). When the god of plagues (瘟神) was sent to bring disease to the earth, Mengbiao distracted him by inviting the deity to his house. The two began to drink together. While the god was drunk, Mengbiao then took the vial of the disease meant for the earth and drank it all himself. He managed to save humanity but killed himself. Due to his deeds, the Jade Emperor (玉帝) honored Chih Mengbiao by making him into a god.

Today, worshipers visit this temple with over 200 years of history to pray to Chih Fu Wang Yeh. Other than the statues of the god, visitors will also find breathtaking statues and works of art adorning the walls.

Are you a fan of unique temples? Be sure to head over to Putian Temple!

Eating Through Dragon Boat Festival

During Dragon Boat Festival in Hsinchu, the entire area around the lake turns into massive fairgrounds. Here you will find everything from night market games to mouth-watering snacks. Depending on where your taste buds lead you, you can chow down on anything from ice cream to corn dogs. One thing you’ll want to be sure not to miss out on eating during Dragon Boat Festival is a sticky rice dumpling, also known as a zongzi (粽子).

Zongzi is quite important to the history of the Dragon Boat Festival. According to legend,  a court official and poet named Qu Yuan (屈原) tried to expose a plot to invade the State of Chu (楚). Corrupt officials beat Qu Yuan to the emperor and shifted the blame to him. While in exile, Qu Yuan got the news that the conspirators succeeded and the State of Chu was no more. Heartbroken, Qu Yuan threw himself into Miluo River (汨羅江) to kill himself. Those loyal to Qu Yuan raced across the river in boats to his body and dropped sticky rice in the water to prevent the fish from eating his remains. Thus, Dragon Boat Festival was born.

If you’re wanting to get some more exercise in, why not pedal out to the famous Tofu Rocks?

Xinfeng’s Dragon Boat Races

When it comes to experiencing Dragon Boat Festival, Hsinchu County will leave you with memories unlike any other. Not only will you be watching one of the more romanticized versions of the race, but you will also be able to dive into Taiwan’s traditional religions and cuisine at the same time. If you were just in Taiwan for a few days, this dragon boat race embodies all the best things about the country.

If you have been in Taiwan for a while, you’re sure to have seen your fair share of Dragon Boat Festivals. Hsinchu County’s races have half of the crowds when compared to bigger cities and a much warmer and welcoming environment. Rather than just feeling like a tourist, you’ll feel as if you’re part of a community in Hsinchu.

Are you looking for even more to do in Hsinchu? You can find a complete list of all the best things here!