Ready. Set. Go!
Before you know it, the horn sounds off and the race has begun!
This is what it might be like to attend the Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated today, June 25th, 2020. This ancient holiday features dragon boat racing, feasts, and festivities and is celebrated all over East Asia.
What is dragon boat racing, you might ask? It is a competition with ancient Chinese origins in which 22 crew members (20 paddlers, 1 drummer, and 1 steerer) race the other teams to the finish line. A dragon boat is similar to a canoe but in the shape of a dragon, with a dragon head at the helm and tail at the rear.
 |
| Painting of ancient dragon boat racing found in a temple in Taiwan |
Here in the Key Room, we have one key which aptly claims to unlock "the heart of the dragon." The dragon is a central symbol in Chinese culture and spirituality. It traditionally represents good fortune, water, and royalty.
The Baldpate Inn Key Room houses keys that hail from over 42 countries around the world. Although we have only a handful of keys from China, we are proud of our international community and wish them a wonderful day of festivities! May the quickest dragon win 🐲
Written by Danielle New
Museum Curator
