Asking The Heavens - Portrait of Qu Yuan

The Dragon Boat Festival is a Chinese tradition dating from 278 BC. Held traditionally on the fifth day of the lunar month, to commemorate the death of China's great poet and political advisor Qu Yuan (340–278 BC), it combines Taoist principles and elements of dragon worship. This watercolour painting entitled “Asking The Heavens — Portrait of Qu Yuan” was painted by Rocky S S Wong in 2001. According to legend, Qu Yuan (340–278 BC), the exiled political advisor and poet, threw himself into the Miluo River in southern China in despair at the fall of his beloved kingdom of Chu. Hearing of this, people raced out in their dragon boats beating drums, throwing rice into the water and splashing it with paddles to stop the river dragon and fish eating his body. The dragon boat racing festival has been held every year since.