Falling on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar (June 12th this year) the Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, has been held annually for more than 2,000 years. Dragon boat races are held in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption.

Competitors splash other boats competitors with water as it is the tradition, during Aberdeen Dragon Boat Races on June 12, 2013 in Hong Kong. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

Participants get ready for a dragon boat race as part of celebrations during the Duanwu Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, in Beijing. (Photo by Ng Han Guan/Associated Press)

Performers use pots as musical instruments during celebrations for the Duanwu festival in Beijing. (Photo by Ng Han Guan/Associated Press)

A helmsman steadily steers his boat during the annual Dragon Boat Festival races in Taipei, Taiwan. Dragon boat races are held in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (Photo by Wally Santana/Associated Press)

The front of one of the dragon boats, during the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Races in Hong Kong. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

Competitors splash other competitors during the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Races in Hong Kong. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

Crowds line the shore during the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Races in Hong Kong. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

Spectators' legs hand over the side of a boat during the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Races in Hong Kong. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

Residents take part in a dragon boat race as part of celebrations for the Duanwu festival also known as the Dragon Boat festival in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province Wednesday, June 12, 2013. The festival originated in China and is marked with eating rice dumplings and racing dragon boats. (Photo by AP Photo)

Competitors line up their boats for some formalities during the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Races. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

Competitors paddle hard during a race in Hong Kong. (Photo by Jessica Hromas/Getty Images)

The winning team tosses the flag during the annual Dragon Boat Festival races in Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo by Wally Santana/Associated Press)