THE sight of colorful dragon boats racing has got to be the highlight of today's Dragon Boat Festival, and manages to combine sport, community and fun.

In Chinese culture, however, it is much more than just seeing which crew is the quickest. Instead, one tradition has it, the event evolved way to commemorate the death in 278 BC of Qu Yuan, an honest and upright minister of the Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period (475-221 BC).

Qu is said to have committed suicide by drowning himself in a river after the Qin State destroyed the capital of the Chu. According to the tradition, locals paddled out either to retrieve his body or scare away fish, giving rise to dragon boat racing.

Following in such a tradition is a matter of great pride for many of today's dragon boat racers. Shanghai Daily meets four racers - including a father and his son.

Zhang Guozhong, 51, a leading paddler in the Baoshan District Dragon Boat Team in northern Shanghai, enthuses about the event.

"People love it because of the thrill and teamwork. I never thought of myself as an athlete but I'm now thriving in a dragon boat," says Zhang, whose day job is a driver.

"It's an event for everyone. Whether you are paddling in a festival or regatta, or are a spectator, there's strong involvement and connection. That's the beauty of the dragon boat race; there are so many different and interesting ways to experience it."

In the 1990s, Zhang became the lead paddler responsible for carrying on the local dragon boat customs. "I'd never actually seen a dragon boat race before I became a paddler myself," Zhang admits.

"My father, who is among the former generation of paddlers in Baoshan, encouraged me to become a paddler. But I know I was selected for being young and strong, as it's a sport for those with strong endurance."

Zhang says the most important paddlers are those in the first and second rows. They have to "play tricks" to impress the spectators.

There are three sizes of dragon boats in Baoshan - 6, 8 and 12 meters in length - painted in colors including white, yellow, blue, purple, jade and gray. A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow and dragon tail at the stern. A drum seat is located in front of the first two paddlers. At the stern, a helmsman guides the boat with the steering oar.

In the past, men positioned at the bow would set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking for Qu and, together with drummers and people beating gongs and cymbals, create a vibrant spectacle.

Nowadays, only one drummer remains, marking the pace for the crew.

Zhang leads a 14-strong team - including two substitutes. The standard team features 12 paddlers, one drummer and a helmsman.

Practice makes perfect. While team members have their own jobs, they usually gather two weeks before a contest and practice on Meilan Lake, one of the most popular places for dragon boat racing in the city.

The standard racing distance is 250 meters or 400 meters, and teams often practice three to four times each day. Zhang says it usually takes them one minute to complete a 250-meter stretch.

"We don't have a coach. All our knowledge about how to race is passed down from my father's generation," Zhang says. "I enjoy it because it's something unique and, more importantly, I'm happy to give spectators something to cheer."

Every paddler plays a specific role, says Zhang. "Teams have to follow the strategy. Those at the front must paddle in perfect timing as an example for the back half of the boat," he explains.

"When the power from the middle is synchronized with that of the back, a dragon boat can cut through the water like a bullet," he adds.

Much of Zhang's experience is passed down by his father Zhang Fucheng. The 79-year-old, who worked as a carpenter his whole working life, became a dragon boat racer when he's only 21.

Changes over the years

The senior Zhang has noticed changes over the years.

"Dragon boat racing in our day was more like a performance and not as popular as it is today," he says. "It's now a game for young people, but fewer are taking part because many are fully occupied by their jobs and are less prepared for hard physical work."

The father says that dragon boat racing offers excitement, friendship and community spirit. "All ages, skill levels and physiques should join for the teamwork experience," he says. "Today's young people should devote more time to the physical challenge and enjoy the fun of the event."

In a dragon boat race, two crew members are key to the team performance - the helmsman and the drummer. The helmsman at the stern steers the boat with a rudder, while the drummer in the bow sets the beat for the paddlers or oarsmen. Both need to be precise and in sync.

Helmsman Zhang Jianzhong, 56, considers himself the "big boss" of the boat. "I have to make sure the boat goes straight without any deviation," he says. "A good helmsman needs to be alert, flexible and sensitive to direction all the time."

A helmsman - or woman - needs to be constantly aware of the environment and movement of other boats nearby.

"The safety of the crew is dependent on the helmsman. If there's a risk of collision with another boat or obstruction in the water, it's the responsibility of the man at the helm to deal with it," Zhang says.

Born in a family that makes its living building dragon boats, Zhang grew up with all the traditions.

In his eyes, dragon boat racing is a sport of strength, endurance, courage and skill.

"What's important is unity, harmony and team spirit," he says.

This is evident when all the oarsmen row together to the rhythm of the drum. It's quite a sight - and something to hear.

Zhang Guiqiu, a village security guard, began drumming for dragon boat race five years ago. He had no knowledge or experience but the 50-year-old villager is now an expert.

He calls his beats the "heartbeat" of the dragon boat, keeping the rowers coordinated and in sync, going faster or slowing down as necessary.

"I have to pay close attention to each team member's physical condition. The rhythm is different at the start, during the race and close to the end," he says.

The drummer faces the rowers who are facing the bow.

"Good drummers should be able to synchronize the beat with the strokes of the leading pair of paddlers, rather than the other way round," he says.