Participants competing in dragon boat races in Hong Kong yesterday. The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duan Wu Jie, was celebrated yesterday by Chinese communities around the world.

Taking place in the fifth lunar month – which tends to fall in May or June – the festival commemorates the legend of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who lived during the Warring States Period (475 to 221BC).

He was said to be so disillusioned with his country’s government that he jumped into a river and committed suicide.

To prevent the fish from eating his body, locals went into the water on boats, banging drums and throwing rice into the river.

The practice has evolved through the years, with colourful dragon boat races and the eating of glutinous rice dumplings becoming part of the festivities.