Banning dragon boat races will put kibosh on festival

In recent days, a number of local governments across the country have directly or indirectly banned dragon boat races. Fawan.com comments:

Some local officials said that by issuing the bans they hoped to prevent any accidents. And there can be no doubt the bans are related to the tragedy two months ago in which 17 people died in an accident involving two dragon boats on the Taohua River in Guilin in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

However, it is improper for local governments to issue official documents banning dragon boat activities. Dragon boat racing has become a tradition in what was once a ceremony in honor of the dragon god who presided over the realm of water, including the rains necessary for a good harvest.

The negative impact of the local governments' knee-jerk bans on dragon boat races is obvious. They are now the most important activity of the Dragon Boat holiday. They create a festive atmosphere and are deeply loved. If local governments ban the activities, that might curb people's enthusiasm for traditional culture.

Even for the sake of safety, prohibiting dragon boat races is not the only option, and it is certainly not the best option.

Dragon boat races are not necessarily tragedies waiting to happen. The key is to ensure safety in advance. First, local governments should strengthen the training for the organizers of dragon boat races and the participants, so all are aware of the necessity of safety and capable of making people safe.

Second, local governments can draft standards for the dragon boats and the races, so as to minimize the possibility of accidents. Life jackets should be compulsory for all participants.

Last, but no less important, there should be rescue boats and emergency services on hand to provide timely assistance if necessary.