ttempts to rescue and recover qu's body. a typical dragon boat ranges from 50-100 feet in length, with a beam of about 5.5 feet, accommodating two paddlers seated side by side.
a wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at thestern（船尾）. a banner hoisted on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull is decorated with red, green and blue scales edged in gold. in the center of the boat is a canopied shrine behind which the drummers,gong（铜锣）beaters andcymbal（铙钹）players are seated to set the pace for the paddlers. there are also men positioned at the bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking for qu. all of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement for the participants and spectators alike. the races are held among different clans, villages and organizations, and the winners are awarded medals, banners, jugs of wine and festive meals.