Posted by Terence McManus on October 14, 1997 at 01:54:01:
In Reply to: The Dragon Festival? posted by Adam Quinan on October 11, 1997 at 23:42:23:
Tuen Ng, the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calander, is also known as Dragon Boat Day. It is the only general Chinese festival that I know of in which dragons are refered to specifically. There is a regional festival called "Raising the Dragon's Head", however the ceremonies for that bare no relation to those described in the book.
My suposition is that the reference to Dragons "triggered" AR to invent the Dragon Festival as a local festival for the three islands on, or near to, the date of Tuen Ng.
It seems to me that the festival is unlikely to be Chinese New Year. If was surely AR, through Missee Lee, would have referred to it as "New Year". Also if AR had intended Chinese New Year I believe he would have added details; such as peach Blossom, orange Trees and the giving of lai- see (lucky money); which he would had have observed if he was in China at the New Year.
Although lion dances and dragon dances are traditional at Chinese New year they can be, and are, performed at any time of the year.