SPORTS+and+RECREATION

Chinese Sports and Recreation  **Dragon Boat Racing **By: Dani B. Have you ever wondered what dragon boat racing was? Have you ever wanted to try it? Dragon boat racing is an amazing sport that takes place on the 5th day in the 5th month, in China. It's a well known tradition that dates back as far as 2,000 years. Dragon boat racing has both mental and physical components. It is a thrilling, complex sport because of its rules, rowing styles, and the types of boat that are made for this event.  **Racing Rules/Roles**  The interesting thing about dragon boat racing is that there aren't rules so much as there are roles. There are three main roles, and they are the drummer, the steerer, and the rowers. "The drummer and the lead rowers together set the pace for the rest of the team to follow" (Going to China). The drummer beats the drum, which sets the pace. Then there is the steerer, without the steerer the rest of the team would be lost. They stand at the very back of the boat. Their job is to guide the boat on a straight course so that they will glide along the water faster. Last but no least there are the rowers. They are the key to a fast team. There are two types of rowers, right-hand and left-hand. A rower is trained to be only one, either right-hand or left-hand. **Rowing Style** Style is important in dragon boat racing. The rowers on the left side will paddle, then wait for the right side to paddle, then they'll paddle again. This would be considered as a rowing style. Not only does it make the boat move faster, but it keeps the boat on a straight course. "Because each individual handles only one oar, rowers will become specialized in right-hand or left-hand rowing" (Going to China). Once you become good at your type of rowing, you then can focus on the style. **Types of Boats **The boats that are made for this event are all made to be different, no two boats are alike. They are all crafted to look like dragons and must have a dragon head and tail. They are painted with bright colors such as reds, yellows, and greens. They are also painted so that they look like that have scales, like a dragon would. Dragon boat racing is a thrilling sport not only when you participate in it, but when you watch it because of its rules, rowing styles, and the types of boats. It's a great way to catch up on your Chinese culture and to spend a sunny, warm day with friends and family relaxing and watching the race. **Yak Racing** By Sammy R. <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> Have you ever ridden a horse before? How about a Yak?!?! In China a traditional sport that is held in many Chinese festivals is yak racing. Yaks are the large furry animals shown in the picture at the left the races connect to everyday Chinese life, take place in large festivals, and lack in any set rules. <span style="display: block; color: rgb(0,0,255); text-align: center;"><span style="display: block; font-size: 120%; color: rgb(0,24,255); text-align: left;">**<span style="display: block; color: rgb(255,0,33); text-align: center;">Connection to Everyday Chinese Life **<span style="color: rgb(0,24,255);">Yaks are used by the Chinese in many ways. "Yaks are used to transport people; and cargo; warm clothes are made from their wool; their milk and meat provide food; and even their dung are used for fuel" (Mikkolainen 1). Without yaks China would be helpless, and without China the yaks would be helpless. Ninety-five percent of the world's yak population live in China! The yaks thrive on the high elevations and steep mountains, while the Chinese thrive on the yaks support. <span style="display: block; color: rgb(0,0,0); text-align: right;"> <span style="display: block; font-size: 70%; color: rgb(0,0,0); text-align: center;"> <span style="display: block; color: rgb(255,0,33); text-align: center;">**Take Place in a Large Festival** <span style="display: block; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(0,24,255); text-align: left;"> Yak races take place in huge festivals that can have up to 50,000 people! There are not only yak races but also horse races, singing, dancing, and archery. There are other yak competitions too, like yak polo, yak skiing, yak rodeos, yak beauty contests, and milking competions. The festivals are to celebrate healthy harvest and to pray for wonderful weather for the next year. Before the races the yaks are dressed with tassels on their heads, silk on their horns, ribbons on their ears, and fan shaped patterns on their tails, to be good luck. <span style="display: block; color: rgb(0,0,0); text-align: right;"> <span style="color: rgb(255,0,33);">**<span style="display: block; color: rgb(255,0,33); text-align: center;">No Set Rules ** What makes the races so exciting is the fact that they have no rules! During the run towards the opposite end of the race course anything can happen. Not all the yaks end at the finish line, and can sometimes stop to eat or go in a different direction. Loud noises and send them where they came from, and some kicking and fighting may take place between yaks. All of these just make the races more exciting! The races take only eight minutes to go 2,000 meters and the first ten to finish win a Tibetan scarf, a small amount of prize money and the yak gets pampered by its owner.

Yak races are a grand way to experience Chinese culture. With the yaks and races that help everyday Chinese life, the huge festivals, and no rules. For an unforgettable Chinese oriented experience, watching a yak race would be the perfect way to spend an afternoon!

<span style="display: block; font-size: 180%; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Ping Pong By: Evan H. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here in America, we have four major professional sports: football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Well, in China, their biggest sport is one not very popular in the US: ping-pong. Although it was started in England, China has always had a thing for this majestic sport. Have you ever played? Did you know that this sport helped two countries get along? Or that China has dominated this sport in the Olympics? Or that it is the most popular sport in China? Ping-Pong Diplomacy Do you want to know something weird? The first Americans who were allowed to go to China since 1949 were not politicians, like the president, but table tennis players. Relations between China and the US were not very good; these two countries did not talk very much. Around the time that the 31st World Table Tennis Championship was being held, talks heated up. Chairman Mao, the leader of China, invited the American ping-pong team to China to play against his team. This helped clear the way for President Richard M. Nixon to visit China.

Dominance in the Olympics Ever since table tennis became an official Olympic sport in 1988, China has dominated it. They have won 16 out of 20 gold medals, which means that they win it all 80% of the time. At the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China won gold in men's singles and doubles, and women's singles and doubles. They have won more world team championships than any other country in the world. Popularity Ping-pong is so popular in China that they play "in the first venue specifically built for world-class table tennis" (China's Ode).<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Tickets to matches and tournaments are always sold out. There, tables are as common as basketball courts here. One reason it is so popular is because it is so cheap and easy to play; all you need is a table, net, ball, and paddle. It is their national sport.

Ping-pong is an important part of Chinese society. It is the national pastime there, and they have dominated the sport in the Olympics. Also, it played a big part in US- China relations. As you can see, table tennis is very significant to the people of China!

<span style="display: block; font-size: 180%; color: rgb(63,255,0); background-color: rgb(107,0,128); text-align: center;">Works Cited <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 80%; color: rgb(0,0,0);">Mikkolainen, Terhi. "Racing yaks: a Tibetan pastime | Sports | Radio86 - All about China." __Radio86 English - All about China__. 5 Mar. 2008. 24 Feb. 2009 <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> < <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">[] <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">> <span style="font-size: 90%; color: rgb(0,24,255); font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Freitas, Nathan. __Yaks in the Field__. 24 Nov. 2004. Http://www.onwardtibet.org/index.html.//

Hughes, Tim. __Yak Racing at Gyantse Horse Racing Festival__. https://www.allposters.com/-sp/Yak-Racing-at-Gyantse- Horse-Racing-Festival-Posters_i4226611_.htm

Lei, Xiong. __Rowdy Racers__. Www.humanrights.cn/.../200402005510161957.htm, China.

<span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Reuters. __Chinese Festival__. 27 July 2007. Http://www.china.org.cn/english/travel/218887.htm, Yushu. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__Dragon Boats__. Racine Dragon Boat Festival, Midwest Dragon Boat Festival. <span style="font-size: 81%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"><http://www.racinedragonboatclub.org/festivals/festivals.htm> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">__Rowing Style__. No Limits to Life Blog, Portland Tribune. <http://www.nolimits2life.com/blog/images/dragonboat.jpg> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Cho, William. __Steerer__. Singapore, Singapore River Regatta Dragon Boat Race. <http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/sl0123/regatta/6370.jpg>

"China's ode to pingpong -." __World Blog - msnbc.com__. 25 Feb. 2009 <http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/13/1263358.aspx>.