epa05999982 A team takes part in the Dragon Boat Race on the Pearl River in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, 28 May 2017 (issued 30 May 2017). The Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu jie is one of the most important holidays in the traditional Chinese calendar. It is typically held on the fifth day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar and is also known as the double five. According to Chinese legend, the festival commemorates the death of poet and patriot Qu Yuan who became a martyr when he drowned himself in the Miluo River. In southern China's Guangdong province, the boat races take place in many towns and villages that run along the countless canals and tributaries of the Pearl River. Each boat represents an influential local family and the competition is fierce. The winner can claim up to 10.000 Yuan (aprox. 1250 euro) in money and enjoy fame for 100 years. Not surprisingly, the competition can lead to long-lasting feuds between villages. Strict rules surround the male-dominated event. Women are not allowed to touch the boats at all, let alone steer them. Many people even believe that a dragon boat that sails under a bridge on which a woman stands is doomed to failure. This is because of the belief that women should never stand above men. The races generally take place over several days and when the event is over, the boats are ceremonially covered in mud and sunk at the bottom of the canals, where they will remain until the following year. This is because the boats are made from expensive teak wood and it is believed that water storage protect them from degradation. Boats can cost about 40.000 Yuan (aprox. 5000 euro) and are generally created with ornate designs. EPA/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI