Taiwan nighttime dragon boat racing puts a modern twist on an ancient tradition

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Across the Chinese diaspora, racing in dragon boats has been a tradition reaching back thousands of years. But change is afoot, In central Taiwan, the races were switched to the evening to take advantage of cooler temperatures, a refreshing breeze and the sight of the boats lit up with LED lights running the length of the low-lying watercraft. It is an amateur sport and crews are formed among groups of friends, neighbors and co-workers. Dragon boat races are also being held in Hong Kong and Macao, as well as around mainland China.