One might ask what dragon boat racing has got to do with Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister of Australia. That is a good question. Dragon boat racing is now a popular sport around the world but many do not know of its Chinese tradition. Dragon boat racing is actually a part of the Duanwu Festival held to remember Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet from China's warring state period (339 BCE – 278 BCE). During the Warring State period, China consisted of seven states. The most powerful of them was Qin state. It was Qin state that gave rise to China's first emperor, the very emperor who went on to create for himself a terracotta army for his journey to the afterlife. Qu Yuan lived in Chu state and advocated that Chu should ally herself with other smaller states to oppose Qin. However other ministers in Chu's court were jealous of Qu Yuan. They eventually had Qu Yuan banished from Chu's court. Qu Yuan disheartened by his effort to strengthen Chu committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River. Villagers who saw the injustice of his banishment and death wanted to honour Qu Yuan. They beat drums and splashed the water with their boat paddles to keep fish away from his body. This tradition became the annual festival of Duanwu where dragon boat racing were held in honour of Qu Yuan.
Given the little difference in policies between Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, the only reason why Rudd was ousted would be jealousy. Perhaps it is time that the Australian people need to stand up to powerful political fractions which dictate how our government is run. Perhaps it is time we need to get into our own dragon boats and beat our drums and tell these fraction leaders to hand back democracy to the people.
Gillard will adopt policies when it suit her political agenda not whether it is good for the country. From climate change to the mining tax she is merely implementing Rudd's vision. But there is no acknowledgment
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