Postcard from Bishkek

With the usual impeccable  sense of timing, we discovered last Friday that the Torugart and Irkeshtam border crossing posts with China would be closed for a period – because it was the Chinese annual holiday known as Duan Wu Jei, or The Dragon Boat Festival – which is today.

This took us a bit by surprise for a number of reasons, although we knew that these particular crossings are closed for public holidays on either side of the border … and they close for the Dragon Boat Festival every year.  However …

• We only “discovered” it because it was announced in the Press … and we happened to see the article in the late afternoon.  Sometimes, in the past, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent us notification (… but, to be fair, that’s usually when there is an emergency of some sort).
• The press story informed us that Torugart would be closed from the 8th until 12th June, and the one at Irkeshtam from 8th until the 16th June -
• • The Press story appeared on the 7th – a Friday and it informed us that the two crossings would be closed as from the 8th – i.e. the next day.  I am not sure when the Chinese made the decision to close the border but, as this obviously doesn’t represent some king of emergency situation, I am sure it was some time ago … so why give us less than 24 hours notice? …
  • As it happens, the 8th is a Saturday and although the 12th is a Wednesday, the 16th is a Sunday … and both crossings are closed at the weekends anyway …
  • Usually, the two crossings work on an identical regime … if one is closed, then the other one is as well.  On this occasion, Torugart will be open on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June whereas Irkeshtam will remain closed for the whole week.
  • Although the two crossings usually operate on identical regimes, (in terms of hours), there is a difference between the two – they are classified differently.  Torugart is classified as a “local” crossing, which means that, technically, it is available ONLY to citizens of the two countries – Kyrgyzstan and China, (although citizens of other countries can get special permission to cross, although they have to be met and accompanied through the “border zone” by a representative of a tour company – so it is not possible for an Englishman, say, to use the regular bus service between Bishkek and Kashgar), whereas Irkeshtam is an “International Crossing” which means anyone can use it without having to get special permission or being met.  This means that our hypothetical Englishman can use the regular bus service between Osh and Kashgar.  In other words, Irkeshtam is, (generally speaking – there is one slight complication), an easier and more relaxed crossing.  On this occasion, however, the Torugart crossing is working on a more liberal regime.
  • It’s very unusual for the border to close for such a long time for this particular festival … usually it closes for a week or ten day at the beginning of May, (when Kyrgyzstan has three public holidays – the 1st, 5th and 9th), and the first week in October, (when there’s usually a week long celebration to mark the Chinese National Day on October 1st).

It was fortunate that we didn’t have anyone planning to cross during the week – but although we would have avoided arranging a crossing on the 12th – the day of the Festival itself – we might easily have arranged one one of the other days.   Although some of the crossings are arranged at short notice, (especially for independent travelers who are making their own way, for example, along the Great Silk Road), but many are part of a tour itinerary which has been arranged perhaps a year, (or more), in advance.

As it happens, I’ve discovered since the weekend that although the Festival itself is just one day, the Chinese Government actually make a three day Statutory (or Public)  Holiday.   To further complicate matters, when there is a three day holiday the government often declare it to be a seven day holiday – although they require citizens to work during one of the weekends, which are treated as the weekdays with which the weekend has been swapped.  It seems that such rearrangement of calendar schedules are not unusual and official announcements for changes to the holidays often occur throughout the year.

In a way, that’s not surprising – as we often have such rearrangements here … so I suppose we should have been aware of the possibility … but it would have been nice to have been told and forewarned in advance.

Anyway, we now know what to look for next year!

So what is this Dragon Boat Festival?

Actually, no one really knows … it’s origins are lost in ancient history.  There are, apparently, several theories.  One relates the strength of the summer sun, equating it with the Dragon.

It’s also known as the Double Fifth, because it is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar … such double dates are thought be particularly auspicious.

It seems, however, that another name for the holiday, Poet’s Day relates to the best known and most popular of the theories – that it commemorates the suicide of the Poet and Statesman, Qu Yuan on this date in 278BC by throwing himself  into a river.  According to legend, after learning of his death, in their grief and horror his followers and admirers took to their boats in order to retrieve his body from the river, but did not find anything.  Subsequently, every year on the anniversary of his death the people began to arrange boat races on the river,  in his memory.  The boats were decorated ​​in the form of dragons … hence the name Dragon Boat Festival.

There are other theories, however, each of which are given credence in various parts of China.  Indeed, it is possible that it is in fact a conglomeration of festivals all grafted onto a far more ancient festival in the same way that Christmas was attached to and absorbed elements of  the Roman feast of Saturnalia and other pagan festivals.

 

 

Tags: Calendar, For_the_Record, Tourism