They are begun by a starter who either uses a flag or a starting fun to signal the drummers to begin the beat. The races end when the flag catchers snatch the flags from floating buoys at the end of the course. Two boats race at a time and have to complete two heats. Sometimes, depending upon the number of boats, the winners are decided through the process of double elimination, meaning that each boat has to lose to two boats before it is dropped from the competition. Teams of women also compete, but their boats are shorter, having room for only 14 rowers.
Foreigners also join the races, with teams coming from as far away as Japan and Australia.
The dragon boats feature the head and tail of a dragon, a mythological creature regarded by the Chinese as having dominion over the waters and exercising control over rainfall. The heads and tails are kept ashore during the year and are only affixed for the races. After they have been attached to the boats it is necessary to bring the boats to life. This is done in a ceremony presided over by a Taoist priest and, amid burning incense and exploding firecrackers, the eyes of the dragon heads are dotted with paint. Sacrificial paper money is put into the dragons' mouths and also thrown into the water by the rowers.