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Flag pullers at the Taiwanese Cultural Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia, grab the flags at the finish line. Missing the flag results in disqualification or time penalty.

Historical records show the existence of dragon boats outside of China in Cambodia and Vietnam in the third century A.D., and also in Japan, Borneo, Thailand, and Burma. Taiwan started holding dragon boat races in 1736 and developed them into major sporting events. A popular and unique feature of the Taiwan dragon boat race crews is the flag puller or flag catcher who is positioned at the front of the dragon boat. Nearing the end of the race, this person assumes the critical task of leaning over the dragonhead and pulling the flag positioned at the finish line of the race lane. The first flag puller to grab the flag wins the race for the team.

The yin yang symbol represents an ancient Chinese understanding of how the yin and yang energies are mutually arising, interdependent, and continuously transforming one into the other. It is also a depiction of the celestial phenomenon of the cycle of the sun, four seasons, and the Chinese calendar.