● During the Dragon Boat Festival, people immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture by way of dragon boat racing
● Integrating folk customs, food, tourism, commerce and other resources in Guangdong to boost urban and rural development
Guangzhou Haizhu Wetland Dragon Boat Scenery Shows "Speed and Passion" on Water
Li Chunwei, a full media reporter of Yangcheng Evening News, and Hai Xuan, a correspondent, reported that: "Storm, sprint... June 10, 2024, is the sixth competition day of the Dragon Boat Scene in Haizhu Wetland. Compared with the simple display of ordinary dragon boat scenes, the dragon boat scene here is to show the competition of" speed and passion ".
On the morning of the 10th, the traditional Dragon Open was held, with seven teams competing for six rounds. Compared with the standard dragon, the traditional dragon has more cultural characteristics and attractions. Taking the flag, turning, turning back, and sprinting make the dragon boat full of momentum.
In the afternoon, the Standard Dragon Open was held on a larger scale, with more professional members. A total of 16 teams participated in nine rounds of competition, which seemed to be a preview of the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational. In addition to trophies and banners, the top four of the competition also set up a prize of nearly 100000 yuan, which greatly improved the competition enthusiasm of the competitive team.
"It's really fun!" said Hudson William Stewart from Minnesota, US, "I learned the spirit of cooperation by experiencing the dragon boat with my new partners." He admitted that dragon boat rowing "is a bit hard because I have to paddle all the time".
Camrynn Jewel Mann, also from the United States, has learned Chinese for nine years. At the end of May, she came to Guangzhou with the "Bridge of the Future", a partner activity of the China US youth exchange program -- the China (Guangzhou) American Youth Cultural and Sports Exchange Camp. This time, she came to experience the dragon boat culture on the spot.
"The Dragon Boat Festival is a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation. We hope that through the cultural exchange activities between Chinese and American teenagers, international friends can not only see the inheritance and love of Chinese traditional culture, but also let them experience the pursuit of Chinese solidarity and cooperation spirit." said Guo Lunsheng, vice principal of Guangzhou Peiwen Foreign Language School.
Chen Yitian, director of the Dragon Boat Association of Haizhu District, said that at ordinary times, many foreigners also experience dragon boat activities. "Last year, the Haizhu Wetland welcomed NBA star Ade Tokunbo to experience dragon boat riding." Chen Yitian said that there were also international dragon boat teams competing this year. Foreign friends, like local villagers, especially like dragon boat training in Haizhu Wetland. The river here is spacious, and there are no channels or motor boats. Dragon boating here has natural advantages. With the Guangzhou Tower as the background, you can see green everywhere. Birds fly and fish leap. It's a unique experience for dragon boating.
The reporter learned that the Haizhu Wetland, taking the opportunity of displaying the Dragon Boat Festival culture, organized a variety of recreational activities this year, focusing on the six elements of folk culture, namely, "courtesy, inheritance, craftsmanship, popularity, joy, and royalty", and launched a series of more fashionable and local dragon boat culture activities. Citizens can not only get off to experience the dragon boat race, but also play a dry land dragon boat race without "water". They can also experience the new play methods of fashion trends such as ancient Mulan, creative market, Han music performance, national tide dance, shooting five poisons, zongzi DIY, colorful rope DIY, etc.
Guangzhou Liwan "Pantang Scenery" Opens
592 year old Yanbu "Old Dragon" Pan Tang explores "Qizai"
Ma Siyong, a reporter of Yangcheng Evening News, and Li Xuan, a correspondent, reported that on June 10, the 14th "Lizhiwan · New Xiguan" folk culture activity, "May 5 · Dragon Boat Drum", was held in Guangzhou Liwan Lake Park, and the dragon boat scene of Litang in Liwan arrived as scheduled. On the Liwan Lake, more than 10 dragon fleets from Guangzhou and Foshan came to "take advantage of the scenery", including 592 year old Foshan Yanbu "Old Dragon" who visited "Qizai" in Pantang.
In the morning of the 10th, the villagers of Pantang Village had already prepared flags, wine, fruits, cakes, etc. to welcome the dragon boats from Youhao Village. The products with Pantang characteristics, such as water chestnut and horseshoe powder, also became gifts.
Sixteen dragon boat teams from Yanbu New Town, Kengkou, Chajiao, Kuipeng, Qiaotou, Xuezheng Dongyue, Shijing, Tanwei, Dongjiao, Zhicun and other places came on the scene one by one, and each dragon boat was carefully "dressed up", with Luo umbrella, flag, dragon boat card, etc. Among them, the most eye-catching is the appearance of the "Old Dragon" in Yanbu, Foshan. The head of the "Old Dragon" in Yanbu, Foshan, has a long white beard and a white flag with black characters and a white background. During the cruise, the Pantang Dragon Boat guarded "Qiye" on both sides.
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Pantangshou will also set up a dragon boat feast near their ancestral temple, inviting the visiting dragon boat team to have a dragon boat meal. Li Kaifan, the representative inheritor of Liwan District's intangible cultural heritage representative project "Steak the Dragon Boat", introduced that "Dragon Boat Rice must have several regular dishes, such as' Dragon Boat Ding ', which is fried with peanuts, dried radish, fat and thin meat particles, and peppers, as well as chicken, shrimp, and goose."
This year, the Pantangshou 23 Dragon Boat Festival also set up stalls at several points to sell products around the dragon boat with the meaning of praying. Li Kaifan said: "A part of the proceeds from selling products around Dragon Boat will be donated to the streets to help people in need."
Dragon boat parent-child tour held in Yangji Village, Guangzhou
Children can also enjoy the pleasure of dragon boat hunting
Li Chunwei, a full media reporter of Yangcheng Evening News, reported that on the morning of June 10, the Pearl River on the northeast side of the Guangzhou Bridge was bustling. Yangji Village in Guangzhou held a grand dragon boat attraction activity here, and more than 130 dragon boats came to take advantage of the scenery.
At the event site, exquisite posters and display boards tell the ancient story and legend of "dragon" for people to punch cards. In the special Intangible Cultural Heritage Exchange Zone, the interpreter interprets the historical origin, customs and etiquette of dragon boat culture in both Chinese and English.
The actors who incarnated as "Little Fairy" brought the dragon dance performance. Citizens and tourists can participate in the interactive experience, touch the dragon boat oars and feel the heavy history and culture. Here, whether you are a radial hand, tourists or foreign friends, you can feel the unique charm of dragon boat culture. They either stop to enjoy, take photos, exchange ideas, or eat dragon boat cakes to experience the cultural feast together.
The Dragon Boat Scenic Attraction is a great event of friendship. More than 130 dragon boats from more than 30 villages in the city, including Liede, Xian Village, Wenchong, Chebei, Shipai, Yuancun and Tancun, came to take advantage of the scenery. In the afternoon of the same day, Yangji Village held a unique dragon boat parent-child tour near the river. Parents of nearly 200 families paddled with their children to feel the charm of intangible cultural heritage and enhance the understanding and joy between parents and children.
The relevant person in charge said that this activity not only enriched the cultural life of the villagers, but also was a vivid practice of family tradition inheritance, so that the dragon boat culture took root in the hearts of the young generation.
Nansha Dragon Boat Competition restarted after 12 years
The best dragon boat rowers in Nansha compete in boats on the Jiaomen River
Leng Shuang, an all media reporter of Yangcheng Evening News, reported that on the morning of June 10, a wonderful dragon boat race was held in Nansha, Guangzhou, which is located in the heart of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. Nearly 800 athletes from 32 dragon boat teams competed on the Jiaomen River to catch up with each other.
It is reported that this year's Nansha Dragon Boat Competition is a mass sports event that was launched again after 12 years. The competition has upgraded the scale and level of the competition, setting up two events: men's 22 person dragon boat 300 meter straight race and 12 person dragon boat 300 meter straight race. Thirty two teams cover ten towns and streets in Nansha District, where the most skilful dragon boat rowers gather.
There are many young people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and international friends in this Nansha Dragon Boat Competition. For example, the Bay Area Youth Gathering Dragon Boat Team is a team organized by the Guangzhou Nansha District Hong Kong and Macao Youth Five Music Service Center (Bay Area Youth Gathering). The dragon boat team consists of 9 Hong Kong youth, 3 Taiwan youth and 11 Nansha youth. Many foreign players from Russia, Britain and other countries participated in the 12 person mixed group competition.
Jiaomen River is the central axis of Nansha where the dragon boat race is held. It is called the "City Reception Hall" of Nansha. The sponsor of the event said, "The competition should not only stay in the stadium, but also enter the scenic spots, streets and business districts. The "Three Entries" of sports not only bring dragon boat and other large-scale events and sports culture to the people, but also inject new vitality into the in-depth integration and exploration of "culture, business, tourism and sports", transform the flow of sports events into the increment of cultural and tourism consumption, and boost the high-quality development of the sports industry.
You can "swim dragon boat" without water
The "Tour of the Dragon" in Raoping County, Chaozhou City is full of charm
Zeng Kequan, a journalist of Yangcheng Evening News, and Rao Xuan, a correspondent, reported that "Zhang Guolao lived to 18900 and never saw the Dragon Boat Street" - there is a saying spreading in the towns of Raoping County, Chaozhou City, which is about the rare folk activity of "touring the drought dragon". The dragon boat here neither carries people nor goes into the water, but is carried by young people to patrol around every corner of the old city.
From the first day to the sixth day of May in the lunar calendar every year, it is an important day for the big city in Raoping County. The activity of "touring the drought dragon" is grandly performed in the ancient city. In the six day event, the local people will travel to dragon boats of different colors every day, which are divided into six colors: pink, brown, green, purple, red and yellow, symbolizing their different meanings.
Before the dragon tour team set out, an old man led the way by splashing "red flower water", and the gong sounded 13 times. The young men in the city dressed in costumes played the role of the garrison of thousands of families in the city during the Ming and Qing dynasties, or carrying colorful flags or dragon boats. The team was divided into two groups, Wen and Wu, to help behind the dragon boat, and traveled around the "three streets and six alleys" of the city. Villagers set off firecrackers everywhere they went, Applause along the way, showing the magnificent scene of the coastal defense outposts of the Ming and Qing dynasties in fighting against Japanese pirates.
The reporter learned that the folk custom activity of "Tour of Drought Dragon" covers Chaozhou arts and crafts, music, embroidery, wood carving and other elements. It has a history of more than 600 years, and was selected as a provincial intangible cultural heritage project in 2015.
2024 Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (Zhongshan) Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament Opens
"Dragons Swirling" on the Qijiang River
Article/Picture Yangcheng Evening News All media reporter Zhang Degang Intern Cai Huahai Zhu Zihong Correspondent Zhong Xuan
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival on June 10, the 2024 Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (Zhongshan) Dragon Boat Invitational Competition was held in the Qijiang River area between Dongming Bridge and Kanghua Bridge (Zhongshan Dragon Boat Cultural Park). 37 dragon boat teams from Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area gathered together to compete around multiple projects.
The reporter learned that Zhongshan has held four Dragon Boat Invitational Tournaments in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. This year, in addition to the unprecedented scale of the Dragon Boat Race, the organizers also organized six series of nine activities in combination with the theme of the Year of the Dragon and the elements of the dragon boat culture, to give citizens and tourists a richer holiday experience.
On the morning of the 10th, the "dragons" gathered on the Qijiang River, and the players were in neat uniforms and energetic. As the starting gun sounded, each dragon boat rushed out of the starting point like an arrow from the bow. The players rowed hard, splashing water, and the fierce competition started in an instant. The audience from all over the country cheered and cheered on the shore, and the scene was very lively.
After nearly three hours of fierce competition, the match results were announced. Dongguan Hele Women's Dragon Boat Team won the championship in the international standard 22 person dragon boat women's 500 meter straight race; Dongguan Xiangyang Dragon Boat Club won the championship in the 500 meter straight race of the 22 person men's dragon boat group with international standards. In the first round trip event of the 500 meter straight track of the Changlong (traditional dragon boat) men's group, the Zhongshan southbound Changlong Dragon Boat Team won the championship, which is the eleventh time that the team won the championship in this event.
According to the sponsor, the schedule of the 2024 Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (Zhongshan) Dragon Boat Invitational will be extended from one day last year to three days, and the total number of participating teams will increase from 39 to 63, an unprecedented scale. The longer duration and larger scale of the event have greatly enhanced the enthusiasm of dragon boat enthusiasts inside and outside Zhongshan City.
In addition to holding the Dragon Boat Race, this year the sponsor also organized six series of nine activities, including the Dragon Boat Show, Invitational Tournament, Dragon Boat Culture Exhibition, Intangible Cultural Heritage Cruise, Zhongshan Dragon Boat Lantern Festival, "Qijiang Night · Music Companion Fragrant Mountain" Music Festival, aquatic sports project display, food collection, dragon boat immersion experience, etc, The content is rich and diverse. The activity site covers the Dragon Boat Culture Park, Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street, Xingzhong Square and major business districts in Zhongshan City, presenting a cultural feast for citizens and tourists, striving to build this Dragon Boat Race into a showcase of Xiangshan culture, and promote the integration and development of culture, tourism and commerce.
The event also invited a professional performance team to demonstrate water skiing skills such as acrobatic somersault, water ballet and water parachuting in the Qijiang River. The event also incorporates traditional cultural elements, such as intangible cultural heritage parade, dragon boat lantern festival, etc., to enhance the cultural connotation of the event.
During the event, Zhongshan City also launched consumption promotion measures to enhance consumption vitality. Each major business district held nearly 30 special activities in conjunction with the Dragon Boat Festival to attract tourists from the Great Bay Area to Zhongshan.
Editor: Zheng Jianlong