Trip of Xixi Dragon Boat Race
2023-07-12 13:28
The Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, and the Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou is bustling with activity. Dragon boats from neighboring villages gather at Shentankou, making active preparations for the upcoming dragon boat race.
dragon boat race
With the sound of gongs and drums, the rowers on the dragon boat moved in a neat and uniform manner, using oars to make waves. The rowers held the oars forward and backward, and the boatman at the stern of the ship squatted up and down. The stern of the boat rose and fell, and the bow of the boat rose accordingly. The entire dragon boat swayed back and forth, like a dragon king raising its head and tail, demonstrating a wonderful performance of "Dragon King Drinking Water".
dragon boat festival
Jiangcun Village holds dragon boat festival each year since Ming Dynasty. It is said that the race originated from Tang Dynasty, reached to prosperity in Southern Song Dynasty and thrived in Ming Dynasty. When Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty visited south China, he dubbed the race as " Xixi Dragon Boat Festival".
There are fully-decorated dragon boats, half-decorated dragon boats and non-decorated dragon boats. Jiangcun dragon boat race has a variety of rowing methods, which is different from that of other places in China, for it not only race for speed, but also for the forms. It has quite the meaning of "fancy" dragon boat rowing, being locally characteristic. It has been listed as Intangible cultural heritage of Zhejiang Province.
西溪龙舟
