Vibrant folk activities, including dragon boat races and zongzi-making, unfolded in China's Chongqing Municipality and Zhejiang Province to celebrate the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, attracting enthusiastic participation from both local residents and foreigners eager to experience traditional Chinese culture.
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, falls on May 31 this year. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar to commemorate the ancient Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan (about 340-278 BC).
In southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a rural dragon boat race took place on Thursday, featuring 16 teams and over 400 participants from Chongqing and its neighboring Guizhou, Hunan, and Hubei provinces.
At the race, dragon boats surged across the water like arrows, with rowers paddling in perfect rhythm to the drumbeats. The thrilling scene drew crowds of spectators who cheered loudly from both riverbanks, some even banging pots and pans as makeshift drums.
"We're very happy to have won first place. By participating in the dragon boat race, we met many new friends," said Hong Mei, a female dragon boat team member.
"The scene was lively and exciting today, with a great atmosphere. I even brought a pot lid to cheer everyone on," said Tian Hua, a tourist. In Tongxiang, east China's Zhejiang Province, a dragon boat race was held on the Grand Canal on Saturday morning. A total of 18 teams paddled along the 600-meter course, splashing through the waves as they fiercely competed for the lead.
"Today's dragon boat race was truly spectacular and grand, and I couldn't help but feel eager to join in the competition myself," said Zhang Jianhong, a resident.
Haining, another city in Zhejiang, hosted a thrilling dragon boat tug-of-war competition on Saturday, drawing both local residents and international participants. Students from Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Congo even faced off against the championship team in a friendly match.
"I feel very excited. It's very good to experience this kind of stuff in China. I think it's very funny also. So, I wanna take part in real competitions maybe. So, it's very good," said Daniel, a Kazakhstani international student at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics.
Beyond the exciting dragon boat races, a variety of cultural activities, including an intangible cultural heritage market, boat boxing performances -- a traditional martial art practiced on boats -- and zongzi-making, have captivated the crowds.
Eren, a Turkish student at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, learned to make zongzi for the first time and expressed his excitement about the finished product. Zongzi is an essential traditional delicacy for Duanwu Festival - a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves.
"I found making zongzi quite difficult, but the auntie said I learned quickly," Eren said.
Vibrant folk activities unfold in China's Chongqing, Zhejiang to celebrate upcoming Duanwu Festival
