In the waterways of the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, local residents are preparing to mark the forthcoming Dragon Boat Festival with a daring tradition -- slaloming high-speed boats through sharp bends in a spectacle locally known as dragon boat drift racing.
Dubbed "Formula-1 on water" by fans both from China and from abroad, dragon boat drift racing is a tradition that has been passed down through generations in the township of Diejiao of Guangdong's Foshan City.
Each year around the Dragon Boat Festival, the community in Diejiao comes together for this dynamic form of celebration that highlights skill, teamwork, and cultural heritage. This year's race will kick off on Saturday -- the day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday and will conclude on June 14.
The race, boasting a history dating back over 500 years, is characterized by synchronized paddling, rhythmic drumming, and the strategic maneuvering of long, narrow boats through tight corners.
The racecourse includes several sharp curves that test the crews' ability to maintain both speed and precision, demanding split-second coordination between paddlers responding to drumbeats, where any misjudgment can send boats careering into stone banks.
Liu Yezhang, leader of the Chenfeng Dragon Boat Team, racing on a dragon boat -- on which he has an experience of 6 years -- has made the tradition an integral part of his life.
"Dragon boat drifting is etched into the hearts of every Diejiao native. It's in our DNA. Dragon boat drifting has positive influences in our life and work, because we always hold fast to the spirit of Diejiao dragon boats: 'We'd rather crash the boat than paddle slow', " he said.
For Michael Lehneis, a new team member who came all the way from Germany, this year marks his very first time racing in Diejiao.
"My team was very welcoming at the beginning and was trying to help me a lot, but the exhaustion is heavy. The pain in my muscles is crazy, especially at the beginning, I could not move my shoulders," he said.
To locals, bringing in international teammates adds new dimensions to this cultural legacy.
"I believe that through their eyes and voices, Diejiao's dragon boat spirit can reach the world. I think this is a better kind of inheritance," Liu said.
"I am not really the next generation, I would rather inspire the next generation to come to the dragon boat races, it is a very nice tradition and it has a lot of action. 'We'd rather crash the boat than paddle slow,' we are really living that. We are not trying to crash but if we are crashing, then we will still go on, and try our best to make a good time," said Lewis.
For the people of Diejiao, the dragon boat drifting race is a vibrant expression of their cultural identity and a testament to their enduring love for tradition. The passing of this legacy from one generation to the next keeps the spirit of the race alive.
Dragon boat racers embrace traditional culture at high speeds
