Diejiao village in Foshan, south China's Guangdong Province, erupted in viral fame as dragon boats tore through its narrow, winding waterways during the Dragon Boat Festival.
The Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. The village holds the dragon boat race annually for the Dragon Boat Festival. Every year during the festival, there are usually 18 local teams participating in the races. Each boat is roughly 25 meters long and carries about 30 people including paddlers, steersmen and a drummer.
"A dragon boat in Diejiao has three essential roles. The drummer is the conductor, calling the pace and the sprints. The steersmen control the turns, and the paddlers must be perfectly in sync to keep the boat stable. It’s the combination of all three that makes the boat fast and steady," said Liu Yezhang, team leader, Chenfeng Dragon Boat Team.
The competitions take place across several 500-to-600-meter-long courses, ranging from L-shaped and S-shaped to C-shaped turns. But the narrowest turn is only about three meters in length.
Known as "Formula One on Water," the Diejiao races saw teams speeding through narrow river bends and crossing the finish line in reverse.
The boat race is a beloved piece of cultural heritage for locals and all people who cherish it.
"I've been watching the race for half an hour. What impressed me most was watching them take the turns. Their skills were absolutely solid and it really got my heart racing," said Li Tingting, a tourist from Heilongjiang Province.
As one of China's most important cultural heartlands for the Dragon Boat Festival, Guangdong has turned this ancient tradition into a celebration of unity, heritage, and competitive spirit.
Diejiao dragon boat races in south China thrill crowds
