Glowing bamboo rafts linked end to end like a golden dragon lit up Beijing's Grand Canal in Tongzhou during this year's Dragon Boat Festival.
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, it fell on June 19.
Formed by 36 glowing bamboo rafts from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the 240‑meter "golden dragon" glided gracefully along the Grand Canal, creating a striking Chinese‑style tableau. The spectacle drew crowds of visitors from across China and abroad, adding to the festive atmosphere along the waterfront.
"I am very touched as I never expected that there would be such a beautiful performance during the Dragon Boat Festival in Tongzhou," said a tourist from Mexico.
"It's very amazing. This is my first time coming to the Grand Canal in Tongzhou to watch the performance. I think it's really great and I hope to come again in the future," said Ms. Shi, a local resident. By day, the canal banks transformed into a bustling fair, lined with stalls showcasing Tongzhou's intangible cultural heritage crafts and local delicacies. Visitors also sampled honey, jujube cakes, kumquat pastries, and other specialties from Guangxi, blending regional flavors with creative cultural products to round out the festive experience.
"Golden dragon" of glowing bamboo rafts illuminates Beijing
