Nansha 'awakens' dragon boat to welcome Dragon Boat Festival

On May 13, a traditional ceremony to "awaken" a dragon boat from its submerged slumber was held at Jiaomen River in Nansha district.

After three hours, villagers managed to dig out a dragon boat from the riverbed in preparation for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival. This particular boat had been dormant in its watery resting place for about 12 years.

The villagers clean the mud off the dragon boat. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

The ceremony included rituals for offering sacrifices and blessings, excavating the dragon boat, and cleaning it. Amid the sounds of drums and firecrackers, villagers jumped into the Jiaomen River, excavated the approximately 30-meter-long dragon boat, and cleaned it thoroughly.

This boat was crafted by Lu Gequan, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Guangdong province. He is the fourth-generation inheritor of dragon boat craftsmanship and has been making dragon boats for 44 years.

The boat is meticulously crafted without the use of adhesive materials between the wood, maintaining its pristine condition.

The villagers lift the dragon boat out of the river. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

Dragon boat culture is an integral part of Guangdong province's intangible cultural heritage projects. Various villages in Nansha preserve traditional dragon boat rituals.

The Nansha Dragon Boat Race has a history of 37 years. In every April on the traditional Chinese calendar, villagers awaken the dragon boat in preparation for the races.