Zhangjiajie Dragon Boat Race

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Event time: May5thinthe Chinese lunar calendar

Event introduction: Dragon Boat Race is an important event to commemorate the great patriotic poet Qu Yuan. When people heard the news that Qu Yuan was dead, they were so grieved that they rowed to get his body, but failed. Since then people rowed dragon boats on river to mourn for Qu Yuan. To save the body from fish, people began to throw rice into Miluo River to distract the attention of fish. On the day of Dragon Boat Festival, people gather along the Lishui River, watching men racing in the river, which is a spectacular scene.

About Dragon Boat Race

The Dragon Boat Race in Lishui has a long history, which dated back in Ming Dynasty: “in order to commemorate the day when Qu Yuan died, several villages of Lishui held dragon boat races, including Yongandu, Chengguan Town, Liulinpu, and Yanbodu.”

The dragon boat itself is very exquisite in details, including its head and tail, which make it look like a real dragon in the sea. After building the boat, they have to pick a good day to race. In addition, they have to make animal sacrifice and ceremony to pray for good luck. The Dragon Boat Races are mostly organized locally, but also can be organized for boatmen or general public. The funds for operating "Dragon Boat Factory", "Dragon Boat Pavilion" or "Dragon Temple" are generated from industrial income and public donations. People in charge of the Dragon Boat Race are called "headman" or "union head", and their position will be rotated every one year, two years or three years. Some of them are recommended by the general public, and others are assigned by the government. "Headman" or "union head" is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the boats, propellers, drums and flags, as well as organizing and arranging all aspects of the whole event.

People who are assigned as rowers are very proud. Even if someone died in their family, they still have to finish the Dragon Boat Race before organizing the funeral. There are many local poems about the Dragon Boat Race. On the race day, local people from men to women, from young to old, will go to watch, especially the wives of rowers must go, because everyone will share a sense of honor.

When the race starts, rowers make their most efforts to win the race in the drum beats. The poet chants like: "water sound and drum beats together, rowers swing paddles in the dragon boat. Athletes have good skill in racing, and the winning team enjoys the championship in Dragon Boat Festival."

After the liberation, dragon boat race remains the same. Only now it is organized by the government every year, regardless of the weather. After the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, there is a new development in dragon boat race. Party Secretary Zhao Shuli of Cili County improvised a poem after watching the Dragon Boat Race.