folk custom: blessing dragon heads on boats
heads of dragon boats are pictured in hangzhou, zhejiang province on june 2, 2024. /cfp
both a traditional chinese custom and a competitive sport, dragon boat racing is growing in popularity both in china and abroad.
the dragon heads on boats in jiangcun village in hangzhou are one of a kind. traditionally, the dragon boat racing event in jiangcun village is celebrated by praying to the dragon heads before the race for a prosperous year ahead.
after this ceremony, the race begins with beating drums booming, myriads of colorful flags waving, and thousands of people cheering on both sides of the river, a spectacular and soul stirring event.
dragon boat festival, also known as duanwu festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the traditional chinese calendar, which falls on june 10 this year.
with a history of more than 2,000 years, the boating race may look like it just involves a simple paddling motion, but actually mastering the sport requires extensive practices.
