What are the four major processes in the development of dragon boat sports?

The reason why dragon boat has been enduring for thousands of years is that it is most widely loved by people. According to the historical process, it can be roughly divided into the following four processes:

From small components to large components

In the old days, the dragon boat race was generally a closed dragon boat rally organized by villages, streets, docks and gangs near villages and towns suitable for competition. The traditional unit dragon boat only represents a clan, tribe, clan, wharf, gang, street or natural village, but in modern times, the group represented by dragon boat has changed from tribe and clan to national sociality, often representing towns, counties, cities, provinces and even countries. The grand event of contemporary dragon boat race is becoming more and more abundant: there are colorful cultural and sports activities, relevant academic seminars and international and domestic economic and trade activities.

From disaster to plague to celebration of festivals

In ancient times, people used dragon boat races to eliminate disasters and diseases, which undoubtedly originated from the root of dragon totem worship. It is believed that plague can be driven out by the power of dragon gods. With the development of science, people gradually change their ideas and hold dragon boat races in various festivals.

From praying for a bumper harvest to developing economic and trade activities

There are many historical records about running races and praying for good weather. "Agricultural Policy Encyclopedia" notes: "It rains every day and prospers in the coming year"; Miao people in Qingshuijiang, Guizhou, each wearing a hemp fiber and a hat, kneeling down to the dragon boat to pray for rain; People in Shilin, Taiwan Province Province wrote the words "peaceful country and peaceful people" and "good weather" on the Dragon Bow Flag, hoping for a bumper harvest. The economic factors of the old dragon boat culture are potential and reflect people's subjective wishes, while the large-scale economic and trade activities during the modern dragon boat race are very effective. Every time a large-scale dragon boat race is held, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of spectators give businesses opportunities to advertise, sell goods and engage in large-scale trade activities. It is more and more obvious to use dragon boat to expand the popularity of a place, promote tourism and develop economy. The "Dragon Boat Festival" has played an important role in promoting the rapid development of dragon boat sports.

From China to the world.

At present, the dragon boat race is unprecedented in China, and the dragon boat races in various provinces and cities are extremely frequent. It is reported that there are more than 1000 dragon boats in Fujian alone, and there are millions of dragon boat races every year. Moreover, the national dragon boat competition has a female dragon boat team, which is a great innovation in the history of traditional dragon boats. In 1980s, the dragon boat has been listed as an official event by the national sports department, and the rules and laws of dragon boat competition have been promulgated one after another. The international and domestic dragon boat association was established at the same time, and the ancient dragon boat custom turned a new page.

With the extensive development of dragon boat activities and the continuous improvement of sports skills, there are more and more dragon boat races held in China.