What are the folk customs in Shangcun, Baisha Town, Ji 'an, Jiangxi?

Dry wheat boat is one of a series of folk activities of the traditional Duanyang Temple Fair in Baisha Village, He Yong Town, Ji 'an County, Jiangxi Province. It started in the Northern Song Dynasty and has a history of about 8900 years. In 2008, 2009 and 20 10, this folk art activity was approved by the county, city and provincial governments to be included in the intangible cultural heritage list.

In early years, wheat was mainly planted in Yonghe Baisha area. May of the lunar calendar is the local wheat harvest season every year. The villagers held a temple fair in Duanyang and performed a parade of dry wheat boats. On the one hand, they celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival and the bumper harvest of wheat. On the other hand, they commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan and carry forward the patriotic spirit. At the same time, they also offered sacrifices to many local gods and bodhisattvas, such as two princes, Kang Wang and Wang Qing. We sincerely hope that the gods will bless the coming year with good weather, a bumper harvest of wheat and a lack of water in the Ganjiang River. Because it is related to wheat harvest and corresponds to the dragon boat race in Duanyang Temple Fair, it is named dry wheat boat. The word "dry" takes its meaning of "water edge".

Dry wheat boat is a dragon boat made of bamboo sticks and colored paper. The bow is a tall dragon's head and the stern is a gorgeous dragon's tail. There are many figures tied with colored paper on the ship: ** 12 sailors on both sides of the ship, a boatman at the bow, a boatman at the stern and a helmsman. In the middle of the ship are tall and mighty statues tied with paper, such as Qu Yuan, Two Kings Bodhisattvas and Kang Wang Bodhisattvas. The "dry wheat boat" is a string of thick and full wheat ears picked by each household, inserted by the boat, or placed in the cabin to decorate the dragon boat and worship the gods such as God and Qu Yuan.