Dragon Boat Spirit Dragon Boat Spirit

Dragon boat race, also known as "dragon boat race", "dragon boat race" and "dragon boat race", is a mass entertainment activity with strong folk culture color, and it is also a kind of sports that is conducive to strengthening people's physique and cultivating courage and perseverance. Therefore, the Sports Committee of the People's Republic of China made a decision in May 1984 to list the dragon boat race as an official event. In June of that year, the first Quyuan Cup Dragon Boat Race was held in Foshan, Guangdong. On June 6th, 1985, China Dragon Boat Association was established in Yichang City, Hubei Province. 1In July, 1985, the second Quyuan Cup Dragon Boat Race was held in Sanjiang Channel of Gezhouba, with an audience of over100000. So far, such dragon boat races have been held dozens of times. In recent years, the dragon boat race system tends to be perfect, and the scale is getting bigger and bigger, and it is progressing to international competitions. Dragon boat races need wide and deep rivers and lakes, and it is impossible to compete in places where the water is too shallow to float. As a result, people in shallow waters do "dragon boats" and swim in markets, high platforms and venues, commonly known as "ghost boats". Jiangxi has such a custom, and the time is also on the Dragon Boat Festival.

Before the dragon boat race, a grand sacrifice ceremony is usually held. For example, on the bank of the Miluo River where Qu Yuan threw himself into the water, before the dragon boat race every year, the Quzi Temple should be sacrificed first. Men, women and children from all directions, carrying bibcock, gathered under the statue of Qu Yuan in batches to worship, mourn and pay homage with zongzi, steamed buns and drinks. Then the priest will tie a red silk on the head of Toulong, and Toulong will take the faucet to the river to take a bath. After washing, put the faucet on the bow and start the dragon boat race. Different regions pay attention to differences. In some places, a few days before the dragon comes out, it is called "launching" to worship God and test the water. Going ashore to see the gods is called "dialing the faucet." The organizer of Saidu led many swimmers to erect a bamboo pole with leaves at the bridgehead years ago to "show off the dragon and recognize the color" in the coming year, which is called "Drilling Five"; The moon and the new moon communicate with each other, called "visitors", and so on.

In some places, it is also popular to "win the battle"-that is, tourists watching the boat buy pottery pots or ducks and throw them into the water, and the dragon boats compete in the water for entertainment. Shunde's dragon boat race has been famous since ancient times. In the early Qing Dynasty, Qu Dajun's "Cantonese neologisms and boat words" contained: "Longjiang in Shunde, fighting a dragon boat in May and June. On the day of the war, the Dragon Boat Yard was the kind of river that was neither too big nor too small, and the water did not go straight around the bay. ..... If you win the battle and return to the port, you will invite your relatives and friends to hold a banquet, and your port will be crowded with people and trade. " In fact, dragon boats are very popular in all towns and castles. Today, there is still a stone tablet in Beishui Village of Xingtan during the Kangxi period in the city museum. There are two kinds of dragon boats: Youlong and Sailong. Youlong is called "Dragon Boat" because of its large size and exquisite decoration, and its emphasis is on cruising and displaying costumes. "Sailong" is small in size, named "Dragon Boat", ranging from three radii to fifteen radii, focusing on racing.

Entertainment activities of the Han, Dai and Miao nationalities during the Dragon Boat Festival. It is popular in parts of China. According to legend, it was held in memory of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. This custom has existed since the Southern Dynasties. In ancient times, the scene of horse racing was very big, and officials and people in the state went to the chic side to watch it, even the rich woman who lived in seclusion went. In the Song Dynasty, there was also a dragon boat show at night, in which small lanterns were hung around to compete. It is still popular today and is called "Dragon Boat Race".

With the cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, the dragon boat race has also spread to Japan and Southeast Asian countries. For example, rowing competitions are very popular in Japan's coastal areas such as Kyushu and Okinawa. However, they are not called dragon boat races, but "dragon climbing". Singapore often holds national dragon boat races on the Dragon Boat Festival. Their dragon boat is dressed in red, and drummers dressed as "lions" and "bears" stand in front of it, beating drums and directing and coordinating the movements of the rowers. The whole game usually starts at two or three in the afternoon and ends at sunset.