Rowers are paddling hard at the dragon boat race held in Rongchang District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on June 21. (Photo provided by Zhou Xingjian)
BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A dragon boat race was held in the Laixi River in Rongchang District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on June 21 to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival that fell on June 22 this year.
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, traditionally falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan (about 340 B.C. - 278 B.C.). It is the first Chinese traditional festival to be added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Customs associated with the festival include hosting dragon boat races, washing with liquid herbal medicine, eating zongzi or sticky rice dumplings, and wearing fragrant sachets.
The dragon boat race, which dates back more than 2,000 years, is widely recognized as a symbol of Chinese people's wish for national prosperity, peace, and good fortune. It is also viewed as an embodiment of the Chinese nation's spirit of tenacious struggle.
The dragon boat competition held in Rongchang was part of the district's historical and cultural week celebrations, which consisted of 24 events held from June 18 to 24 to present a splendid cultural and tourism feast.
To make sure that tourists from all over the world can indulge in the beauty of Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage, State Grid Chongqing Electric Power Company has conducted a comprehensive inspection of 12 sites, including hotels, tourist attractions, and the square for grand gatherings and activities. A total of 150 personnel inspections were made to check over 18 power distribution lines to ensure stable electricity supply throughout the cultural week. (Edited by Su Dan with Xinhua Silk Road, sudan@xinhua.org)
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