The dragon boat season in the Greater Bay Area is longer than the actual dragon boats themselves, starting with the training well before the Qingming Festival and continuing with the lively sound of drums and gongs even after the Dragon Boat Festival.
In the Lingnan region, dragon boat racing is more commonly referred to as "扒龙船" (literally "dragon boat paddling"). The word "paddling" vividly conveys a sense of vigor and highlights the challenging conditions of the dragon boat race in Guangdong.
While shaping the geographical texture of the Lingnan region, nature has also shaped the personality of the people in the GBA, creating a unique approach to dragon boat racing, with variations such as dragon boat drifting, offshore races, and upstream races... This demonstrates the ability of the Lingnan people to adapt to their environment while also pushing boundaries and innovating, with a clever balance between adaptation and innovation.
Why are the typically reserved Guangdong people so enthusiastic during dragon boat races?
Out of the 52 days from April 17th to the day before the Dragon Boat Festival, Guangdong experienced 45 days of rain. However, weather has never been a reason to interrupt dragon boat races. For the people in the GBA, as long as there is a dragon boat to paddle, they are willing to overcome any obstacles. This fearless and persevering spirit in the face of adversity is ingrained in the genes of the people in the GBA.
Favoring a "self-made" mentality, the people in the GBA hardly complain about external challenges. Passive acceptance is never an option. Over 40 years ago, this region took the lead in shouting the slogan of "carving out a path with bloodshed." Today, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), with less than 0.6% of China's land area, generates one-ninth of the country's total economic output. This is a testament to the region's pioneering spirit.
With the dragon boat spirit of daring to be the first, Guangdong people voyaged to the four corners of the earth. And because of the strong nostalgia carried by dragon boats, they were brought together again despite being scattered across the globe.
In many places in the GBA, the sound of the dragon boat drums is a call for those who have left their hometown to return and compete for the collective honor of their village.
In Diejiao, Foshan, the annual Dragon Boat Festival is not only a battle for the collective honor of the entire village between the returned villagers, but also a call for the Hong Kong and Macao compatriots, who are just a stone's throw away and share the same cultural roots with the Chinese mainland, to return. In response to this call, many of them have picked up the paddles and made the long journey across the border to join the dragon boat paddling, including 17-year-old Macao youth Wen Yongcheng, who participated in the race in his hometown for the first time this year. For over a month before the race, he traveled from Macao to Diejiao every Friday after school to train for the race, vigorously propelling himself in the waterways of his hometown.
Nowadays, the increasing number of dragon boat races held in the GBA becomes a testament to the region's integration and the spirit of collaboration.
With a shared heritage and common ancestry, there is hope as long as everyone is willing to work together on the same boat.
Source: Yangcheng Evening News
