May 27th is the first day of the fifth lunar month and Jinli is bustling again. The lively scene of dragon boat racing is staged once more on the Xiwei Channel in Jinli. Several dragon boat teams, each from a natural village, shoot out of the water like arrows off a string. Team members swing their oars in unison to the rhythm of drumbeats. The dragon boats launch a contest of endurance and collaboration on the blue waves. Paddlers swing their oars and sprint forward, jostling for the lead showcasing tenacious fighting spirit and superb competitive skills.
This year's dragon boat racing is slightly different from previous years, with many "new" faces joining in. Many children, with the assistance of their parents, boarded the dragon boats and became "Little Paddlers" and "Little Drummers". Experience the fun of paddling under the guidance of professional team members and immersively experience the charm of traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage.
As the last dragon boat crossed the finish line, villages in Jinli Town quickly launched their "celebration mode", lively "dragon boat feasts" filled with the hustle and bustle of daily life were successively laid out in ancestral halls and squares. As an important part of Jinli's dragon boat culture, the "dragon boat feast" is not only a traditional ceremony to reward the paddlers but also carries the beautiful meaning of "good weather for the crops and a bountiful harvest".
