Tianhe District in Guangzhou is preparing for a month-long series of dragon boat events leading up to the Dragon Boat Festival, with more than 100 events scheduled across its waterways.
The celebration from mid to late June includes the traditional "Zhaojing (招景)" gatherings, a Cantonese custom in which villages exchange formal invitations and welcome visiting dragon boats, as well as competitive dragon boat races.
Traditional events:
1. Zhucun, Qianjin, and Huangcun Villages—June 15
The Zhaojing event will be held along the Shenchong River section, which flows through several villages. Zhucun's dragon boat gathering is a centuries-old tradition in the area. As a ritual, villages exchange "Longchuan jian (龙船柬)" (dragon boat invitation letters) before setting out. On the day, dozens of dragon boats from surrounding villages will enter the winding Shenchong waterway from the Pearl River. Nearly 100 decorated boats will parade along the river, accompanied by the sound of firecrackers and drums.
2. Chebei Village—June 17
Chebei's Zhaojing event is a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage and is known locally as the largest dragon boat gathering in Guangzhou. Boats crowd Chebei Creek, with drumming and cheering from both banks.
3. Liede Village—June 19
The Liede Zhaojing, a municipal-level heritage event, will take place along Liede Creek. More than 100 dragon boats will assemble in the waterway surrounded by the skyscrapers of the Zhujiang New Town's central business district.
Dragon boat races
1. Chebei dragon boat race—June 13
Held along Chebei Creek, the event will feature multiple boats racing before an expected crowd of more than 10,000 spectators.
2. Shenyong Cup—June 13
The Shenyong Cup, a well-established traditional dragon boat race in Tianhe District, will take place along the Shenchong River section. Teams from Zhucun, Qianjin, and Huangcun Villages will compete, with nine traditional dragon boats entered. The race will cover a total distance of 700 meters, consisting of a straight 350-meter course with a "huilong" turn. Rowers will need to reach the turning point, collect a colored pennant from the boat by hand, and then turn around to race to the finish. The pennant must be handed to the race officials to confirm completion.
3. Liede dragon boat race—June 19
Races will be held along Liede Creek. The waterway is narrow, requiring boats to make sharp stops and turns, a maneuver local organizers refer to as "dragon boat drifting".
4. Tianhe District Dragon Boat Invitational—June 27
The competition will be held at Tianhe Wetland Park and Xintang Reservoir, part of Guangzhou's first sponge city pilot ecological zone. The venue features an open lake. Aside from the races, visitors can take part in events related to intangible cultural heritage, sample local cuisine, and view art installations.
Author | Feng Huiting
Photo | Nanfang Daily
