Dragons on the water: thrilling dragon boat races held in Guangzhou — 33 teams, 350‑meter round trips, and authentic street food
9 teams in Tianhe District, 33 teams in Renhe Town (Baiyun District). Three‑day drift races, traditional 350‑meter out‑and‑back sprints requiring a flag grab at the turn. The races honor the Dragon Boat Festival (June 19) and the poet Qu Yuan.
As reported by CCTV+, on Saturday several districts of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province in southern China, hosted thrilling dragon boat races in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 19 this year. In Tianhe District, nine local teams competed fiercely. The event featured a traditional 350‑meter out‑and‑back straight race, where teams had to successfully grab a flag at the turning point and immediately return. The venue was filled with constant roars of cheering and support.
In Renhe Town, Baiyun District, a three‑day dragon boat drift competition was also in full swing. Members of 33 dragon boat teams rowed through the waves, fiercely competing for the lead, drawing thunderous applause from spectators. In addition to the boat races, a food street was set up offering authentic local delicacies such as fresh abalone, roast goose, and grilled chicken.
Pan Jianming, Vice President of the Guangdong Folk Culture Research Association, said that dragon boat races promote cultural exchange. "These competitions are essentially a cultural exchange between our villages and towns. Besides cultural exchange, they also showcase the spiritual and cultural values of our rural communities."
The Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu) is one of China's most famous traditional holidays, commemorating the ancient patriotic poet Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE), who drowned himself in a river as a protest against corruption. The festival is marked by eating zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), wearing protective sachets and five‑color bracelets, and watching dragon boat races. The races in Guangzhou are part of a vast tradition that unites villages and cities across the country.
Dragon boat racing is more than a sport. It is the rhythm of drums that sets the pulse for a thousand‑year‑old culture. When 33 boats roar through the water and the crowd on the shore merges into a single shout, the boundary between ancient and modern blurs. Every stroke of the oar is a tribute to the poet who sacrificed himself for truth. Every captured flag is a symbol of village unity, where people forget disputes and work as a single machine. And as the aroma of roast goose and fresh abalone fills the air, Guangzhou reminds us: traditions live as long as people take part in them. And here, everyone takes part — from the rower to the street food vendor.
