Drumbeats echoed across Tongren in southwest China’s Guizhou Province as 60 dragon boat teams sliced through the water Friday, launching this year’s Traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Race! 🌊 The event, held a day before the annual Dragon Boat Festival, drew teams nationwide to compete in men’s and women’s traditional and freestyle races along a straight 500-meter course.
After intense preliminary rounds, 24 teams advanced to Saturday’s semifinals, with championship finals set to crown winners by day’s end. Think of it as the Olympics of oars – but with 2,000 years of history! 🏆
The Dragon Boat Festival, rooted in honoring ancient poet Qu Yuan, blends sport, culture, and sticky rice dumplings (zongzi 🫔). For travelers and culture buffs, events like these offer a front-row seat to China’s living traditions – no time machine needed!
Psst… This isn’t just about racing. It’s a vibe! From vibrant boat designs to teamwork that’d make a K-pop choreographer proud, Guizhou’s festival energy is *chef’s kiss* 👌. Got FOMO yet?
