Zigui, a beautiful town located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, is not only the hometown of Qu Yuan, a great patriotic poet in ancient China, but also the hometown of China's famous dragon boats. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, Zigui will hold a grand dragon boat race. So, what are the characteristics of the Zigui Dragon Boat Race in Qu Yuan's hometown?
First of all, the long history is the biggest feature of the Zigui Dragon Boat Race. Dragon boat racing originated in the Warring States period and has a history of more than 2,000 years. According to historical records, after Qu Yuan committed suicide by throwing himself into the river, the local people held a dragon boat race on the Dragon Boat Festival every year in order to commemorate him. This Xi has continued to this day and has become an important traditional activity of the Guigui.
Secondly, the Zigui Dragon Boat Race has a strong folk color. The dragon boat race is mainly composed of local villagers and fishermen, who show a strong sense of collective pride and solidarity in the competition. During the competition, the team members cooperated tacitly and worked together to present a wonderful dragon boat race for the audience.
In addition, the dragon boats of the Zigui Dragon Boat Race are unique. The dragon boat shape is simple, the color is bright, and the dragon head and tail are beautifully carved, implying that the auspicious dragon is in the sky. There are also certain regulations on the length and width of the dragon boat to ensure the fairness of the competition. In addition, the oars of the dragon boat also have a unique shape, called "dragon fin", with a total of nine pieces, symbolizing Qu Yuan's nine songs.
In addition, the competition format of the Zigui Dragon Boat Race is also very distinctive. The competition is divided into men's, women's and mixed categories, each with its own events. During the competition, the team members have to complete the prescribed actions, such as raising the oars, hitting the water, rocking the oars, etc., and at the same time, they also have to cooperate with the ups and downs of the dragon boat, which is extremely challenging.
During the competition, the audience can not only see the fierce competition, but also enjoy a variety of cultural performances. Local folk artists perform various folk performances for the audience, such as dragon dances, lion dances, Yangge twisting, etc., making the whole stadium full of joyful atmosphere.
In general, the Zigui Dragon Boat Race in Qu Yuan's hometown has the characteristics of a long history, strong folk color, unique dragon boat characteristics, and unique competition form. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, the Zigui Dragon Boat Race will attract a large number of tourists and citizens to come**, and it has become an important local cultural activity.
In the future development process, the Zigui Dragon Boat Race will continue to inherit and carry forward the spirit of Qu Yuan, and let more people understand and love Qu Yuan's culture through the form of dragon boat racing, and pass on this excellent traditional culture.