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Dragon Canoe Festival
- Updated:
- Aug 31, 2009;
- by:
- China Highlights;
- Clicks:
- 41;
Time： From the 25th day to the 27th day of the fifth lunar month, each year.
Place: Sidong County in Guizhou Province.
Features: Dragon canoe race and firecrackers.
The Dragon Canoe Festival is one of the four most important festivals celebrated by the Miao ethnic minority who lives on the banks of the Qingshui River, in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The other three important festivals celebrated by the Miao people are the Miao New Year, the Lusheng Festival and the Sister's Meal Festival. The Miao seemingly celebrate an endless number of festivals during the course of a year.
The day before the Dragon Canoe Festival, which is essentially a canoe race, the dragon head will be assembled, then carried down to the river with pomp and ceremony in a procession that is led by the village's most elderly and respected member. The dragon head is exquisitely carved and decorated with red strips and has two long horns, one at either side. The dragon head will then be fixed to a canoe body.
On the day of the festival, the villagers all dress up in their holiday best and assemble on the banks of the Qingshui River. The crew of each race team wear purple-colored jackets, blue-colored trousers and golden bamboo hats, with silver strips swathed around their waists.
The canoe race is naturally the climax of the event, and is a spectacle to behold. The rhythmical paddle strokes of each crew strike the surface in unison, sending splashes of glittering water in the wake of the paddles. The accompanying sound of beating drums and gongs, accompanied by encouraging cheers from onlookers, spur on the canoe crew, whose redoubled efforts, in turn, spread excitement in the hearts of onlookers.
After the close of the canoe race, the dragon head is returned to its place of reverence in the home of the village elder, where it will be carefully disassembled. The dragon head is considered to be a sacred object, and is thus honored by the Miao people. After the dragon head has been safely returned to its place of reverence, a fireworks spectacle celebrates the close of the canoe race, after which the Miao villagers assemble to celebrate the successful completion of yet another Dragon Canoe Festival, by participating in a village feast.
If you are fond of colorful local pageantry, you might want to consider taking a tour to join in these festival celebrations. China Highlights' Festival Tours to Guizhou Province give travelers opportunities to celebrate local festivals with local ethnic people. Or you can simply let us desgin a tour for you to join in any festival celebrations.
Festivals Celebrated by the Miao Ethnic Minority
The Miao ethnic people celebrate a seemingly endless number of festivals during the course of a year, which itself is a tribute to this optimistic, positively-oriented folk, where song and dance are the major components. These festivals all take place on important dates in the age-old Miao calendar. If you are fond of colorful local pageantry, then you should definitely check to see whether your visiting dates coincides with any of the festivals.
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See Also
- Tibetan New Year
- March Fair
- Worship Gathering
- Water Splashing Festival
- Shaman Festival
- Nagqu Horse Racing Festival
- Shoton Festival
- Grassland Festival
- Hani Terraced Fields Festival
- Lusheng Festival
- Sister Meal Festival
