Tongren dragon boat races light up national festival celebrations

The Chinese Traditional Dragon Boat Competition (Guizhou · Tongren · Bijiang), a key event of the 2025 national "Our Festival · Dragon Boat Festival" themed cultural activities, launched in Tongren, southwest China's Guizhou Province, on May 30—one day ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Sixty teams from across the country competed in 500m straight-course races across four categories: men's and women's traditional rowing styles and freestyle rowing, delivering a dragon boat spectacle that fused speed, strength, tradition, and innovation.

Tourists from far and wide flocked to witness the thrilling two-day water competitions, immerse themselves in Tongren's unique charm, experience millennia-old cultural traditions, and savor the leisurely excitement of the holiday.

Tongren was designated as one of six national demonstration cities for the 2025 "Our Festival · Dragon Boat Festival" cultural event. Here, dragon boat racing stands as a traditional recreational and sports activity jointly embraced by multiple ethnic groups. In 2011, Tongren's dragon boat racing was inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, significantly boosting local cultural tourism development.