Stroke of Luck: Village welcomes Dragon Boat day with ancient practices

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And the big Dragon Boat Festival is just a day away. We head to where the dragon-worshipping tradition has its roots. One village in south China's Guangdong province has welcomed the day, in the same way for the last few hundred years. Sun Ye reports.

Thousands have come from all over the world for an ultra-human touch. Welcome to the village called the dragon's eye. The mantra calls for prosperity and peace. And the power rests solely with master Liang Hanyong. Who says the years blessed with this ritual have turned out splendidly.

LIANG HANYONG CULTURE INHERITOR, DRAGON EYE VILLAGE "I've done it for a dozen years now. It's not hard to paint. The important thing is that you stay well-intentioned, and devoted in your heart all the years of your life."

And the ritual holds charm for the young too.

HUANG JIAXIAN DRAGON EYE VILLAGER "Getting the dragon's eyes lit up in our dragon eye village. It's the kind of thing we would ditch school for since we were little. Even though we work elsewhere now, we always come back for this."

SUN YE DRAGON EYE VILLAGE "They've been doing this for 700 years now. And they still don't allow women on the boat. But people here also make sure everyone gets good luck on this day."

Everyone tries to touch the blessed head of the dragon. And feeding it with leaves is said to dispel bad spirits. And they make sure when passing that the dragons wiggle in delight.

"I'm from Ukraine and have come to get some good luck."

"I have brought my son here to experience the blessing every year."

For the boatmen, their first big test will come a day later, on the day of dragon boat festival, when they compete in speed and grace on local waterways. And they do seem pumped up on their new found luck. SY, CGTN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE.