China's Duanwu Festival: International students take part in dragon boat race

World
Europe

02:32

Dragon boat racing dates back more than 2,000 years, when people were searching for the drowned body of the poet Qu Yuan. Today, this tradition lives on to honor him and its appeal is spreading. In the eastern coastal city of Weihai, a dragon boat race includes two teams of international students. Liu Xinqing has more.

The race is on! At this year's Dragon Boat Festival, more than 300 men and women came to Weihai, a city along China's east coast to race. 24 boats, made up of contestants from cities across Shandong province, took part in a group competition before heading to the finals.

LIU WENJIE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF NANHAI NEW AREA, WEIHAI "The dragon boat race is a traditional cultural event in China. Nanhai New Area has been hosting such events this time every year to carry on our traditional culture and values."

The dragon boat race has become a major part of the Duanwu festival. Every year, competing in the race or just cheering on the contestants has become a favorite pastime for many people in China's coastal areas.

WANG HUI WEIHAI RESIDENT "My whole family is here to watch the dragon boat race. This year, it's the eighth race, and every year a lot of people come to this event, so I have brought all my family here to have fun."

ZHU TIANHUAI TOURIST "The Duanwu festival happens to fall on my birthday, so this day is very special for me. I feel lucky to spend my birthday watching the dragon boat race here in Weihai. It's unforgettable."

LIU XINQING WEIHAI, SHANDONG "The dragon boat race is a very popular sport among Chinese people. But for many, it's more than just a sport. It's also cultural symbol and a spirit of teaming up together for a collective goal."

It's a great opportunity to experience Chinese culture in person, which is why many foreigners are also joining the race.

POLINA BONDAR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT "Every holiday in China. Every event has very interesting roots. So behind every event or holiday, there is a huge amount of history, and I think it's very interesting and very exciting."

WANJA CHARAGU INTERNATIONAL STUDENT "I don't know a lot about the Chinese festival, but so far we have learnt a lot. This is our first time at this festival, and it's a good experience, we are still learning more about Chinese culture, it's a good culture."

The dragon boat race has been included on the list of national "intangible cultural heritage" in 2010 to encourage people to participate, and to preserve this ancient tradition. Liu Xinqing, CGTN. Weihai, Shandong province.