With the beating of drums, hidden dragons will emerge from the water. On the morning of May 18th, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Guangdong Dragon Boat Season and Dongguan Dragon Boat Month series of events was held in Dongguan. After a year of"hibernation," the old dragon boats from Zhengya Village were once again"awakened," marking the beginning of the"cultural feast" in the Dongguan Dragon Boat Month.

Every year, around the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, ceremonies to awaken the dragon boats are held in the water towns of Dongguan. It is known that in the past, dragon boats were mostly made of pine wood, which could deform if exposed to air for extended periods. To better preserve the dragon boats, people would bury them in the mud of rivers and streams for storage. When the eighth day of the fourth lunar month arrives, the boats are dug out for the dragon boat races. This process of excavating the boats is referred to as "Qi Long" (起龙), meaning "awakening the dragon."

Around 6 a.m. on the day of the event, as the morning sun began to appear, the elders of Zhengya Village laid out sacrificial offerings such as roast pigs, lychees, and dragon boat rice on the altar in the Sansheng Temple.They lit incense and candles and began the ritual worship. This marked the beginning of the traditional dragon boat awakening ceremony in Zhengya Village. After the villagers dipped a brush in cinnabar to add the"finishing touch" to the eyes ofthe dragon head,the boat lifters raised it from the water, kicking off the folk parade.

Starting from the Sansheng Temple, the procession, formedby dancing lions, Kylins, gong and drum teams, Big Head Buddhas, dragon boat lifters, and Hanfu teams, paraded along the Youlong Street, igniting the festive atmosphere all the way.

Around 8 a.m., the procession arrived at the site where the ancient dragon was buried. Representatives of Zhengya Village recited sacrificial texts, praying for favorable weather and national prosperity. With the sound of firecrackers, the dragon awakening ceremony officially began.

Twenty-six villagers from Zhengya Village stepped into the tributary of the Dongjiang River, dispersed, and began to dig out the mud, preparing to awaken the dragon. With their concerted efforts, after an hour or so, at around 9:30 a.m., the hull of the dragon boat gradually emerged. And then, as villagers scooped out water swiftly with buckets, the pine dragon boat built in 1983 surfaced gradually, revealing its original appearance after being cleansed by the villagers. Spectators on the shore all raised their cameras and phones to capture this hard-won moment.

Dongguan's dragon boat culture has a long and rich history, deeply rooted in the community with a broad base of popular support. Every summer, regardless of age or gender, families will participate in watching dragon boat races together. During the Dragon Boat Month, everyone immerses themselves in the lively atmosphere of dragon boat racing. Among all the dragon boat races in Dongguan, the Wanjiang Dragon Boat Race is the earliest and largest, with the reputation of being the "greatest spectacle of Dongguan dragon boat."Here, dragon boat racing not only boasts a history of over 280 years, but has also been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2011.

On the day of the event, dragon boat-themed activities like dragon boat water parades, invitation races, and concerts were also held, along with a rich and colorful month-long dragon boat cultural and tourism experience event for the citizens to participate.

Source：Yangcheng Evening News

“2024广东龙舟季”在东莞启动

阵阵龙舟鼓，潜龙出水时。5月18日上午，2024年广东龙舟季暨东莞龙舟月系列活动启动仪式在东莞万江滘联社区举行，正丫村的老龙舟在“沉睡”一年后再次被“唤醒”，自此开启东莞龙舟月“文化盛宴”。

每年农历四月初八前后，东莞水乡各地都会举行仪式感满满的起龙仪式。据了解，从前的龙舟多用松木制作，若长期暴露于空气中，则会让龙舟变形。为更好地保存龙舟，人们会将龙舟埋在河涌淤泥之中进行保存，每年的四月初八来临，再将船体挖出，以备龙舟竞赛，该过程称之为“起龙”。

当日6时许，清晨的阳光初现，在正丫村的三圣宫内，村里的老人们在案台上摆好烤猪、荔枝、龙船饭等祭祀用品，燃上香烛，开始祭拜，这便是万江正丫村传统起龙仪式的开始。村民用毛笔蘸上朱砂，为正丫村传统老龙头添上“点睛之笔”。龙舟大力士将龙头抬起，民俗巡游开始。

从三圣宫开始，醒狮、麒麟、锣鼓、大头佛、龙舟大力士、汉服队民俗巡游队伍沿着游龙大街巡游，一路热火朝天。

8时许，巡游队到达古龙藏龙点，正丫村民代表诵读祭文，祈求风调雨顺，国泰民安。鞭炮声响，起龙正式开始。

26名正丫村村民走入东江支流河内，分散开来，清挖淤泥，准备起龙。“1、2、3！1、2、3！”经过大家的齐心协力，历经一小时，9点半左右，龙船舟身终于逐渐显形。村民们迅速用桶舀水，龙舟慢慢出水，浮现出水面。清理淤泥、洗刷龙舟……这条造于1983年的松木龙舟再次被“唤醒”，露出本来面貌，岸上的观众们齐齐举起相机、手机，共同见证这来之不易的时刻。

东莞的龙舟文化历史悠久，底蕴深厚，拥有广泛的群众基础。每年夏天，不论男女老少，一家大小齐齐参与看龙舟，为期一个多月的时间里，大家都沉浸在龙舟的热闹氛围当中，这段时间也因此被称为“龙舟月”。东莞所有的龙舟赛中，万江龙舟赛是最早举行和最具规模的，有着“东莞龙舟第一景”的美誉。在这里，赛龙舟不仅有超过280 年的历史，更在 2011 年被列入国家级非物质文化遗产名录。

活动当天，还举行了龙舟水上巡游与邀请赛、第二届粤港澳非遗生活节、音乐会等龙舟主题活动，同时推出为期一个多月的丰富多彩的龙舟文旅体验活动供市民参加。

文｜记者 石梦卓
图｜记者 王俊伟
译｜洪婷