Guangzhou's Liwan Lake Park's "Dragon Boat Ditch" harbors Pantang Village's 400-year-old dragon boat. The "Old Dragon Contract" is a well-known story between Pantang Dragon Boat and Foshan Yanbu "Old Dragon." When the dragon boat drums sound, the old dragon boat shows its might once again. The Pantang Dragon Boat carries the dragon boat sentiments of generations of Pantang people, who write about the enduring, united, and loving dragon boat spirit of Pantang Renwei in their own way.

Couple steers become a legend

"Every year in the fourth month of the lunar calendar, my dragon boat addiction kicks in!" says Liang Mianhai, head of the Dragon Boat Club in Pantang Shouyue, Er'yue, and Sanyue, who is nearly 60 years old. He has participated in the dragon boat awakening ceremony since he was 10 and has never missed it in over 50 years.

Liang Mianhai's father was also the head of the Dragon Boat Club in Pantang Shouyue, Er'yue, and Sanyue. He is also the drummer for Renwei No. 1 Dragon Boat. "After my father passed away in 1999, I learned to play the dragon boat drum and inherited the position of club head," says Liang. Every fourth month of the lunar calendar, he prepares for various dragon boat activities, "On the first day of the fifth lunar month, we go to Shijing; on the fifth day, we have the Pantang Dragon Boat Spectacle; on the sixth day, we visit the 'Godfather' in Foshan Yanbu. These three important days are remembered every year!"

Liang Mianhai is also one of the founders of the Dragon Boat Women Team in Pantang Shouyue, Er'yue, and Sanyue. "According to tradition, women are not allowed to row men's dragon boats. I only have a daughter, so to preserve the dragon boat culture, I proposed to the villagers to form a women's dragon boat team, and later received strong support from everyone."

Liang's wife, Cai Shaoling, is now the captain of the Dragon Boat Women Team in Pantang Shouyue, Er'yue, and Sanyue. She recalls, "The Dragon Boat Festival in 2014 is a memorable day for me. Our dedicated 'boat' and the newly built men's dragon boat were launched together. Since then, we women have had our own dragon boat to row every year!"

"Dragon Boat" culture passed on

Li Kaifan, a post-80s representative inheritor of the "Dragon Boat Rowing" intangible cultural heritage project in Liwan District, has been involved in the dragon boat activities in Pantang Shouyue, Er'yue, and Sanyue for many years. "My dragon boat soul was seeded at the age of around two or three. During the Dragon Boat Festival, my grandfather would take me to watch the dragon boat game. The dragon boat is our grandfather-grandson memory."

"Stories of Old Cantonese Dragon Boats from the Ming Dynasty", " Sound of Ming Dynasty Dragon Boat Drums", and "Debunking Dragon Boat Stories" are articles co-written by Li Kaifan with other experts and scholars. "Since 2006, I started consulting elders and experts inside and outside the village, collecting first-hand information about traditional dragon boats, and researching the historical origins of dragon boat activities," says Li. "Through studying dragon boat activities, I discovered that Pantang Dragon Boat Drumming has its own unique features, with various patterns that distinguish it from other villages."

In recent years, Li Kaifan has introduced dragon boat culture into schools and communities, educating the public about dragon boat sports and customs. Sometimes he even brings dragon boat drums and paddles for people to experience. Currently, he is involved in preparing the 2024 Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Race’s Cai Long (colorful dragon) competition. "This year, we will decorate the dragon boats with elements from Bai'etan Greater Bay Area Art Center, intangible cultural heritage, Pantang, and other aspects to showcase the new style of Liwan folklore."

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

夫妻舵手坚守龙船文化，后生“扒仔”接棒起航

广州荔湾湖公园“龙船窦”埋藏着泮塘村400多年历史的“老龙”。“老龙结契”是泮塘龙船和佛山盐步“老龙”广为人知的佳话。龙船鼓响，“老龙”雄风再现，泮塘龙船承载着数代泮塘人的龙船情结，他们以自己的方式书写泮塘仁威历久弥新、团结友爱的龙船精神。

夫妻舵手成佳话

“每年农历四月，我的龙船瘾就来了！”泮塘首二三约龙船会负责人梁绵海年近60岁，他从10岁起参与起龙仪式，50多年来从未间断。

梁绵海的父亲曾是泮塘首二三约龙船会负责人兼“老龙”仁威一号船鼓手。“父亲1999年去世之后，我学习打龙船鼓，也继承了龙船会负责人的位置。”梁绵海说，每逢农历四月要筹备扒龙船的大小事务，“农历五月初一去石井、农历五月初五泮塘龙船景、农历五月初六到佛山盐步探望‘契爷’，这三个重要的日子，每年一定会记住！”

梁绵海也是泮塘首二三约女子龙舟队筹建人之一，他说：“按照传统，女士是不能扒男子龙船，我自己只有一个女儿，为了传承龙船文化，我向村民提议筹建女子龙舟队，打造女子龙船，后来也得到大家的大力支持。”

梁绵海的太太蔡少玲现任泮塘首二三约女子龙舟队队长，2014年的端午是她印象深刻的日子，“我们专属的‘船’和新打造的男子长龙船同步下水，此后，我们妇女每年都有龙船扒了！”

“老龙”文化后继有人

荔湾区非物质文化遗产代表性项目“扒龙舟”代表性传承人李凯帆是个“80后”，常年参与泮塘首二三约的龙船事务。“我的龙船魂从2-3岁已埋下种子，小时候过端午，爷爷就带我‘睇龙船’，龙船是我们爷孙的记忆。”

《老广明代龙舟那些事》《明代龙舟“鼓”声音》《龙舟故事辩谬》……这是李凯帆和专家学者合作撰写的文章。“从2006年起，我开始请教村内外的老人、专家，收集关于传统龙舟的一手资料，钻研龙舟活动的历史渊源。”李凯帆说，“通过考究龙舟活动，我还发现泮塘龙船鼓有着自身的特色，其招式花样多，和其他村落存在区别。”

近年来，李凯帆将龙舟文化带进校园、社区，向大众介绍龙舟运动、习俗等，有时带上龙船鼓、龙船桨给大家体验。目前，李凯帆正参与筹备2024广州国际龙舟赛的彩龙比赛，“今年我们将结合白鹅潭大湾区艺术中心、非遗、泮塘等元素装扮龙船，展现荔湾民俗新风貌。”

策划｜林如敏 刘云
统筹｜李春炜 符畅 王敏
文字｜记者 马思泳
图片｜记者 陈秋明
翻译｜郑圣浩