"No dragon boat, no Dragon Boat Festival." In Shunde, dragon boat activities encompass more than just competition; they also focus on aesthetics. Shunde's dragon boats come in two varieties: "touring dragons" and "racing dragons". Touring dragons are ornately decorated and emphasize leisurelycruisingwhile racing dragons prioritize speed and competition. These two types of dragon boats create contrasting scenes on the river in Shunde: on the eastern side, dragon boat teams are sprinting with rhythmic drumbeats, while on the western side, paddlers are joyfully playing on the water.

The dragon boat culture in Ronggui, Shunde, boasts a rich history and vibrant atmosphere. Every second day of the lunar month, in the southern community of Ronggui Subdistrict, Shunde District, dozens of traditional dragon boats gather. These boats are adorned with gongs, drums, colorful umbrellas, and lanterns, transforming into "night dragon boats." What makes this event even more special is the energetic performance of the boatmen, who, accompanied by rhythmic music, dance and move on the boats, resembling a "disco" atmosphere, earning it the playful nickname of "Guangdong's exclusive DISCO".

On June 7th, 2024, the "Shunde Joyful Dragon Boat" Cultural Festival and the 8th Annual Night Dragon Gathering event in the southern community of Ronggui showcased the festivities. With the thunderous sounds of drums, splashes of water, and colorful dragon boats, each elaborately crafted dragon boat glided under bridges to captivate the audience's attention.

How are these dazzling night dragons created? The decoration of the night dragons typically begins 3-4 days in advance. This process primarily involves assembling LED light strips in their designated positions and connecting these strips inserialto ensure the lights illuminate properly. Each traditional dragon boat requires several hundred meters of light strips, including approximately 30 meters for the body and additional lengths for various patterns. Additionally, they need to be equipped with portable power sources. The cost of decorating each night dragon ranges from 4,000 to 5,000 yuan per yearat least.

Source:Yangcheng Evening News

到广东顺德体验独一无二的夜龙汇游活动

“不龙舟，无端午。”顺德龙舟不只有竞速，还有比美。顺德龙舟分“游龙”和“赛龙”两种，“游龙”装饰美观，重在游弋，“赛龙”则重在竞渡争先。两种龙船景造就了顺德河面上两种截然不同的景观：东边的河涌上龙舟队伍正冲刺鼓劲，西面的河道里划手们却在戏水狂欢。

顺德容桂龙舟文化历史悠久、氛围浓厚。每逢农历初二，在顺德区容桂街道南区社区，数十只传统龙舟汇聚于此，船身装上锣鼓、罗伞、彩灯等物，变身成为“夜光龙舟”。更特别的是，伴随音乐鼓点，船手们在船上上下跃动，其动感程度堪比“蹦迪”，因此也被戏称为“广东人专属DISCO”。

6月7日，2024“顺德欢乐龙舟”文化节、2024年容桂南区第八届夜龙汇游活动在容桂街道欢乐上演。锣鼓喧天、浪花飞溅、龙舟斗艳，一艘艘满载巧思的龙舟穿过桥底来到观众面前。

如此绚烂的夜龙究竟是怎样创作出来的呢？据介绍，夜龙一般提前3-4天进行装饰，主要是将LED灯带拼在对应的位置，并将全身的灯带串联起来，使灯光可以正常亮起来。

一条传统龙起码消耗几百米灯带，包括长约30米的船身以及各部分的图案，还需搭载移动电源，每年每条夜龙花费至少在四千元到五千元。

文 | 记者 杨苑莹
图 | 记者 梁正杰 （部分图片由容宣提供）
视频 | 梁正杰 杨苑莹 李婷婷 黎杰文
翻译｜林佳岱