The Dragon Boat Festival holiday has come to an end, but the enthusiasm for dragon boat racing in Guangdong remains as strong as ever.

On June  16th, the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament took place along the Pearl River, from the North Gate Plaza of Sun Yat-sen University to Guangzhou Bridge, reignited the city's passion for the sport.

Each year, during the dragon boat season, Guangdong presents numerous memorable moments to audiences across the country and around the world.

Last year, Feng Weijun, a post-2000s member of the Jiangmen Heshan Shaping Central and Western Dragon Boat Team, went viral. His defined muscles, exuberant energy, and captivating head-shaking movements garnered over a billion views on related topics.

This year, Chen Liumei, a sixty-year-old helmswoman of the Dabu Women's Dragon Boat Team in Dongguan, has become the latest internet sensation. Her commanding presence and determined gaze while steering the boat have won over a large number of fans. Additionally, children from Xishe Kindergarten in Chenghai District, Shantou, have been practicing dragon boat racing in a swimming pool, exuding a cute yet fierce demeanor.

From the Chaoshan Yingge Dance sensation at the beginning of the year to the Dragon Boat Festival's boat race enthusiasm in Guangdong, China's traditional cultural practices have captured massive global attention on social media.

But why is dragon boat racing so popular? It is because this tradition is deeply rooted in the community and integrated into people's daily lives. From children to the elderly, from professional athletes to onlookers, everyone can find joy in dragon boat racing.

When villagers unite to compete for their village, when spectators cheer from the riverbanks, and when beautifully adorned dragon boats visit different communities, the significance of dragon boat racing goes beyond winning. It fosters a sense of belonging, honor, and responsibility. In an era where individuals in cities are becoming increasingly isolated, dragon boat racing undoubtedly offers a way for people to reconnect with their communities and rediscover their sense of belonging.

David Butler, Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Team's general manager, from the UK, deeply understands this point. On June 2, while interviewing in Shilou Town, Panyu District, I met this star athlete. David told me that he has been "dragon boating" for over 14 years. The team includes members from over ten countries, including China, the UK, Poland, Jordan, Japan, and South Korea, making it a truly international family. He remarked, "It wasn't until I started dragon boating that I felt I truly integrated into Chinese society. When everyone is paddling hard towards a common goal, language and cultural backgrounds no longer matter."

Indeed, the spirit of dragon boating - its strength, simplicity, courage, and teamwork - is deeply inspiring in any country and cultural background around the world.

China's allure for foreigners extends beyond dragon boating. Last year, China implemented visa-free policies for several countries, making it easier for more foreigners to visit. This year, the number of foreigners coming to China has surged, with the first quarter seeing more than a threefold increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Riding this wave, the topic "ChinaTravel" has become a new "traffic magnet" on international social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok. "Gone with the Wynns," an account run by an American couple, posted a video about their trip to Yunnan on YouTube, which garnered over 1.2 million views, a record high for their channel. German blogger Ken Abroad embraces spontaneity, booking a hotel and flying to China with no set plan. He explores Shanghai and documents his unplanned Chinese travel adventures, from taking a high-speed train from Guangzhou to Beijing, capturing authentic stories through his lens.

Of course, foreign travelers in China may encounter some issues. For instance, some bloggers initially complained about the inconvenience of electronic payments. However, they quickly become enthusiastic supporters of this payment method.

In the comment sections of related videos, many foreign viewers express that after watching these videos, they realized they had been misled by some Western media. They discovered that China is not at all like how it was portrayed.

Each region in China has its unique culture, and every city has its own charm.

Whether it's David Butler, who has lived and worked in Guangzhou for twenty years, or foreign bloggers visiting China for the first time, they are all captivated by this land. What makes Chinese culture so alluring?

Perhaps, by watching Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Race, you will find part of the answer.

Source :Yangcheng Evening News

中国文化的魅力，真让人“上头”

端午假期结束了，但广东人“扒龙舟”的热情丝毫未减。

6 月 16 日，广州国际龙舟邀请赛在中大北门广场至广州大桥之间的珠江河段举办，广州全城再燃龙舟热。

每年龙舟季，广东都会为全国乃至全世界观众贡献诸多“名场面”。

去年，江门鹤山沙坪中东西龙舟队的00后“摇头哥”冯伟浚就因线条分明的肌肉、荷尔蒙迸发的精气神和魔性十足的摇头动作火出圈，相关话题阅读量破亿。

今年，东莞麻涌大步女子龙舟队的六旬舵手陈柳妹成为新晋“网红”，她掌舵龙船时的飒爽英姿和坚毅眼神征服了大批网友；汕头市澄海溪南西社幼儿园的萌娃们，也有模有样地在游泳池里扒龙舟，一派“奶凶”气势……

从年初的潮汕英歌舞到端午的广东扒龙舟，中国传统优秀文化接住了全球社交网络的“泼天流量”。

扒龙舟为什么这么受欢迎？我想这是因为它深深扎根民间，融入了人们的生活。从孩子到老人、从专业选手到围观群众，大家都能在龙舟赛中找到自己的乐趣。

当“房东”们合力为村子而战时，当围观者在河岸边加油呐喊时，当打扮一新的龙船探亲趁景时……龙舟的意义不仅在赢得比赛，更在于归属感、荣誉感和责任感。在城市中的个体越来越趋向“原子化”的当下，扒龙舟无疑给人们提供了重新找到群体归属感的一种选项。

对这一点，广州国际龙舟队总经理——英国人白大卫（David Bulter）也深有体会。今年6月2日，我在番禺区石楼镇采访时，遇到了这位广州国际龙舟队的明星选手。白大卫告诉我，他的“扒龄”已经超过14年，队里活跃着来自中国、英国、波兰、约旦、日本、韩国等十多个国家的队员，是一个真正的国际大家庭。他感慨：“我开始划龙舟之后，才感觉真正融入了中国社会。大家为一个目标齐心协力，往前奋力划桨的时候，语言、文化背景等就已经不重要了。”

的确，在全世界任何一个国家、任何一种文化背景中，扒龙舟所体现的刚劲质朴、奋勇争先、齐心协力的精神都是深具感召力的。

中国对外国人的吸引力不止于此。去年，中国陆续对多个国家实行免签政策，方便更多外国人来华。今年以来，外国人来华数量一再攀升。一季度，外国人来华数量较2023年同期增长超3倍。

借着这股东风，ChinaTravel（中国旅行）相关话题在Youtube、TikTok等海外社交平台上成为新的“流量密码”。美国夫妻“Gone with the Wynns”在Youtube上发布的云南旅游视频浏览量超120万次，创下该账号作品播放量新高。德国博主Ken Abroad主打一个随意，订好酒店就飞来中国，零攻略勇闯上海滩，体验从广州乘高铁赴北京，用镜头记录下未经“策划”的中国旅行故事……

当然，来中国旅行的外国人也并不是不会遇到一些问题，比如有些博主一开始会吐槽电子支付不够方便。但很快，他们就都成了电子支付的“自来水”。

在相关视频的评论区，很多外国网友表示，看了这些视频，才知道自己过去被一些西方媒体欺骗了，中国根本不是他们描写的那样。

中国每一片区域都孕育着独特的文化，每一个城市都有自己的魅力。

无论是在穗工作生活了二十年的白大卫，还是初来中国旅行的外国博主，都被这片土地所吸引。中国文化的魅力源自何处？

不妨看看广州国际龙舟赛，你一定能找到部分答案。

文｜记者 赵鹏
翻译 | 刘佳慧