Drumbeats of fitness, tourism echo as dragon boats make waves across China
Amid splashing water and synchronized chants, dragon boats surge ahead in fierce competition as Chinese people celebrate Duanwu Festival on Saturday this year.
For millennia, dragon boat racing has remained at the heart of Duanwu Festival, China's first traditional festival inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This explains why it is better known globally as the Dragon Boat Festival.
With origins tied to the death of Qu Yuan, a loyal statesman and patriotic poet from more than 2,000 years ago, this ancient tradition has become a modern phenomenon, boosting the popularity of both public fitness and cultural tourism.
In Zhejiang Province on China's eastern coast, this evolution was on full display earlier this week during the region's inaugural farmers' dragon boat invitational, as 12 amateur village teams from across the province gathered in the Yinzhou District of Ningbo City.
Yu Youfen, from the neighboring city of Zhoushan, stood on the sidelines, still catching his breath after the 500-meter race. For the past fortnight, his team members had been training after their day jobs.
"Some of us work in factories, others in fish farming," the team leader said. "Passion for dragon boat racing gives us a reason to come together, to fight for our community's pride."
Among the cheering crowd stood a local resident surnamed Chen. His five-year-old son was perched on his shoulders, shouting with the crowd as another boat sped past. "This is already his fifth time watching dragon boat races," Chen said. "He just told me he wants to join the race one day."
Boat racing in Yinzhou dates back more than 2,200 years, as evidenced by the discovery of an ancient bronze axe adorned with an image of men in feathered hats racing boats.
At the event, a new provincial training base for village-level dragon boat teams was inaugurated in Yinzhou, in a step toward expanding access and reinforcing grassroots participation in this age-old tradition.
The scene in Zhejiang echoes a nationwide surge in mass sports enthusiasm -- a result of China's ongoing efforts to enhance public fitness, seen as a cornerstone of the country's long-term ambition to become a leading sporting nation and build a healthy China.
While the most iconic races remain concentrated in the water-rich southern regions, dragon boat activities are gaining traction across the country. According to preliminary estimates, dragon boat races will be held in 25 provinces nationwide during the three-day Duanwu holiday from Saturday to Monday.
In south China's Guangdong, long regarded as a stronghold of dragon boat tradition, local races began as early as May 1. Over 100 races are scheduled around the holiday period in the provincial capital of Guangzhou alone.
Among the races will be the high-profile 2025 Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. Set to be held on Sunday, the event, with a history of 40 years, will see the participation of 116 teams and over 4,000 competitors. Seven teams from Russia, the United States, Canada, Malaysia and Kazakhstan are expected to join the action.
Meanwhile, in Beijing, the festival is being marked by a sports carnival of over 30 events extending beyond traditional boat racing to include paddleboarding, kayaking and other activities aimed at engaging the public in festive fitness.
"The growing popularity of dragon boat racing is expected to attract more people to water sports, helping promote aquatic recreation across China," said Zhai Junshuai, general manager of a water sports club in the northern port city of Tianjin.
Zhai also emphasized the potential of this dragon boat racing craze nationwide to invigorate the local economy, which is aligned with China's broader efforts to stimulate domestic consumption.
National action plans released in March and April highlighted the integration of sports, culture and tourism as a strategic pillar, calling for more high-quality sports programs and distinctive events.
Data from major travel platforms has showcased clear economic ripple effects.
Tongcheng Travel reported a 270 percent week-on-week spike in searches for "dragon boat" as of May 19. Data from Trip.com Group shows significant year-on-year growth in bookings for cities with dragon boat traditions. In Foshan, Guangdong, total travel orders rose 167 percent; in Miluo, Hunan Province, considered by many the birthplace of dragon boat culture, bookings jumped 85 percent.
To capitalize on the enthusiasm, Guangzhou plans to host over 650 cultural and tourism events related to dragon boating during the holiday, enriching the city's offerings for visitors.
More Chinese people are prioritizing health and leisure amid rising living standards, said Li Peigong, president of Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance. "A combination of sports and travel has become a go-to solution that caters to a wide range of needs."
Meanwhile, observers underscore the need to further unleash the nation's sports consumption potential.
"It is necessary to broaden access to fitness and sports programs nationwide. And teaching people how to play sports will be the first step to boost sports consumption," said Wang Yuxiong, head of the sports economics research center at Central University of Finance and Economics.
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