I've Been Working for Two Days, Why Are Cantonese Still Racing Dragon Boats?

The Dragon Boat Festival holiday ended two days ago, and most workers have already succumbed to the scorching heat and refocused on their jobs. However, even now, in the dense river networks of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong, firecrackers, gongs, drums, floating banquets, and bustling crowds are still in full swing, with various "dragon boat racing" activities continuing fervently. Clearly, a three-day holiday is far from enough for this region's Dragon Boat Festival celebrations.

In fact, after being suppressed for three years, this year's dragon boat races in the Pearl River Delta have exploded on social media, leaving countless northerners utterly amazed. Witnessing "dragon boat drifting," "dragon boat emergency braking," and "landlords pushing their limits," northerners now realize that dragon boating is not the stale, ceremonial tradition they imagined, but a top-tier sport brimming with vigor, skill, and passion—one that can set pulses racing and empty entire cities as crowds gather to watch.

Diejiao, Foshan: The much-anticipated dragon boat drifting.

Fig. 1; Photo/前方高能; Fig. 2; Photo/一只肉鱼

Yet, speed and excitement are just one facet of Cantonese dragon boat culture. In terms of duration alone, the locals' "Dragon Boat Month" is enough to astonish outsiders. At its most extreme, dragon boat activities here can begin as early as the eighth day of the fourth lunar month with the "Awakening the Dragon" ceremony and last until the end of the fifth lunar month. In a big year like this, after three years of pent-up energy, many Guangdong bosses even face the serious problem of losing key employees—especially left-side rowers, drummers, and helmsmen, who are crucial to the boat. Some take annual or extended leave, others go on unpaid leave, and some even vanish outright, because "work can wait, but dragon boats must be raced."

In the fleeting clips on social media, people only see the thrilling S-curve drifts and marvel at the landlords' hard work and determination, which seem mismatched with their wealth. But few grasp the deeper, more complex cultural forces at play. After all, mere competitiveness and leisure time alone can't explain why so many pour so much energy into this. Behind the spectacle of Cantonese dragon boating lies a wealth of ancient, vibrant, and enduring traditions.

The fierce "rowers" (paddlers).

Photo/Lu Wen

As early as a month ago, videos of dragon boat training sessions across the Pearl River Delta began surfacing on short-video platforms. Some teams crafted secret training equipment in gyms, others practiced late into the night under the watchful eyes of ancestors in clan halls, some splurged on carbon-fiber paddles, and others trained by rowing bow-to-stern on a single boat to hone control. The goal? To achieve wild speeds and razor-sharp precision in steering.

As the saying goes, "Corners belong to Foshan, straightaways to Dongguan." In Diejiao, Nanhai, Foshan, the insane dragon boat drifting finally kicked off this year. On a boat dozens of meters long, rowers functioned like modular engines, adhering to the principle of "better to crash than slow down," executing endless drifts, aggressive turns, and sudden stops with such seamless coordination, boundless energy, and surreal spectacle that even the Dakar Rally and top-tier F1 races might pale in comparison.

Dragon boat racing in narrow waterways.

On vast waters like Dongguan's Wanjiang, straight-line races reach athlete-level precision, with professional commentators calling out paddle frequencies in real time. Teams charge across the turbulent "Lion Sea," drummers adjusting rhythms based on water conditions and crew stamina, while the rowers move as one, cutting through waves and setting spectators' blood boiling.

These winner-takes-all races are traditionally called "dragon battles" or "flag battles." Because they're so intense and entertaining, most viral clips feature these showdowns. But it's worth noting that "flag battles" are just one part of Cantonese dragon boating's intricate customs. In my view, "scenic visits" (趁景) better capture the essence of this culture than the battles.

To explain "scenic visits," we must first discuss the "dragon boat" itself—the vessel used to traverse the water.

A dragon boat isn't just a narrow, dragon-headed racing shell; it's also a folk artifact imbued with mystique. In some ways, Cantonese people regard dragon boats as actual dragons, treating them with deep reverence. Every use involves elaborate rituals. Many places still forbid wearing shoes on board, and firecrackers are set off before passing under bridges or tunnels to warn people above—lest they disrespect the dragon by stepping over it.

For a riverside village in the Pearl River Delta, a dragon boat represents the community's pride. Modern racing boats, often made of fir wood, are fast but lack prestige. Traditional villages, however, preserve their "elders"—venerable boats crafted from Malaysian merbau wood, prized for its density and resistance to rot and insects. These "old dragons" are stored underwater or buried in mud when not in use, granting them extraordinary longevity. Foshan's Yanbu Old Dragon, for instance, is nearly 600 years old. Empress Dowager Cixi once gifted it 12 pheasant-tail plumes and a centipede flag, and today, its dragon head even sports white whiskers as a mark of age.

The dragon head of the "Rooster-Head" boat.

Photo/自然造物

The personification of Cantonese dragon boats goes beyond decorative flair. Crucially, boats can represent entire villages or clans forming friendships or even familial bonds. Villages with long-standing ties may declare their boats "brothers." Some even adopt "parent-child" relationships, like Foshan Yanbu's Old Dragon recognizing Guangzhou Pantang's boat as its godson. Most unusually, Xinqiao Village has a "male" and "female" dragon boat—believed to lay "dragon eggs" yearly. During the festival, officials toss fruits like sanhua plums from the temple roof as symbolic eggs, and villagers catch them with hats or umbrellas for good luck.

In the Pearl Delta's water towns, relatives visit during Lunar New Year. But for generations, entire villages or clans have paid formal visits to each other via dragon boats during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Starting from the eighth day of the fourth lunar month each year, the village organizes men to lift the dragon boat out of the mud, apply oil, and perform maintenance. Then, respected village elders with abundant virtue and prestige conduct the "Cai Qing" ritual (gathering fresh rice seedlings or similar plants to decorate the dragon boat) and hold a ceremony to invite deities (assembling the dragon head and tail from the Dragon King Temple). Finally, rooster blood is used to dot the dragon head's eyes. Once the ritual is complete, with the clanging of gongs and drums and the thunder of firecrackers, this dragon boat is ready to represent the entire village, young and old, embarking on nearly a month of busy social and competitive activities.

After the dragon boat is awakened, the village begins organizing rowing training while simultaneously sending invitations to dragon boats from historically friendly villages—this is called "Zhao Jing" (inviting to the scene). The invited villages gladly accept and row their boats to participate—this is known as "Ying Jing" (responding to the scene). Indeed, during "Ying Jing," the dragon boat is not just a prop for competition and performance but also a practical means of transportation, crossing rivers and waterways.

Photo by Brother Erzhong

The friendships between dragon boats may stem not only from marital ties but also from historical bonds. For example, the Yanbu Old Dragon Boat's recognition of its "sworn son" originated from a competition centuries ago where both villages displayed exceptional sportsmanship, leading to mutual admiration and eventual kinship. Another example is the Yagang Village in Shimen Street, Guangzhou, and the Banghu area in Renhe Town, which, despite being over ten kilometers apart, have always exchanged "Ying Jing" visits during the Dragon Boat Festival.

This tradition dates back over 300 years when, during a Dragon Boat Festival gathering, Banghu's dragon boats encountered danger near Yagang. Yagang's dragon boats happened to be nearby, so the villagers rowed close to Banghu's boats, escorting them safely back to Yagang—an event known as "Two Dragons Set Sail, Four Dragons Return." Since then, the two villages have referred to each other as kin, not only visiting annually during the festival but also supporting each other for centuries.

Historically, villages hosting "Zhao Jing" events followed customary schedules, with larger gatherings mostly concentrated between the first and fifth days of the fifth lunar month. The dates and locations of these events were even memorized through local rhymes. Today, villages also announce their "Zhao Jing" schedules and dragon boat routes in advance via official social media channels.

In larger villages near wide river mouths, the "Jing" events are spectacular. For instance, Guangzhou's "Chebei Jing" was designated as an "official Jing" during the Qing Dynasty, meaning any village could attend uninvited and still receive hospitality. At its peak, Chebei hosted hundreds of dragon boats in a single day. Similar "dragon boat hubs" exist in Foshan, Dongguan, and Zhongshan, where dragon boat activities have become intangible cultural heritage. During the season, waterways between villages buzz with boats, firecrackers, and lively crowds, creating an endless spectacle of excitement.

Dragon boats navigating narrow urban waterways.

Photo by Lu Wen

With modern urban development, some newly affluent villages have become new dragon boat hotspots. A prime example is Guangzhou's Liede Village (Liede Subdistrict), which not only has a long-standing dragon boat tradition but is also located in the Tianhe CBD, with the Canton Tower as its backdrop. Known as "China's No. 1 Landlord Village," it is the source of many famous "landlord memes."

When Liede hosts "Zhao Jing," its financial prowess ensures a grand spectacle. Meanwhile, spectators are no longer limited to villagers—urban residents, office workers, delivery riders, and tourists all flock to watch, as "opportunities to see the wealthy perform for you are rare." What was once a rural bonding ritual has now become one of the city's most vibrant public spectacles. Notably, while Guangzhou bans firecrackers, Liede is an exception during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Photo by Lu Wen

As a guest dragon boat arrives at a host village's waters, it typically rows in and out three times as a sign of respect. If particularly enthusiastic, the crew may row back and forth repeatedly to entertain the hosts and onlookers. Eventually, the host village's elders will swim out to board the guest boat, press the drum to signal a stop, and invite everyone ashore for hospitality. Today, many visiting villages share no blood ties and may not even know each other, but the dragon boat tradition binds them as "cousins," weaving a warm network of kinship across Lingnan's waterways.

A performance-style dragon boat rowing.

Guests never arrive empty-handed. For example, when the Yanbu Old Dragon visits its "sworn son" in Pantang, Pantang adorns the boat with red flowers and silk, then gifts a roasted pig, banners, rice wine, dragon boat cakes, and local specialties like water chestnut powder. In return, Yanbu presents its own specialties, such as autumn eggplants.

After friendly "Ying Jing" performances, some villages hold "Dou Biao" races. These competitions vary—rowing with or against the current, straight or circular courses, fixed or open distances, seated or standing rowing. The intensity depends on the village's character and geography. For instance, villages near the Lion Sea, with wide, turbulent rivers, favor fierce speed races ("Dragon Battles"), earning Dongguan the saying "Straight lines watch Dongguan." In contrast, the slow-moving waterways of the West River system emphasize technical rowing performances.

Liede Village's waterborne folk activities during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Today, cities and larger organizations also host dragon boat races, complementing village events and dazzling spectators across the Pearl River Delta. Promotional materials often distinguish events by labeling "Dou Biao" (competitive) or "Ying Jing" (ceremonial). For example, a "Dragon Boat Championship" is purely competitive, while a village or neighborhood's "Dragon Boat Culture Festival" typically combines both traditions.

After performances and races, villagers—especially children—jump into the river to bathe in "dragon boat water," considered auspicious because of the boat's sacred symbolism. Later, everyone gathers at the ancestral hall for the grand finale: a lively and sumptuous dragon boat feast.

A roasted pig prepared for the dragon boat festivities.

Dragon Boat Rice was originally just a large pot of mixed seafood, meat, vegetables, and rice, ensuring that everyone—whether the hardworking rowers on the boat, the officials, villagers, or festive guests—could eat their fill at any time. The ingredients for Dragon Boat Rice are also carefully chosen. In some places, chili peppers and preserved mustard greens are stir-fried with meat to make "Dragon Boat Dish," where the chili helps dispel dampness for the rowers, and the preserved mustard greens symbolize "good fortune." Of course, offerings like roasted suckling pigs used for rituals or gifts are also shared and eaten after the dragon boat races.

Dragon Boat Rice, plates of enticing roasted suckling pigs.

As life has improved for everyone, Dragon Boat Rice has gradually evolved into a grand rural banquet. Except for a few villages with particular traditions (such as some villages avoiding fish in the meal for fear of bad luck from "turning over"), and every dish carrying auspicious meanings related to dragon boats, the process and dishes are essentially a conventional and sumptuous Cantonese feast.

But the dishes themselves aren’t the main focus. In the hearts of Cantonese people, this Dragon Boat Rice meal is almost on par with, or even surpasses, the significance of the Lunar New Year’s feast. It’s an annual gathering where villagers of all ages, and even friends from neighboring villages, come together to toast and celebrate. The auspicious symbolism adds to the joy, so no matter how heavy the "Dragon Boat Rain" (the rain during the Dragon Boat month in the Pearl River Delta is called "Dragon Boat Water") may be, it can’t stop them from enjoying this meal.

After eating and drinking to their hearts’ content, as night falls and the final festive event concludes, the dragon head is returned to the Dragon King Temple, while the boat’s body is buried once again in the riverbed’s silt—a practice called "hiding the dragon." Only then is the Cantonese Dragon Boat Festival officially over. Afterward, everyone returns to their routines—collecting rent, going to work, or job hunting. Through this Dragon Boat month, the unity of the clan and the bonds of friendship among villagers undoubtedly grow stronger.

Village children and the boat’s body about to be "hidden."