Zigui marks Longtaitou Festival with dragon boating and cultural celebrations
2024-03-11 21:03:21
Translator and English editor: Chen Zai.
Photographer: Zheng Jiayu, Wang Gang.
Correspondent: Zhou Huashan, Shi Li, Wu Bo.
The annual festival, Longtaitou, meaning “dragon raising head,” takes place on the second day of the second lunar month. It falls on March 11 this year.
On this day, people in Zigui County organized a variety of traditional folk activities such as dragon and lion dances, dragon boat ceremonies, and head shaving - all conducted to pray for blessings and prosperity while enjoying the festive spirit.
Zigui County, known as Qu Yuan's hometown, is renowned as China's hometown of not only navel oranges but also dragon boating. It is a long-standing tradition to have dragon boating and begin spring plowing during Longtaitou, seeking a bountiful harvest and commemorating Qu Yuan.
Folklore has it that during the festival, the Dragon God, who in Chinese mythology is the dispenser of rain, would lift his head, signifying an increase in that season’s rainfall. It is customary for Chinese people to get haircuts on this day, hoping that their luck will rise just like the dragon's head.
Photographer: Zheng Jiayu, Wang Gang.
Correspondent: Zhou Huashan, Shi Li, Wu Bo.
The annual festival, Longtaitou, meaning “dragon raising head,” takes place on the second day of the second lunar month. It falls on March 11 this year.
On this day, people in Zigui County organized a variety of traditional folk activities such as dragon and lion dances, dragon boat ceremonies, and head shaving - all conducted to pray for blessings and prosperity while enjoying the festive spirit.
Zigui County, known as Qu Yuan's hometown, is renowned as China's hometown of not only navel oranges but also dragon boating. It is a long-standing tradition to have dragon boating and begin spring plowing during Longtaitou, seeking a bountiful harvest and commemorating Qu Yuan.
Folklore has it that during the festival, the Dragon God, who in Chinese mythology is the dispenser of rain, would lift his head, signifying an increase in that season’s rainfall. It is customary for Chinese people to get haircuts on this day, hoping that their luck will rise just like the dragon's head.
