Tourists experience the magic of Dragon Boat Festival in Yichang
2023-06-24 19:06:01
By Yan Wanqin, Yichang International Communication Studio
The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated each year on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year's festival landed on June 22.
Yichang’s Dragon Boat Festival celebrations started early on June 16, with an array of activities for citizens and tourists.
On the evening of June 22, Yichang launched the city-wide event "Duanwu Night" during this year’s holiday. The Dragon Boat Festival is called Duanwu Jie (端午节) in Mandarin.
In Xiling District, activities included a parade of traditional Chinese dress, cultural performances at Qu Yuan Book City, and festival-themed activities around shopping areas. A blend of traditional and modern culture brought a special Duanwu experience to the public. In Wujiagang District, the public participated in activities such as throwing pots, wrapping zongzi and pinning the five poisonous animals and insects to enjoy the charm of traditional culture.
Watching traditional festival galas on television is a long-held tradition among Chinese families.
To celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, China's Central TV Station presented a special festive program on Thursday.
The program illustrated traditional Chinese culture and life through various art forms, including singing, dancing, operas, poem recitation, symphonies and folk music.
The special festive program was filmed in Zigui County, Yichang City, which is the hometown of Qu Yuan (c. 340 BC - 278 BC), one of the greatest patriotic poets and politicians of ancient China.
Many people may also choose to watch a drama during the Dragon Boat Festival.
The new historical drama "Qu Yuan" premiered in Yichang on June 22.
The stage play condenses more than 40 years into a two-hour drama. Flashbacks were used to show the life of Qu from his 20s to 60s, which was also the history of Chu State from its peak to eventual decline.
Huang Weiruo, the scriptwriter, is a famous playwright and professor of drama and literature at the Central Academy of Drama.
Many great talents participated in the performance, including Wang Luoyong, who performed the role of Qu. Wang won the Fox Actor's Award for Best Actor for his starring role in Miss Saigon on Broadway in 1999.
The stage play has already had its premiere in Wuhan and a showcase in Beijing, with more than 4.6 million online and offline viewers. It will be performed every night from June 22 to 25 at the Yichang Theatre.
In addition, multiple scenic spots in Yichang organized dragon boat rowing, herbal sachet wearing, zongzi-wrapping (wrapping traditional rice dumplings) and other Dragon Boat Festival activities.
On June 22, tourists gathered on the boats at the Qing River Gallery Scenic Resort in Changyang to participate in local cultural activities.
Mr. Wang, a tourist from Wuhan, came here with his family to enjoy the scenery.
"I felt the enthusiasm of the Tujia people, and I also participated in the folklore activities. I had an unforgettable Dragon Boat Festival," he said.
The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated each year on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year's festival landed on June 22.
Yichang’s Dragon Boat Festival celebrations started early on June 16, with an array of activities for citizens and tourists.
On the evening of June 22, Yichang launched the city-wide event "Duanwu Night" during this year’s holiday. The Dragon Boat Festival is called Duanwu Jie (端午节) in Mandarin.
In Xiling District, activities included a parade of traditional Chinese dress, cultural performances at Qu Yuan Book City, and festival-themed activities around shopping areas. A blend of traditional and modern culture brought a special Duanwu experience to the public. In Wujiagang District, the public participated in activities such as throwing pots, wrapping zongzi and pinning the five poisonous animals and insects to enjoy the charm of traditional culture.
In Wujiagang District, the public participated in activities such as throwing pots, wrapping zongzi and pinning the five poisonous animals and insects to enjoy the charm of traditional culture.
The five poisonous animals and insects include snakes, centipedes, spiders, geckos and toads. As the weather grows hotter and more rain falls, there’s an increase of insects and risk of illness. The Dragon Boat Festival is a day for warding off illness and insects. People take part in cutting colorful silk into patterns of these five pests or painting them on red paper. They then paste the silk or red paper on the doors or walls of their bedroom and impale each with a needle.
Watching traditional festival galas on television is a long-held tradition among Chinese families.
To celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, China's Central TV Station presented a special festive program on Thursday.
The program illustrated traditional Chinese culture and life through various art forms, including singing, dancing, operas, poem recitation, symphonies and folk music.
The special festive program was filmed in Zigui County, Yichang City, which is the hometown of Qu Yuan (c. 340 BC - 278 BC), one of the greatest patriotic poets and politicians of ancient China.
Many people may also choose to watch a drama during the Dragon Boat Festival.
The new historical drama "Qu Yuan" premiered in Yichang on June 22.
The stage play condenses more than 40 years into a two-hour drama. Flashbacks were used to show the life of Qu from his 20s to 60s, which was also the history of Chu State from its peak to eventual decline.
Huang Weiruo, the scriptwriter, is a famous playwright and professor of drama and literature at the Central Academy of Drama.
Many great talents participated in the performance, including Wang Luoyong, who performed the role of Qu. Wang won the Fox Actor's Award for Best Actor for his starring role in Miss Saigon on Broadway in 1999.
The stage play has already had its premiere in Wuhan and a showcase in Beijing, with more than 4.6 million online and offline viewers. It will be performed every night from June 22 to 25 at the Yichang Theatre.
In addition, multiple scenic spots in Yichang organized dragon boat rowing, herbal sachet wearing, zongzi-wrapping (wrapping traditional rice dumplings) and other Dragon Boat Festival activities.
On June 22, tourists gathered on the boats at the Qing River Gallery Scenic Resort in Changyang to participate in local cultural activities.
Mr. Wang, a tourist from Wuhan, came here with his family to enjoy the scenery.
"I felt the enthusiasm of the Tujia people, and I also participated in the folklore activities. I had an unforgettable Dragon Boat Festival," he said.
