Chongqing - A Tongliang Dragon departed in Southwest China's Chongqing on January 22 for an epic overland journey stretching thousands of miles towards the far northeast of China, during which a convoy of intelligent Chang’an Qiyuan vehicles will travel alongside for spectacular fire dragon performances en route.
Teams of Dancers perform "Two Dragons Play with Pearls" during the opening ceremony held in Tongliang Distrct, Chongqing, on January 22, 2024, to rapturous applause (Photo/Smart Roadshow)
This fine blend of heritage and travel leading up to the Spring Festival will also involve technological challenges, as the smart technology must stand up against the harsh winter climate of Heilongjiang Province.
Following a ceremony in Tongliang District, an event that featured a dragon dance performance and a symbolic key handover for the dragon convoy, the fleet of ten vehicles and a transparent-sided truck with an eye-catching dragon inside commenced their eight-day journey. Along the way, stops are planned in cities including Xi’an, Luoyang, Tianjin, Shenyang, and Changchun, where they will display the fine traditions and spirit behind Chinese dragon culture to national audiences through fire dragon performances.
The intelligent Chang’an Qiyuan convoy will blend heritage, travel, and technology over thousands of kilometers to the famous ice city of Harbin (Photo/Luo Jia)
During his live address, Feng Yuliang from the Municipal Culture and Tourism Commission stated that this event offers mutual exchange through cultural tourism and promises a feast of activities promoting traditional culture nationwide. The ice city of Harbin has enjoyed strong popularity this winter, so this journey spanning ten provinces is an opportunity to showcase the intangible cultural heritage of the Tongliang Dragon as part of New Year celebrations.
Li Guoliang, Brand Director for the Changan Qiyuan series, noted the Tongliang Dragon represents a city name card for Chongqing and the spiritual backbone of the Tongliang people. This event will not only showcase intangible cultural heritage but will also provide a stern challenge for vehicle performance in the harsh winter climate. As the convoy progresses further northwards, Li stated that Chang’an Qiyuan must draw on the courageous spirit of the Tongliang Dragon to complete their assignment successfully.
The public nationwide can feast their eyes on the Tongliang Dragon during its journey northwards for the Spring Festival (Photo/Luo Jia)
Once they have completed a handover ceremony in Harbin scheduled for January 29, the convoy will head further northwards to Qiqihar, Hulunbuir, and finally, Manzhouli on the national border with Russia as they aim to pit themselves against the harsh challenges of snow and ice.
This ultra-long journey in extremely frigid conditions will present a formidable endurance test for the convoy. In response, the teams intend to rely on the latest digital intelligence systems powered by Changan Qiyuan. As a result, this unique challenge of blending traditional heritage with smart technology will simultaneously promote these shining name cards for Chongqing in a spectacular dual show of fire and ice.
(Zheng Siyu, as an intern, also contributed to this report)