Editor's Note: This article is produced in collaboration with the Chongqing Institute of Foreign Studies as part of a series of ongoing reports exploring the city's abundant resources in intangible cultural heritages.
The Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, is one of the most vibrant legacies of Chinese culture.
Seas may turn to dust, and mountains may shift with time. Yet China’s splendor endures, embracing the world across five thousand years of history. Through these millennia, our culture and spirit have been passed down like an eternal flame. Though stars may fade and oceans may turn to fields in the vast river of time, China’s profound civilization and national spirit stand unshaken amid the torrents of history.
The ancient sages left us a wealth of spiritual and material legacies, among which the Dragon Boat Festival shines brightly. Celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, it is a grand folk festival that blends worship rituals, ancestor veneration, blessing ceremonies, exorcisms, joyful entertainment, and distinctive culinary traditions. The festival originated in ancient nature worship, evolving from early dragon sacrificial rites. On this midsummer day, the seven stars of the Azure Dragon constellation ascend to the center of the southern sky—the most “central” point in the yearly cycle—as described in the fifth line of the Hexagram of Qian in the Book of Changes: “The dragon soars in the heavens.”
Thus, the Dragon Boat Festival came to be known as the auspicious day of the “Soaring Dragon,” with dragon and dragon-boat culture flowing through its entire history. Since ancient times, Anju Town in Tongliang District, Chongqing—where the Fu River winds for a thousand miles before entering the region—has stood fortified against the mountains, guarding the Dragon Gate and commanding the Iron Horse Pass, overlooking the Ba-Yu basin. As one of the birthplaces of dragon culture, Anju comes alive each year during the festival. Undulating dragon dances rise above the river, while dragon boats await the signal to race—the signature spectacle of Anju Ancient Town’s celebrations. The river resounds with gongs, drums, and firecrackers as dragon boats surge forward to the rhythm of whistles and work chants.
Dragon boat racing is not an individual pursuit but a collective triumph of teamwork. Through these races, communities deepen their understanding of the festival, preserve the spirit of the dragon boat tradition, and strengthen their shared cultural identity. At its heart, the dragon boat spirit embodies solidarity, perseverance, and fearless progress—values that invigorate the body and mirror the Chinese ethos of unity and patriotism.
A dragon boat surges toward us through the long river of history, carrying the power of unity and perseverance. Let us engrave this spirit deep within our hearts, allowing the essence of our cultural heritage to nourish our souls.
Chinese script: Huang Kexin
Tutored by: Yun Jingyi
Translation: Long Xinyu
Tutored by: Lu Siying, Gu Tiantian
Voice-over: Luo Ying