Villagers pour water off from the dragon boats on Lifting Dragon ceremony in Chebei, Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province, May 21, 2019. Chebei is an ancient village with a history of more than 1,000 years and over 200,000 permanent residents in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province. The Chebei Village Dragon Boat is listed as the intangible cultural heritage of Guangzhou. The Dragon Boat Festival consists of many key steps which has been preserved integrally. On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, the day of Lifting Dragon, dragon boats in Chebei, which has been covered by mud under the river for a whole year, are finally woken up. And since then, the Guangzhou area has staged the annual drama of Dragon Boat Festival. Lifting Dragon, Picking the Green, dragon boat racing, visiting relatives... The slender but solid dragon boat carries not only the rowers, but also the customs that have lasted for hundreds of years. Around June, villagers paddle the dragon boats along the rivers and interact with residents alongside. With the sound of drums and firecrackers, that is the time when the Dragon Boat Festival reaches the climax. Dragon Boat represents a kind of lifestyle with rich spiritual connotation. In Guangzhou, a modern metropolis, the culture of Chebei Village Dragon Boat shows a unique way of life and preserves a long-lasting connection. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
