Guizhou kicks off 11th Pingtang Bouyei Water Dragon Festival

A water dragon dance is performed at the festival's opening ceremony. [Photo/Pingtang county media center]

The 11th Pingtang Bouyei Water Dragon Festival kicked off on July 11 in Pingtang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province. Running until July 13, this year's festival offers visitors an immersive tourism feast that blends intangible cultural heritage, modern lifestyle trends, and sports competitions.

The Pingtang water dragon dance dates back to the Hongwu era (1368-1398) of the Ming Dynasty, and was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2019.

The dragons are handcrafted from materials such as thorny bamboo and Chinese alpine rush, with a typical performance featuring nine water dragons, nine dragon maidens, and a dedicated dragon guard.

The ritual unfolds through traditional stages: inviting the dragon, welcoming the dragon, dotting the eyes, offering treasures, the awakening dance, water splashing, the parade, and thanking the dragon, all of which symbolize wishes for timely rains, a bountiful harvest, good fortune, and national prosperity.

The Pingtang Bouyei Water Dragon Festival is a highly anticipated annual celebration for locals and tourists alike. Alongside the main event, visitors can enjoy an award-winning photography exhibition, a local specialties fair, themed cultural performances, a dragon boat race, a fishing boat experience race, and a fitness walking event.