‘Dry boat’ helps keep tradition afloat
Unique celebration, rooted in history, highlights village’s enthusiasm for the holiday, Yang Feiyue reports.
In Jiangshi village in Xiaojiafang town, Xie Kelong was busy preparing the bamboo needed to make the village’s distinctive dry dragon boat ahead of the Lantern Festival.
“We have to use best quality Moso bamboo and start preparing a month before the festival,” says Xie, who used to be director of the cultural station in the town located to the southwest of Shaowu, a county-level city in the north of Fujian province.
The boats are known as “dry” because they are not made to enter the water but rather to play an important cultural role.
Now in his 70s, Xie used to scour streets, alleys and mountains in search of intangible cultural heritage materials, especially for the historical records and techniques for the dragon-boat making.
Over the past four decades, he has refined the craft, which originated some 600 years ago in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) period.
During the early hours of the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first lunar month (which fell on Saturday this year), about 60 to 70 villagers gather to burn the midnight oil at the local ancestral hall to finish the making of the giant boat, which is about 6 to 8 meters in length and 3 to 4 meters in height, in one go.
“This involves paper-cutting, bamboo molding and assembly,” Xie explains.
“The boat comes out magnificently, and its shape and features are distinctive of the north of Fujian province.”
Once it is finished, the boat greets visitors at the break of dawn and is then carried door to door, in a symbolic gesture of spreading blessings, before being burned that night to signify the sending of the dragon back to the heavens.
About 3,000 to 4,000 visitors from neighboring villages come to enjoy the auspicious moment.
This year, many young people have signed up to learn to make one of the boats with Xie.
Although he has been retired for over 10 years, he has never missed the boat-making ritual and says he enjoys seeing the tradition celebrated.
When people ask him why he doesn’t just take it easy, Xie will clench his fist as if to show his muscle. “As long as I can move my hands, I will keep the traditions of our ancestors,” he says.
In downtown Shaowu, about 46 kilometers away, a series of celebratory cultural and folk art events helped liven up this year’s Spring Festival.
He Mingling was particularly impressed by the dragon dances at the city’s fountain plaza, a major public venue, on the first night of the Chinese New Year, where dragons of various colors and sizes danced to upbeat music on an openair stage against the backdrop of crackling fireworks that lit up the night.
A large crowd of about 3,000 visitors laid siege to the space before the stage and were enthusiastic in their applause as each of the seven dragon dance teams finished.
“They all delivered high-level performances, considering that they had no prior experience,” says He, who was in charge of arranging the show.
She says she was amazed by some of the stunts, such as the elaborate swaying of the dragon’s body and the complex dance formations.
“Their enthusiasm and excitement were evident in their execuof every move and facial expressions,” she says.
“The rain had only stopped a day before the first public performance, but all performers did very well, despite the ground still being wet.”
The heads of some of the dragons weighed more than 15 kilograms, and other dragons were up to 75 meters in length.
“It was admirable. All the performers, from young people to retired women, were clearly trying to show their own style and contion tribute to the festive atmosphere,” He continues.
The 20 troupes were made up of civilians from across the city, and they took turns to perform for the public during the two-week festival before competing against one another for the top six prizes in an event that traditionally marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations.
“Other performances, such as the Nuo dance to dispel ghosts and invite blessings, and the flower drum opera, were also put on,” He says.
He works at the local folk customs and culture research center, which is part of the Shaowu culture, sports and tourism bureau. It was in charge of setting up the stage and organizing events, and so her Spring Festival was busier than normal this year, as she visited every nook and cranny in Shaowu to ensure that all the folk performances and celebrations went off smoothly.
Local authorities organized a 15-day celebration for the public this year, as opposed to seven days in previous years, says Tian Fang, deputy director of the Shaowu publicity department.
“We prepared a variety of events for each day, from art performances and riddle games to park parades,” Tian says.
The government encouraged enthusiasts to perform the dragon dance to welcome in the Year of the Dragon.
“The idea was to have them dance on main streets,” Tian says, adding that staff from museums, educational institutions, youth league and retiree organizations were all responsive to the call to deliver performances.
“Some villages and towns have a tradition of dragon dance performances over the years, so they were able to put on good shows after just a few rehearsals,” she says.
The city receives many local returnees, who are now either studying or working in big cities elsewhere, during major holidays and especially during Spring Festival.
They showed their interest in art and cultural experiences by going out to watch the holiday performances, Tian says.
Shaowu authorities worked hard to create a festive atmosphere for returnees.
“We don’t impose specific requirements on the quality of a performance. The main focus is on entertainment, celebration, harmony and liveliness, and everyone taking part,” Tian says.
“As long as you have some talent and you want to perform, you’re welcome on our stage.”
Over the past three decades, He has been involved in Spring Festival celebration planning, which means less time to spend with her family.
“They have been very understanding. For me, getting involved in holiday work comes from my passion for art, and the positive public response has been really rewarding,” she says.
She adds that her colleagues feel the same way, and have always immediately rushed to the spot to deal with emergencies.
“I feel the government is ensuring that the people celebrate the Chinese New Year holiday with lively activities,” He says.
“There’s also growing cultural demand; every venue was bustling, proving the public’s enthusiasm,” she adds.
We don’t impose specific requirements on the quality of a performance. The main focus is on entertainment, celebration, harmony and liveliness, and everyone taking part.”
Tian Fang, deputy director of the Shaowu publicity department, Fujian province