Handcrafted dragon boats return home as ancient festival tradition finds new life in China

WUHAN -- For nearly three months, 70-year-old boat builder Zheng Xianglong worked side by side with his son and a group of craftsmen, most of them in their 60s, transforming cedar wood into 14 dragon boats.

After the boats were finished, Zheng spent another three weeks on the riverbank in Zigui county in Central China's Hubei province. He watched crews train under the summer sun and inspected each vessel before practice sessions. His skin grew darker, but Zheng refused to slack off.

"These boats are my life's work," he said. "If the race wasn't a success, I wouldn't be able to sleep."

As the two-day dragon boat races started on Friday, Zheng witnessed something that he had feared might never happen again: the return of traditional handcrafted wooden dragon boat racing to Zigui, the hometown of the ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan, after more than 20 years of absence.

Since 2000, lighter and more durable fiberglass boats, widely used in international-standard dragon boat races, have gradually replaced handcrafted wooden vessels across China. This year, however, local authorities brought the traditional races back to Zigui, describing the move as both a return to cultural roots and a way to strengthen the region's cultural identity.

The revival reflects a broader trend across China, where centuries-old Dragon Boat Festival traditions are drawing new participants, preserving cultural heritage and creating fresh economic opportunities.