On June 11, five international students from our university visited the Dragon Boat Culture Industrial Park in Zibu Town, Wannian County, to participate in the Dragon Boat Festival cultural event themed “Cultural Heritage Flows with Water, Dragon Boats Bridge Hearts.” Through a variety of hands‑on activities such as making zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings), hanging mugwort, reciting Chu Ci poetry, and racing dragon boats, the students immersed themselves in the profound traditions of the Chinese festival and deeply appreciated the dragon boat spirit of unity, cooperation, and striving forward.
The day began with authentic folk experiences. Local villagers taught the students how to make zongzi step by step – folding leaves, filling them with sticky rice, and tying them with strings. The students learned attentively and soon had plump, green dumplings in their hands. They happily posed for photos with their own creations. Next, the students got creative: they mixed mugwort and calamus with small ornaments and blessing cards to make unique mugwort bouquets, which they then hung on door frames to pray for good fortune and ward off evil.
At the cultural exhibition area, a guide explained the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival and the thousand‑year history of dragon boat culture. The students listened carefully and recited Qu Yuan’s famous line together: “The road ahead is long and winding, I will search up and down.” Through their resonant recitation, they felt the patriotic spirit and relentless pursuit of this ancient Chinese sage. At the dragon boat cultural park, the students practised the dragon boat drumbeat under the villagers’ guidance. At first unsteady, their drumming soon became rhythmic and powerful, setting the prelude for the race.
The climax of the event was the dragon boat race itself. The international students and local villagers formed mixed teams and rowed together. Remembering the rowing techniques – adjusting their center of gravity and gripping the oars firmly – they followed the drumbeat and broke into loud cheers. The dragon boats shot forward like arrows across the water. Drums thundered, oars splashed, and Chinese and overseas youths pulled together with one heart and one effort. In the fierce competition, friendships deepened, vividly embodying the core spirit of dragon boat culture: “Crossing waves together in the same boat.”
After the event, the students shared their reflections. They said the experience gave them a new understanding of the Dragon Boat Festival. From the taste of zongzi, the mugwort on door frames, to the timeless lines of Li Sao, they saw that the festival is not only a time for blessings and health, but also a cultural symbol carrying the profound sense of home and country cherished by the Chinese people. The dragon boat race taught them that only by uniting and moving in perfect harmony can a boat cut swiftly through the waves. This event built a bridge of communication across borders, allowing our international students to understand China through joyful practice and form deep friendships with local people through cultural resonance.