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Chinese Dragon Boat Leading Traditional
Asian Water Sports onto the Global Stage
□ by Ci Xin, China Youth News
From October 4 to 6, the dragon boat competition of the Hangzhou Asian Games unfolded in Wenzhou, one of the cohost cities. The Wenzhou Dragon Boat Sports Center, nestled amidst mountains and waters, created indelible memories
for all participating teams with its excellent venue conditions and picturesque scenery. Its purpose did not end with the
conclusion of the three-day competition but it became one of the legacies of the Asian Games, serving as fertile ground to
further propel the global development of dragon boat sports.
Dragon boat racing, originating from China, is not only a sport but also a carrier of rich traditional Chinese culture.
As a featured event of the Asian Games, it, in the broad sense, encompasses various traditional boat sports from East Asia
and Southeast Asia. It’s hoped that dragon boat racing shall led these traditional sports onto the world stage.
On October 6, the last day of the dragon
boat competition, the Indonesian team
finally secured a gold medal in the men’s
dragon boat 1000-meter event, fulfilling their
aspiration to win at least one gold medal in
this field of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The team is one of the traditional
p o w e r h o u s e s i n t h e d r a g o n b o a t
competition at the Asian Games. In the
inaugural dragon boat event at the 2010
Guangzhou Asian Games, Indonesia
clinched an impressive three gold medals
in the men’s category. The decision to
include the dragon boat event at the 2018
Jakarta Asian Games was influenced by
the country’s strong grassroots support and
remarkable competitive prowess in this
field.
Like Indonesia, Thailand, with its
network of waterways, also boasts a
strong grassroots foundation in dragon
boat racing. Vinya Cseeshomuem, the
head coach of the Thai team, shared that
Thailand’s traditional boat is referred to as
the “elephant boat.” Just like dragon boat
racing in China, the elephant boat racing
holds significant cultural importance in
Thailand and is a traditional boat activity
with widespread participation among the
public.
Zhang Wenjian, the Dean of the
School of Physical Education and Health
at Wenzhou University, who has conducted
in-depth research on dragon boat culture,
argued, “To understand the connection
between dragon boat racing and traditional
rowing activities in Southeast Asian
countries, one must first acknowledge
the long history of the former. Dragon
boat racing originated in China during
the Spring and Autumn Period and has
persisted for thousands of years. Rowingrelated activities prevalent in various
regions, particularly in coastal and
riverside areas. When dragon boats were
introduced to Southeast Asian countries,
they inevitably merged with the local
cultural elements. However, in terms of
historical origins, these traditional rowing
activities can still be traced back to China’s
dragon boats.”
In addition, Chinese expatriates and
overseas Chinese worldwide have also
helped to bring dragon boat culture to
various corners of the globe, promoting
the cultural tradition of Chinese dragon
boat racing in local contexts. Currently,
in Europe, North America, and other
regions, the organization of dragon boat
activities relies significantly on the active
participation of local Chinese communities
and overseas Chinese.