Miao Dragon Boat Festival

Shibing County is located in the north of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, the center hinterland of state-level scenic spot: Wuyang River. The county has a population of 150,000, and more than 50% of the Miao ethnic minority population, mainly inhabited in the south county, that is Qingshui River.

Ping Village is a Miao village by the Qingshui River, the birthplace of the unique Miao canoe boat race in the world. Every May 24 of the lunar calendar, all the boat must first go to Ping Village to worship dragon (a ceremony of praying for rain) before going to other villages to accept gifts to friends and relatives. Then the next day, 25th, all the boats gather together at Shidong Town to hold the Dragon Boat Festival of Miao People. 

Dragon Boat Festival is one of national grand festivals at Shibing County, falls between the 24th and the 27th of the fifth lunar month and is separate in origin from the Han people’s festival of the same name. On that day, ladies who have married take some Zongzi(rice dumpling) back home, and hand ducks, geese on the head of dragon boat in the uncle's home, while some will take some pigs and cattle, means sending blessing and congratulations, as well as sending harvest and lucky.

This is a native Miao stockade. One ancient legend about "dragon" was born here, from which evolved into a "Dragon Boat Festival." Every May 24 is a holiday in Ping Village. The beginning of the Dragon Boat Festival is not the sound boat race, but visit relatives first. Look at this picture, this is the scene that the relatives of a family carry the gifts and heading for the village...

These sticky rice dumplings are essential for Dragon Boat Festival.

Adult bring the children who wear new clothes to the entrance of the village to pick their relatives up.

Seeing some new faces of the relatives, the girl was a little nervous.

As usual, no matter friends or relatives, you have to drink a cup of wine to enter into the village. 

There are guests and hosts, but no boundaries, and friends here were from all sides.

After dinner, we came to the riverside, and found there were all kinds of stalls besides the river.

The people who sold duck were chatting to each other.

The man had bought ducks and was going home.

Vendors from outside were very joyous.

There were many people under the large tree to watch the coming boat race.

The girls were playing water at the side of the boat.

These women were talking their everyday matters.

glory on the face of these women

Everybody was very happy.

A canoe boat was heading for the meeting place.

Miao young and adult were prepared well for the race.

The captain was having a rest, to wait for the "battle".

Relatives of the clans came to toast.

Also hang the kinship and hope to the neck of the "Dragon".

Red silk flag expressed blessing

Toast embodies hope

The elderly carried a child came to the bow to take a picture.

A boy about 10 years of age was wearing dresses, beat drums and gongs.

In the drum field, women beat the drums.

The young man also beat the drum.

Miao shaman killed the white cock as a sacrifice for dragon.

Wearing a gown and a mandarin jack, the old man beat a drum to set the pace for the oarsmen.

The competition was very fierce…

After the race, the boat was leisurely flowed back.

The winners were cleaning the field.

Look back, lingering these simple and beautiful landscape. 
Miao Travel Guide: http://www.tourdechina.cn/ChinaGuide/guizhou/