The 7th China International Dragon Boat Festival was splendidly launched at the International Dragon Boat Racing Center of Miluo, a prefecture city of Yueyang, on the morning of June 5.
Li Jie, president of Chinese Dragon Boat Association, expressed the hope during a speech that Miluo will fully inherit, protect and utilize the Duanwu （the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar ） customs along the Miluo River, which has been listed as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage, thereby making a bigger contribution to the popularization of the dragon boat racing and spread of the traditional Chinese culture.
Vice-President of the Chinese Olympic Committee Wu Qi declared the festival open at thirty-eight past nine. It began with a folk dance Wind from Miluo River, which demonstrated the unique local customs along the Miluo River lasting more than two thousand years and brought the audience authentic ways of celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival by people in Hunan.
The dragon boat racing was extremely fierce, during which Puxia Team from Fuzhou of Fujian province, Quzi Dragon Boat Club Team from Miluo, and Mayang Team from Hunan won the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.
Translator: Xie Lingli
Source: Hunan Official Web Portal