Qintong Boat Festival launched with invitation to city residents
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A past festival
Every April, a spectacular folk gala is staged in Qintong Town, east China's Jiangsu Province, with tens of thousands of rowers racing across the waters on Qinhu Lake.
This year, the annual Qintong Boat Festival dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) will kick off on April 8 with culture and tourism authorities from Qintong of Jiangyan District, Taizhou City, delivering an invitation to Shanghai residents on Friday.
Qinhu National Wetland Park
The boisterous festival, a national-level intangible cultural heritage, will comprise 18 activities this year with camellia appreciation, wetland music and food festivals planned.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, general Yue Fei (1103-1142) carried out a successful campaign against Jin invaders in the Qinhu Lake area. However, the battles also led to heavy casualties in the Song force.
Boats on Qinhu Lake.
Local residents poled boats to pay respect to the fallen soldiers during the Qingming Festival based on local tradition and ritual, which was evolved into a festival.
During the festival, different types of hundreds of boats such as tribute boats, pole boats and dragon boats, in brilliant colors and varied shapes, race in the water, offering a glimpse into the colorful folk culture and custom of Qintong, accompanied by the sound of pounding drums and gongs. The event is known as the "biggest temple fair above water in the world."
Qinhu Lake hairy crabs.
Qinhu Lake is also known for a variety of fish, shrimp, shellfish, waterfowl and vegetables, the best ingredients for the eight best-known Qinhu dishes. Qinhu crab, No.1 on the list, is tender, fresh and nutritious because of the water quality of the lake.
