Erlong River Introduction
According to legend, the early Pingpu people of the Kamalan tribe lived along the Erlong River, with each household's backyard directly connected to the river. However, children often drowned, prompting the Kamalan people to expel river spirits through boat racing. Although Han settlers later mixed with them, this custom continued. During the Dragon Boat Festival, the elder of the community leads a ritual offering to the river god before the exciting boat race begins. Traditionally, the race takes place in the afternoon, with only the two teams of Qi Wulan and Zhouzaiwei participating. Villagers can take turns to compete, but outsiders and women are not allowed to participate. The unique competition features only gongs without drums, with participants rowing while standing, and winning or losing is determined by the spectators and the team members themselves. Villagers often insist that their side is the winner, leading to repeated races of ten or eight laps. This fierce competition strives for the "Peace Flag," regarded by the villagers as the most sacred and auspicious award, reflecting their sporting spirit of "losing people but not losing face." Come join the festivities by the Erlong River during the Dragon Boat Festival! The Erlong Boat Race has become a reflection of Erlong Village, deeply uniting the villagers' hearts. The "Erlong Boat Race," conducted without a starter, starting point, or beating drums, is a competition without referees. Held every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, it has a long history dating back to the Jiaqing era and is the most culturally rooted dragon boat race, having been selected by the Tourism Bureau as one of the twelve major folk activities in the country, making it a valuable cultural asset of Jiaoxi Township.
