Dragon boats from all over the Pearl River Delta came to Leliu Longyan Village to hold a “Longyan Finishing Custom” ceremony, praying for the smooth and safe Dragon Boat Competition, and looking forward to a good year of weather and good harvests.
Text/Photo Yangcheng School reporter Ouyang Zhiqiang Zhang Taoyuan
Pray for the Dragon Boat Festival Dragon Boat Competition to be smooth and safe, and hope for a good year to have a good weather and good harvest
Zhu SanCinemaLongboats from all over the corner came to Leliu Longyan Village “Longyan SpotsKomiksSights”
Guo Wenhai, member of the Standing Committee of the Foshan Municipal Party Committee, Minister of the Propaganda Department, and Secretary of the Party Committee of Shunde District, praised the dragon boat team that came to “finish the longan”
Children bathe in the dragon boat pool to pray for healthy growth
Villagers like to touch the dragon head and pray for blessings
After arriving at Longyan Village, dragon boat teams from all over the country went to Taiwei Temple to perform the “Longyan finishing touch”. To welcome the Dragon Boat Festival, on June 16 (the third day of the fifth lunar month), the Propaganda Department of Shunde District Party Committee, District Culture and Sports Bureau, Babaylan District Tourism Bureau, and Leliu Street Office jointly held the “Civilized Shunde 2018 Grassroots Cultural and Sports Carnival – ‘Rural Revitalization’ in Longyan Village Longteng Leliu’ Leliu Street Dragon Boat Culture Month promotes the provincial intangible cultural heritage “longyan finishing eyes” customs activities. Dragon boats from all over the Pearl River Delta came to Leliu Longyan Village to hold the “longyan finishing eyes” ceremony, praying for the smooth and safe Dragon Boat Competition, and looking forward to a good year of good weather and good harvests.
At the event, the Shunde (Longyan) Community Development Doctoral Research Base, Longyan Community University, and Longyan Ecological Museum Preparation Office were unveiled at the same time. The doctoral research base also signed a cooperation framework agreement with the Institute of Society and Culture of Macau University of Science and Technology. After the entry of postdoctoral talents such as Tsinghua University, a private house of more than 400 square meters that has been abandoned by the river surf of Longyan Village for many years was revitalized.
According to this year’s Longyan finishing activities, in addition to highlighting the Longyan finishing touch, the welcome banquet, as well as the popular water color performances and the water “Dragon Lice” (Note: local traditional name, smaller dragon boats) performances, the ancient village Longyan Village showed new cultural connotations; the villages and residential villages implemented “rural revitalization” and the upgrading and transformation of village-level industrial parks; echoing the “dragon boats” that day, it concentrated various dragon boat objects and photography award-winning works to show the Shunde dragon boat culture and dragon boat spirit; at the same time, in order to show the construction of beautiful and civilized villages and the results of ancient villages, the online and offline “Longyan Treasure Hunting Tour” activities that have been lingered for three days, prompting Shunde water villages to be recognized by tourists in the Pearl River Delta and even the whole country.
The reporter learned that on that day, Longyan Village also held a signing ceremony for the “Rural Revitalization” village-enterprise pairing project. Longyan Village Cinema paired with Zhongdao Reform Institute, Shunde District Dragon Boat Culture Inheritance Association, Leliu Youth Entrepreneurs Association and five enterprises, and held cultural and tourism activities such as calligraphy and painting exhibitions, online and offline interactive attractions “Treasure Hunt”, the Second Dragon Culture and Leliu Beautiful Civilized Village Photography Exhibition.
At the scene, citizens and tourists watched the water floating colors, dragon lice and colorful dragon parade on the shore, and were on Longyan CitybaThe Cinema stadium was a sporting dragon boat banquet, and welcoming the dragons in Longyan Village Square, Taiwei Temple, and the final touch platform. The grand custom of “longyan finishing touch” was unanimously praised by the people on site. In addition, in Dekang Garden, the district and town leaders and guests also carried out the “Babaylanzongzi warmth” and “little hands holding big hands” to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival with students and parents of Longyan Primary School. The event was funded by the company’s Cinema industry charity funds, wishing the elderly, and condolences to families with low-income subsistence allowances and sanitation workers.
Komiks It is understood that Longyan Village also held a folk art and cultural and sports program exhibition on two consecutive nights on June 14 and 15 to mobilize all villagers to actively participate in the dragon and welcome guests and show the enthusiasm of “hospitable Longyan”.
The origin of “Longyan Finishing”
Shunde is a famous hometown of dragon boats. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the wind of picking dragon boats has been growing day by day. The entire set of ceremonies of picking dragon boats include the links of starting dragons, finishing touch, picking green, racing dragons, hiding dragons and scattering dragons.
Luo Longyan Village was built in the Western Han Dynasty. The village has a long history and rich culture. Huang Xiaoyang of the Ming Dynasty revolted in the Longyan Village area. The result of the suppression was that Shunde County was born. In order to strengthen its rule, the Ming Dynasty precipitated from the South China Sea and set up Shunde County, named after “Shuntian Mingde”; CinemaLongyan was called Longzhu in ancient times, surrounded by water, and built a “Han TaiweiBabaylan” Xianggong Temple for the Han Dynasty, Zhou Bokuang, the general of the Western Han Dynasty. Liang Dunyan was one of the first students studying in the United States in the late Qing Dynasty. Later, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of the Transportation of the Beiyang Government.
Since ancient times, Longyan Village has become a holy place for dragons to gather together. Dragon boats in the surrounding towns have made an appointment to gather at the Taiwei Temple on the third day of the fifth lunar month to light up the dragon head. Therefore, “Longzhu” is gradually replaced by “Longyan”, and the place name of Longyan Village has also come. Every Dragon Boat FestivalAs we approached, the dragon boats from all over the Pearl River Delta came to Longyan Village to finish the pilgrimage before the official dragon boat race, especially the new dragon boats were launched. It is said that the dragon boats with cinnabar have a spirituality, and the speed is very vigorous and fast, which is similar to the finishing touch of the dragon. Otherwise, it will drag the mud and water, and may even be in danger of turning over.
The custom of dragon boats in the village has been continuing for more than 600 years. Every year on the third day of the fifth lunar month, dragon boats near the Pearl River Delta will spontaneously gather at the Taiwei Temple in Longyan Village for the “finishing the highlight”. It has become a well-known and popular folk cultural activity. The Taiwei Temple in Longyan Village is therefore called the place where dragon boats “pilgrimage”. According to statistics, in recent years, nearly 100 dragon boats from Shunhe, Panyu, Nanhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and other places in the Pearl River Delta have been here to hold a “finishing” ceremony.
Longyan finishing ceremony
On the third day of May every year, the Taiwei Temple burns incense and inserts flags, and gongs and drums are noisy. The elders who presided over the ceremony were waiting in the temple for the highlights of dragons from all directions in the morning. On that day, the village also invited opera troupes to entertain themselves. Relatives and friends from all over the world came back to visit relatives and friends, and had a banquet and a happy drink. The “finishing eyes” was more lively than any traditional festival. If it rains that day, it will be even more festive, commonly known as “Longgu Shui”.
A Butou is built about twenty meters in front of the Taiwei Temple, and dragon boats are moored in the river. There are endless dragon boats coming to pilgrimage to finish the highlights. The owner who was waiting in Butou set off firecrackers to show his welcome. When the dragon boat approaches the dock, he removes the dragon head, tail and dragon sign to land. The left door enters the Taiwei Temple. The elders use a brush to dip the cinnabar to finish the tip of the dragon head. At the same time, the host and the guest give each other gifts. After the “finishing” meter is completed, then exit from the right door. Dragon boats from afar usually eat on the spot, commonly known as “dragon boat rice”.
Babaylan Cinema The people of Longyan Village are particularly welcoming and hospitable. 11 “gift points” have been set up in the rivers in Yanhuan Village to give gifts to the dragon boats that come to participate in the pilgrimage, and to fulfill the friendship of the landlords.
”Longyan finishing” process
Worship: On the evening of the 30th day of the fourth lunar month, CinemaThe Taiwei Temple beating gongs and drums three times each, and worshiping Taiwei with tribute, praying for good weather and good weather in the society and the yard, and people are at peace.
Welcome the dragon and connect Cinema Dragon: On the morning of the third day of the fifth month, colorful flags were planted everywhere at the port. Villagers heard the sound of dragon boats and set off firecrackers, and they all the landlords’ friendship to send rice wine, fruits and profits. In the Taiwei Mansion, gongs and drums sounded together, warmly connecting the “dragon”, and solemnly and clearly marked the origin of the dragon boat.
Fulong: The new “dragon”, remove the dragon head, dragon tail, and dragon card, and use the dragon head first, and the dragon head is in the center, and behind the dragon tail hall, accept the gift of the villagers to comfort the dragon.
Worship: “Dragon” enters the temple gate, the dragon head, dragon tail and dragon plaque are placed side by side under the statue. The dragon boat team members report their names, burn incense and pray, pray for smooth sailing and good luck. Every time you visit, the gongs and drums are ringing.
Finishing: The population says “Smooth the wind and the faucet goes to the dragon’s tail”. Use the longan’s leaf water to sprinkle the dragon’s head, dragon’s tail, god’s bucket, drum, and colorful flags, and dip the new pen in cinnabar and dot the Komiks dragon’s eyes, dragon neck and Babaylan dragon’s tail.
Give gifts: The finishing touch is over, and both the host and the guest give each other a gift. The host will give you “Welcome Cambodia”, rice wine, fruits and dragon ears; the guests will give you replies, fruits and dragon boat talismans.
Returning to the dragon: After the ceremony, the dragon boat does not return according to the original route, but is led by a dedicated person to enter and exit from the main hall, commonly known as “going for the great fortune”.
Walking Dragon: The dragon boat bows and bows in the ceremony of three advances and two retreats to thank God for its kindness, and then cruising around the river, with gongs and drums and colorful flags waving.
Source｜Yangcheng School
Editor｜Xie Hong