Bengbu Wuhe: Racing Dragons and Splitting Waves to Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival

On May 30, the Chuhe River shimmered with clear blue waters, its surface churned by racing paddles. As the final dragon boat crossed the finish line, the 8th "Hongcheng Cup" Dragon Boat Race in Wuhe County, Bengbu City, concluded in festive triumph at the Chuhe River Folk Song Square. The event, held in tandem with the Cultural, Tourism, and Food Festival, featured 27 competing teams and nearly 300 dragon boat athletes, drawing thousands of enthusiastic spectators along the riverbanks. On the water, athletes embodied competitive spirit while showcasing intangible cultural heritage, crafting a lively scene where competition met culture.

"Village Song" Featured Performance

Featured Performance

Featured Performance

Dragon Boats Launching on the Chonghe River

Photographer capturing the vibrant moments

Dragon Boats Race Scene

Athletes Paddling Vigorously

Dragon Boats Race Scene

The rhythmic drumming of paddles echoed through millennia-old waterways as dragon boats raced across Wuhe County—the "Pearl of Northern Anhui." Here, five rivers converge into a living tapestry, defining this land as the famed “Water Town of the North.” The Dragon Boat Festival in Wuhe has evolved far beyond its ritualistic origins, becoming a cultural cornerstone that revives the county’s aquatic legacy. Each year, crews cleave through the water behind dragon-headed prows, while cheers roll from the shores—painting the county’s most dynamic riverscape tableau.

Leveraging its natural abundance—a mountain, three lakes, and a reservoir—Wuhe has woven ecological beauty into cultural revitalization. Through immersive festivals and seasonal celebrations, it reveals scenes of emerald peaks blanketed in pear blossom snow and kite-filled skies mirrored on crystalline lakes. Today's races served a dual purpose: a festive crescendo for the community and a living vessel preserving tradition, each paddle stroke carving heritage into the current.

Looking ahead, Wuhe will let sports be its compass and culture its current, steering toward integrated tourism. This convergence will resurrect ancient aquatic traditions, infuse Northern Anhui’s ecotourism with cultural depth, and channel renewed vitality into rural rejuvenation—where every ripple tells a story that never ends.