In celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival, the dragon boat race was warmly welcomed. Despite the scorching 35-degree heat, the participants' enthusiasm for the game surpassed the weather conditions. After three years, on June 10, the 13th Shanghai University International Students Dragon Boat Race and the inaugural Yangtze River Delta University InternationalStudents Dragon Boat Invitational Race were held at Fengxian Campus of East China University of Science and Technology（ECUST）. Over 800 international students from 32 universities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Anhui, including Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Science and Technology of China, and Zhejiang University, gathered there to take partakein the dragon boat race and immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture. The competition was sponsored by the Shanghai Education Commission and the International Student Education Research Committee of the Shanghai Education Association for International Exchange. ECUST organized the event with the support of the Bank of China Shanghai Branch.

 

Photo: Opening ceremony dragon dance performance

 

　　At 1:30 PM, the dragon boat race kicked off with a strong Chinese dragon and lion dance performance. The Dunhuang style street dance "Flying Sky", which combines tradition and modernity, attracted cheers from overseas students.

 

Photo: Opening ceremony lion dance performance

 

Photo: Opening ceremony Dunhuang Flying Street dance

 

　　Li Jian, Vice President of ECUST, delivered a welcome speech. In his speech, Li Jian emphasizes that " ECUST is fully leveraging the power of sports events and cultural activities to foster international exchanges. We will seize the opportunity of the dragon boat race to deepen our commitment to openness and cooperation with a more open-minded approach, pragmatic efforts, and heightened enthusiasm. We aim to strengthen regional innovation and collaboration, while integrating ourselves into a broader development landscape."

 

Photo: Welcoming speech by Vice President Li Jian

 

 

Ye Linlin, the deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, announced the commencement of the dragon boat race. Following his announcement, Ye Linlin, along with Li Jian,  Li Xin, the Director of the General Office of the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, and Li Zhe, the general manager of the administrative division of the Bank of China Shanghai Branch, took on prominent roles in leading the event.

 

Photo：Deputy Director Ye Linlin marks the start of the dragon boat festival

 

Praying for blessings, maintaining focus, and engage in a spirited dragon boat race that combines strong Chinese elements with an international flair. While the boats may be the same, the participants represent a diverse array of nationalities and languages. Accompanied by the resounding beat of drums, the athletes grip their oars tightly and skillfully paddle through the water. There is a remarkable sense of unity as everyone moves in sync, displaying precise and synchronized movements. The paddling rhythm is swift and steady, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Amidst the sweat and splashing water, the dragon boats race under the sun on Tonghai Lake, showcasing the spirit of teamwork and mutual support in its fullest form.

 

 

Photo: Best moments from the competition

　

　The exhilarating scene drew the attention of many students who came to witness the fierce competition. The dragon head rose and fell, creating splashes of water as the dragon boat surged forward on the waves. The paddles rhythmically struck the water, resembling arrows swiftly gliding across the undulating waves.

 

Photo: Enthusiastic spectators at the lake

 

 Photo: A brief glimpse of the contestants

　　Amidst the clash of speed and passion, accompanied by the cheers of the cheerleaders, the intense preliminary competitions concluded. In the final standings, the team from East China Normal University emerged victorious, claiming the first-place position. Shanghai Maritime University and Tongji University secured the second prize. Fudan University, Donghua University, Nanjing Forestry University, University of Science and Technology of China, and Zhejiang University were awarded the third prize for their remarkable performances.

Photo: The East China Normal University team celebrates winning the championship

 

　　The international students participating in the dragon boat team expressed their fondness for this traditional sporting event. Among them, there were first-time competitors and seasoned "veterans" with ample experience. Pan Boyi, the leader of the East China University of Science and Technology Dragon Boat team from Yemen, shared his thoughts, saying, "Dragon boat racing requires excellent physical strength and endurance, and we undergo rigorous training every week to enhance our speed and power. Through this experience, we have learned how to overcome challenges and push our limits. Additionally, I have gained a deep appreciation for Chinese culture. As I will soon graduate, I cherish every training session, and this dragon boat race will forever remain the most unforgettable moment of my study abroad journey.

 

Photo: ECUST dragon boat team leader was interviewed by Xinhua News Agency and other media

 

Miao Maoqin, a Myanmar student from Nanjing Forestry University who won good results in the first competition, could not hide his inner excitement, "I am very happy to participate in this traditional Chinese culture festival! I hope to continue this competition next year because I can meet new people from all over the country."

Kam, an Afghan student from Zhejiang University, likes sports very much, but it is the first time to participate in this kind of team cooperation competition. "I have not had the opportunity to participate in this kind of competition that requires tacital team cooperation, and this time I finally came into contact with the traditional Chinese dragon boat race!"

Hu Jiayu, leader teacher of University of Science and Technology of China, said, "It is a great honor to have the opportunity to compete on the same stage. Under the leadership of the speed of various universities, I look forward to the passion to fight again next year!"

It is reported that the Shanghai University International Student Dragon Boat Race has been settled in ECUST since 2008, which combines dragon boat racing and sportsmanship with the dissemination of traditional Chinese culture and the telling of Chinese festival stories. After years of practice, dragon boat racing on Tonghai Lake has become an important event and classic activity in the campus cultural life of international students in Shanghai universities. Every Dragon Boat Festival comes, many foreign students are full of expectations, eating zongzi, dragon boat racing, infiltrating the experience of traditional Chinese culture, increase mutual friendship.

"Youth fashion, cultural experience, rich and colorful, beautiful and shared". Sports is the shell, culture is the core, education is the mission. ECUST spreads the Chinese culture carried by the dragon boat movement in a subtle way, which makes this traditional cultural project develop and flourish over time, and also symbolizes that the cause of "studying in China" has always maintained a resilience and released vitality.

 

Photo: Team representing ECUST

 

　　The dragon of culture carried the boat of friendship during the dragon boat race event. After a hiatus of three years, the relaunch of the competition marked a significant breakthrough. The year 2023 coincided with the 5th anniversary of the Yangtze River Delta integration as a national strategy. This year, six universities from Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang partook in the competition for the first time. With the aim of fostering camaraderie among boatmates, ECUST is committed to extending the reach of this vibrant regional tradition to a broader stage.

 

Looking ahead, the Dragon Boat Race will continue to serve as a platform for international students in the Yangtze River Delta region to immerse themselves in Chinese culture, strengthen exchanges and dialogues between universities, and promote the "Study in China" brand. As the sea sets the backdrop, purple iris flowers quietly bloom. Through participation in university dragon boat activities, we anticipate meeting again next year, and together, we wish for everlasting friendship and blooming flowers of camaraderie. Let us walk this path and cultivate a garden of world civilization.