Exhibition builds anticipation for family reunions, celebratory rituals, regional cuisine and good fortune, Lin Qi reports.
The completed dragon boat by Lin Shunkui, a seasoned handicraft artist living in Dongcai village, Beibaixiang town, Yueqing, Zhejiang province, will be burned on the village grounds on the night of the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar.
The colorful wooden dragon boat will burn in a huge fire — a climactic ritual during Spring Festival celebrations — when villagers will wish away bad energy and hope that good luck will arrive.
The dragon boat, standing several meters in height and length, is called the "decorated dragon head", a handicraft traced to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Yueqing.
Lin, a national-level inheritor born in 1956, is the fifth generation of his family to carry on the intangible cultural heritage.
One of Lin's dragon boats is displayed at the Chinese Traditional Culture Museum in Beijing.
A highlight of the Guo Nian: Exhibition of the Spring Festival, running until March 2 is the boat mounted above to elevate the festive mood ahead of the Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan 29. Lin's dragon boat thrills visitors with a glimpse into the richness and diversity of Chinese New Year celebrations. Guo Nian means celebrating the arrival of the New Year.
