Page 57 - JIANGSU

FOLK ART 52

Qintong Boat Festival:

The Olympic Games On the Lake

—— Miya

in Lake is a magical lake on back to the Southern Song Dynasty more
the Lixia River Plain in Jiangsu than 800 years ago. During the Southern
Province. Once a year, it is Song Dynasty, Army Yue led by Yue Fei
filled with ships coming from all fought against Jin soldiers on Qin Lake,
directions. The Qintong Boat Festival is a cul- and the local people punted boats to
tural feast for the children of Qinhu Lake, and pay homage to the dead soldiers on the
it is also the inheritance of Jiangsu style and Tomb-sweeping Day. Over time, it became
the vivid presentation of the beautiful Jiangsu. a water town custom. Every year during
the Tomb-sweeping Day, thousands of
"Qintong Boat Festival" is an ancient tradi- boats and tens of thousands of boat people
tional folk event, whose history can be traced gather here, such a spectacular scene.

“Qintong Boat Festival” is an ancient traditional folk event,
It is usually held in April every year.

In 2008, Qintong Boat Festival was included the sea. On that day, almost all the ancient
in the national intangible cultural heritage list. town residents of Qintong and many peo-
The festival is just like an Olympic Games on ple from the surrounding towns, including
the lake. Every time the boat festival comes, Jiangyan City, come here. On the water,
Qin Lake is full of various boats, no less than puntings and rowing boats compete with
hundreds. At a glance, the ships seem densely each, and the sound of gongs and horns
packed, the oars like a forest, and the flags like rise one after another.