Promote Chinese Culture and Boost the Ice and Snow Economy! The Annual International Ice Dragon Boat Gala - Xilingol International Ice Dragon Boat Championship Grandly Initiates!

2025-01-20

On January 20, the Xilingol International Ice Dragon Boat Championship was grandly initiated in Xilinhot City. With colorful flags fluttering, crowds gathering, and a lively atmosphere, more than 3,000 tourists and locals came to watch the competition, marking the official start of an ice dragon boat gala gathering global ice dragon boat teams.

Leaders and guests attending the opening ceremony included Luo Zhongyi (President of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation), Wang Jinde (Vice President of the Asian Dragon Boat Federation), Wu Hao (Deputy Secretary-General of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation and Vice Chairman of the Dragon Boat Culture Professional Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Cultural Industry), Du Baijun (Director of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Sports Bureau), Zhang Taiping (Level 1 Researcher of the Mass Sports Division of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Sports Bureau), Yang Li (Member of the Xilingol League Committee and Secretary-General), Bai Xuyun (Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Xilingol League Committee, Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office and Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office), He Mingjian (Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Xilingol League Committee, Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the League Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio Television), Xing An (Secretary of the Xilinhot Municipal Party Committee), Wei Wei (Director of the Xilingol League Economic Development Promotion Center), Wang Yongsheng (Deputy Director of the League Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio Television), and Nabqima (Vice Mayor of Xilinhot City).

This event has attracted teams from 16 foreign countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Tajikistan, Singapore, Iran and Pakistan, as well as two teams from Chinese mainland, 1 team from Hong Kong, China and 1 team from Taiwan, China. A total of 20 teams with nearly 400 athletes participated in the competition.

At the opening ceremony, some performance teams prepared a splendid cultural performance. The passionate melody of Chinese Dragon was played, instantly igniting the on-site atmosphere and conveying majestic power and profound cultural heritage. The performance of Shepherd Girl took the audience into the vast grassland; dancers stepped out with the unique rhythm of the grassland with light steps, showing the tenderness and charm of grassland culture, which complemented the ice and snow scene of ice dragon boats.

The melodies of Ode to the White Horse and Hometown were melodious and passionate; the sound of the matouqin (horse-head fiddle) echoed on the ice rink, affectionately expressing love and praise for the hometown, and an intense ethnic atmosphere filled the venue. The performance of Dancing with Ice and Snow pushed the show to a climax; performers danced gracefully on the ice in white dance dresses, as light as snowflakes, interpreting the vitality and agility of ice and snow sports, and fully demonstrating the beauty of the ice and snow world.

During the ice dragon boat eye-dotting ceremony, guests held cinnabar brushes and solemnly dotted cinnabar on the dragon boats:

• The first dot on the eyes: praying for favorable weather and national prosperity and people's peace;

• The second dot on the forehead: implying the shining of auspicious stars and good luck;

• The third dot on the nose: symbolizing harmony, happiness, and peace for all families;

• The fourth dot on the mouth: wishing everyone to smile and have a great fortune.

• The fifth dot on the horns: expecting the dragon boats to bring auspiciousness, health, and joy to the event.

Athletes worldwide gathered here to witness this traditional Chinese ceremony and experience the broad and profound Chinese culture.

Luo Zhongyi (President of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation) delivered a speech.

Du Baijun (Director of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Sports Bureau) opened the competition

The competition has a variety of events, including 12-person ice dragon boat 100m and 200m straight races, 5-person ice dragon boat 100m and 200m consecutive races, and 12-person ice dragon boat 300m drift return race. On the first day of the competition, the preliminary round of the 200m straight race (open group, 12-person ice dragon boat) took the lead, with five groups of athletes striving for victory. Later, the 200m straight race (open group, 5-person ice dragon boat) was held in sequence. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, athletes of all teams united as one and sprinted hard to compete for the highest honor.

Yang Li (1st from left, Member of the Xilingol League Committee and Secretary-General),

Du Baijun (2nd from left, Director of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Sports Bureau),

Luo Zhongyi (2nd from right, President of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation),

Wu Hao (1st from right), Deputy Secretary-General of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation

and Vice Chairman of the Dragon Boat Culture Professional Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Cultural Industry)

Xilingol League has unique ice and snow resources and rich experience in hosting events, occupying an important position in ice and snow sports. As early as 2018, Duolun County of Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia successfully held the first World Ice Dragon Boat Championship; in 2020, it successfully undertook the ice dragon boat event of the 14th National Winter Games of the People's Republic of China; in 2023, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia successfully held the first China University Students Ice Dragon Boat Championship, as well as the opening match and final of the 2023-2024 Ice Dragon Boat Super League. This time, Xilingol League's event hosting has won high recognition from the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation, making it the first city in China to host the International Ice Dragon Boat Championship.

Holding this championship is a powerful practice of General Secretary Xi Jinping's concept of "ice and snow are also gold and silver mountains", and a necessary action to promote the realization of "encouraging 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports". With the help of this highly participatory, popular, influential and driving ice dragon boat sport, it not only presents an exciting sports event to the audience, but also further inherits the traditional Chinese sports events, enriches people's winter cultural life, effectively promotes the transformation of Xilingol League's winter "cold resources" into "hot industries", drives the in-depth integrated development of culture, sports and tourism in Xilingol League, and outlines a gorgeous landscape of integrated culture, sports and tourism in the ice and snow.