WUST News (Trainee Reporter Yuan Jingyue)

As the Dragon Boat Festival draws near, the rhythmic drumbeats over Qin Lake fill the campus with festive vibes. At noon on June 17, ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival, Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST) hosted the 10th “Qin Lake Heart-to-Heart, Pull Together as One” Dragon Boat Friendly Race and Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Performance on Qin Lake at the Huangjiahu Campus. Ni Hongwei, Secretary of the CPC WUST Committee, Shen Jiwei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC WUST Committee, and Chen Zhigang, Vice President, attended the event, joining faculty and students to experience traditional Chinese culture and celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. The ceremony was presided over by Wang Yuanyuan, Secretary of the WUST Communist Youth League Committee.

During the opening ceremony, Ni Hongwei conducted the traditional dragon boat eye-dotting ritual and extended festive wishes to teachers and students, wishing the event a complete success.

In his address, Shen Jiwei stated that the Dragon Boat Festival stands as an important carrier embodying national memory and cultural ethos. Dragon boat racing is far more than a sporting contest; it vividly interprets the dragon boat spirit of racing side by side in unity, forging ahead courageously through waves, and daring to take the lead. He encouraged faculty and students to strengthen cultural confidence and foster a deep sense of devotion to the country and home. He called on the entire university to take the dragon boat spirit as their sail and the goal of achieving pioneering breakthroughs and staying at the forefront as their rudder, jointly writing a new chapter for the university’s development.

Two teams competed in this year’s race: the Qinshui Team, composed of students from the School of Physical Education and representing Qin Lake culture, and the Steel Spirit Team, made up of racing enthusiasts from the Dragon Boat Association and embodying the university’s steel-rooted spirit. Each team consisted of 14 members, including one coxswain, one drummer and twelve paddlers. The race course covered a round trip of roughly 500 metres across the water area from the viewing pavilion north of Qin Lake Island to Qin Lake Bridge.

The race kicked off the moment the starting gun fired. Rowing vigorously to the beat of drums, the Qinshui Team and the Steel Spirit Team cut through the waves. Spectators lining the bridge and lakeside cheered enthusiastically for the competitors, creating a charged and festive atmosphere. After a tight contest, the Steel Spirit Team surged ahead to cross the finish line first and claimed the championship, while the Qinshui Team took the runner-up position.

On the central lake island, schools rolled out diverse displays of time-honoured Dragon Boat customs. Traditional activities including warding off the Five Poisons, cinnabar dotting ceremonies and zongzi-making were in full swing.

At the closing ceremony, Ni Hongwei presented the trophy to the champion team, and Chen Zhigang awarded the runner-up. Representatives of both teams held up their trophies for group photos.

Launched in 2017, the Qin Lake Dragon Boat Race has run for ten consecutive editions. Over the decade, the event has expanded its offerings with rich folk cultural experiences and competitions open to both Chinese and international students. It has evolved into a signature cultural brand for WUST to inherit fine traditional Chinese culture, unite faculty and students, and showcase the university’s distinctive spirit and ethos.

Heads of relevant administrative departments and schools attended the activity.