First Yaoli Water Dragon Festival to open

By Diao Shujun ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2012-07-26

The first Water Dragon Festival is to open in the ancient town of Yaoli, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on July 29. The festival will run for two months, in which various activities such as a traditional Nuo dance performance, a rafting competition and a water dragon performance will be held.

Tourists to Yaoli can enjoy a cooler summer and experience the mysterious water dragon culture during the festival.

The water dragon performance is a traditional Yaoli custom to sacrifice and pray for rain. During days of drought, people carry a grass-made dragon and parade down the streets and lanes in the town. When the parade arrives at each house, people sprinkle the dragon with water, which is said to be auspicious. The more water, the more harvest and prosperous life will be. The dragon is placed into Yaohe River at the end of the parade.

The activities during the opening day of the festival will be held from 9:30 to 17:00. Tourists can participate in the water dragon performance and other activities.

Named "the source of porcelain", Yaoli of Jingdezhen possesses the world-renowned kaolin, a main component in porcelain. The name kaolin is derived from Gaoling, a village in Yaoli. On the opening day of the festival, porcelain making masters will make porcelain on site.

Edited by Zhao Qian and Emily Cheng