Enyang District, Bazhong City, Sichuan Province, southwest China - June 18, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Racing boats
2. Various of racers
3. Various of boats on river
4. Various of race in progress, paddlers

The 2026 Chinese Dragon Boat Tournament, the country's top dragon boat racing event, kicked off on Thursday at Enyang Dragon Boat Park in Bazhong City of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

As one of the traditional customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, the two-day event has attracted over 1,100 racers across 54 teams nationwide to the ancient town of Engyang in Bazhong.

This year's competition features eight categories: Professional Men, Professional Women, Elite Open, Young Men, Young Women, Special U16, as well as the newly added Local Men and Local Women, giving local enthusiasts a chance to compete in national-level races.

Races will be held in 100-meter, 200-meter, 500-meter and 1,000-meter courses, and a 2,000-meter pursuit race has been added this year.

The final competition will take place on Friday, the day of the Dragon Boat Festival.

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival, is traditionally celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar to commemorate Qu Yuan, a renowned patriotic poet and minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). Qu drowned himself in the Miluo River after he was banished and accused of treason for his well-intended advice to the king.

Legend has it that upon learning of his death, local residents took to boats on the river in search of his body, dropping rice into the water in an effort to prevent the fish from eating him.

Activities such as dragon boat races and eating Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) have been passed down as traditional customs during the festival.