Dragon boats ride wave of sustainable growth

City in Hunan province a world hub for traditional arts, crafts

Editor's note: This series of stories looks at local enterprises in specialized sectors that have a share in global markets.

Dragon boat master craftsman Xu Guisheng begins his work on simple wood blocks, but he expects them to emerge as divine creations at the helm of a grand tradition for Chinese communities worldwide.

"When a boat is ready, we hold a ceremony to illuminate it. The head is also bathed in water according to our local customs. They are transformed from wooden boats into dragon gods," he said.

Xu, 64, is a fifth-generation dragon boat craftsman in Miluo, Central China's Hunan province, and a registered inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage.

The city is known as a production hub for the boats, which are used in races during the Dragon Boat Festival. Also known as Duanwu Festival, it commemorates the suicide of patriotic poet Qu Yuan from the state of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). The festival, which also involves eating glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves, fell on June 3 this year.

Miluo's artisans and enterprises have successfully preserved and promoted their tradition of making dragon boats beyond the local festivities, leveraging their experience and expertise to ride a wave of rising interest in the sport and associated activities in markets at home and abroad.

There are about 20 major dragon boat manufacturing enterprises in Miluo, altogether recording annual production of about 4,000 units and total sales of 160 million yuan ($23.6 million), according to the local government. Dragon boats can range in price from 5,000 to 80,000 yuan each, depending on size and materials. Many of the vessels are sold in nearby Guangdong, Jiangsu and Fujian provinces as well as abroad in nations including Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea and the United States.

Li Lizhong, director of Miluo's dragon boat association, said that although boats made in the city are still centered on the domestic market, its main manufacturers can together fill more than 50 major orders from overseas, which shows the growing market's potential.

Although business has been reduced by more than half for many local producers, due to supply chain disruptions and other impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector is now looking to meet pent-up demand.

The traditional boats of Miluo are famous for their striking dragon head and phoenix tail motifs, with matching hulls, oars and rudders. There are large, medium-sized and small vessels, ranging from 12 meters long to about 24 meters, and they can seat from just a handful of rowers to dozens. The width of a boat is generally 1.1 meters, adding to specific, stringent production requirements that can take about seven days to fulfill.

The making of dragon boats continues to be carried out with solemnity and professionalism, reflecting the importance of local customs and heritage.

For example, an auspicious day is decided upon to begin work on a dragon boat, and a master carver and two assistants are sequestered in a special room to carefully create the head of the dragon, which will be put on the front of the boat. All of this helps the craft survive and thrive through exacting standards and meticulous detail.

Craftsman Xu's workshop, which is at the forefront of the industry, produced nearly 150 dragon boats last year, which helped to bring in more than 3 million yuan－even amid challenges posed by COVID-19, he said.

To meet the evolving demands of modern boat races, Xu said he is also constantly improving and innovating his techniques.

"Products are mainly made from traditional wood and can also be made with reinforced fiberglass," he said.

To boost the speed of his vessels, Xu said he incorporates special hull contours to reduce resistance in the water, so they can move consistently and naturally. He has applied for national patents for his products.

"These boats, including the ones used for professional races, are sold all over the country," he said.

Yu Chungeng runs the Shenwang dragon boat manufacturing facility in the town of Quzici, where many of the businesses in Miluo's pillar industry are based. Shenwang is one of the leading dragon boat exporters, filling orders from Chinese and other customers in Southeast Asia.

"Our dragon boats are exported to the Philippines," Yu said. "In 2012, teams from the Philippines came to Miluo to participate in a dragon boat race. During the competition, they were impressed by the quality of our dragon boats and immediately bought seven vessels. We have maintained and grown business links since."

Shenwang's workshop covers more than 2,000 square meters, and the group has an annual production capacity of up to 800 boats.

However, the workshop has felt the pandemic's impact, with the headcount reduced significantly from the original 30 or so staff members to a mere handful, and annual sales down to a few dozen boats, Yu said.

Yu was optimistic about the industry, pointing to online sales and brand building as ways to tap local know-how, business infrastructure and networks, and to improve competitiveness and take advantage of the latest growth opportunities.

Similarly, Xu Guisheng, the master craftsman, was confident about the sector's prospects.

"Our boats will continue to help rowers win championships, and my business can only get better," Xu said.

"We make dragon boats not only for our livelihoods, but also to better pass on our traditions and skills," he added. "We have a responsibility to pass these on to the next generation."