Dragon Boat making skills

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Dragon Boat making skills

Applicant: Dongguan City, Guangdong Province

Project No.: 922

Project No.: VIII - 139

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Guangdong Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Dongguan City, Guangdong Province

Protection unit: Dongguan Zhongtang town cultural radio and Television Service Center (Dongguan Zhongtang Town Sports Management Service Center)

Introduction to Dragon Boat making techniques:

Applicant: Dongguan City, Guangdong Province

Zhongtang Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, is the hometown of dragon boat, where dragon boat production has a history of more than 100 years. The manufacturing process of the middle hall dragon boat is complex, including selecting the bottom bone (keel, mainly the straight big fir as the bottom bone), lifting the bottom (nail the butterfly bottom, lifting the butterfly bottom), lifting the water (bend the keel to make it streamline), horizontal (middle line positioning, balancing the butterfly bottom), turning the water (installing the water baffle), making the side larger, making the cross block (ribs), and making the sitting board (rowing the dragon boat seat) There are many important steps, such as strengthening the middle intestine (using bamboo to strengthen the seat and intestine), tung oil putty (strengthening the gap between the boards to prevent water leakage), planing, varnishing (making the boat smooth), making and installing the faucet, and installing the tail rudder.

The material selection of the dragon boat in the middle hall has experienced three historical stages. In the first stage of the Qing Dynasty, imported wood was mainly used to make dragon boats. The material was strong and durable, the boat body was heavy, and the resistance of the boat was large. The production time was about three months. The second stage was from the Republic of China to the end of the 20th century. Pine was used as the main material. The weight of the boat was reduced and the speed of the boat was improved. The production time was about one month. The third stage is in the past ten years. The dragon boat is made of Cunninghamia lanceolata, which is light in weight, shallow in draft, fast in speed and takes six to seven days to make. In the past, the data of dragon boat materials and sizes were all based on the master's experience and memory, not written records.

Dragon boat race is a traditional folk custom of the Dragon Boat Festival in China. Therefore, Dragon Boat making techniques not only have craft value, but also contain profound cultural and folk connotation. With the rapid development of social economy in Guangdong, the traditional local life is gradually fading out of people's vision, and dragon boat races and other activities are not often held. In addition, the dragon boat production process is complex, the number of people engaged in related industries is decreasing, and the production technology is on the verge of being lost, which is in urgent need of protection.

Chinese PinYin : Long Zhou Zhi Zuo Ji Yi