Hechi, Quzhou's culture shines in Denmark

The annual Dragon Boat Festival celebration took place in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 18, with the theme of "Let the World Be Filled with Love - When the Mermaid Holds Hands with Liu Sanjie, and Dragons Swim in the River of Quzhou."

More than 26 participating teams competed in the dragon boat races, attracting thousands of Danish locals, as well as Chinese residents and expatriates, to watch and enjoy a joyful Dragon Boat Festival.

The Dragon Boat Culture Association of Copenhagen, the Copenhagen China Culture Center, the Copenhagen Roklub Yacht Club, and various Chinese community organizations in Denmark jointly organized and supported the event. The event was also co-organized and supported by the Chinese Embassy in Denmark, the Guangxi Hechi People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the government of Longyou county.

Director Zheng Wen from the Copenhagen China Culture Center mentioned that the Dragon Boat Festival that has been celebrated in China for over 2,000 years. The Dragon Boat Festival has spread to various parts of the world, and people from many countries celebrate and share the dragon boat culture.

Deputy Mayor Zhou Yuanlong from the Hechi municipal people's government, through a remote video connection, sent his greetings to the attendees of the event and expressed hope for more friendship activities between the two cities. He showcased the beauty of Liu Sanjie's poetry and songs through a combination of Chinese and English, and displayed Hechi's enchanting environment. He also extended an invitation to Danish enterprises to visit and invest in Hechi.

Chai Qiongying, head of Longyou county, Quzhou city, Zhejiang province, led a dragon boat team at the event. In recent years, Longyou county has experienced rapid growth in its cultural and tourism industries. In addition to the largest underground grottoes, the county boasts a variety of cultural brands that attract both domestic and international tourists. Chai invited everyone to visit Longyou and experience its infinite water town charms.

The Copenhagen Dragon Boat Festival remains one of the most vibrant platforms for cultural exchange between China and Europe. This event showcased the cultural and tourism charms of Hechi in Guangxi and Longyou county in Zhejiang. It also promoted the significance of the Danish mermaid and Hans Christian Andersen's legacy in the hearts of the Chinese people.

The dragon boat races are intense and full of energy. [Photo by Liu Yuanbo for guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/hechi]