The gymnasium at Shenyang Normal University was filled with a rich atmosphere celebrating the Duanwu Festival (or Dragon Boat Festival). Chinese and international students were divided into two teams for an “on-land dragon boat” race. Though not on a river, it brought a distinctive joy.

Sitting in inflatable “dragon boats”, the students held onto the handles and marched forward in unison. The competition required teams to race along a 50-meter return track. The boat must not touch the ground throughout the race, and the fastest team took the victory. The surrounding students cheered and shouted support, creating a lively atmosphere.

In terms of the origins and customs of the Duanwu Festival, teachers from Shenyang Normal University also delivered a detailed introduction to its traditional elements, including dragon boat racing, zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), the five poisonous creatures (scorpion, viper, centipede, house lizard and toad), hanging mugwort, making sachets, and five-colored ropes. The lively explanations were combined with fun games such as “Egg Fighting”, “Zongzi Hugging”, and “Blindfolded Zongzi Eating”, which helped the students overcome language barriers through cooperation, and experience the profundity of Chinese traditions amid competitive games.