On the evening of June 2,2024,the 12th Neijiang Daqian Dragon Boat Economic,Trade and Cultural Expo and the 6th Neijiang Sports Games(hereinafter referred to as the Daqian Dragon Boat Economic,Trade and Cultural Expo)opened on the banks of the Sweet City Lake in Neijiang.This is the first time in Neijiang that dragon boat economic,trade,and cultural activities have been held together with sports events,and it is also the first time that the opening ceremony has been held in the evening.
Photo by Wang Bin at the 12th Neijiang Dragon Boat Economic,Trade and Cultural Expo and the 6th Neijiang Sports Games in 2024
At around 20 o'clock,by the shores of the Sweet City Lake,the lights were shining brightly,and the night was dim.Dragons and phoenixes soar in the sky,adorned with lasers,drone performances,cold flames,and electronic fireworks,showcasing the beauty of the"Night River".Amidst the interweaving of light and shadow in the water curtain,dragons and painted boats occasionally pass by on the Sweet City Lake,blending traditional culture with modern technology.During the over two hour cultural performance,programs with strong local characteristics such as dragon dance,Sichuan opera puppets,and martial arts took turns,bringing a stunning audio-visual feast to the audience.
According to Li Jiangtao,the chief director of the opening ceremony,about 900 cast members participated in the performance,along with more than 2000 sports athletes and referees.
Dragon boat racing is an ancient traditional cultural activity of the Dragon Boat Festival,reflecting the spiritual pursuit of the Chinese nation to work together and strive for excellence.As the hometown of Chinese painting master Zhang Daqian,from 2010 to 2023,Neijiang held a total of eleven sessions of the Daqian Dragon Boat Economic,Trade and Cultural Activities.Each opening ceremony was a visual and auditory feast,and various cultural and economic activities became a window for the city to showcase its image to the outside world.As one of the demonstration exhibition projects in the province,this year's Neijiang Daqian Dragon Boat Economic and Trade Culture Expo integrates a series of activities such as cultural and sports events,commodity exhibitions,calligraphy and painting exhibitions,drama performances,night consumption,cultural performances,and Daqian cuisine.It is a grand event in Neijiang to showcase excellent traditional culture and local cultural characteristics,and also a vivid practice to promote the integration and development of culture,tourism,sports,exhibitions,and economic and trade.
Photo by Wang Bin,Artistic Performance at the Daqian Dragon Boat Economic,Trade and Cultural Expo
It is reported that the current Da Qian Dragon Boat Economic,Trade and Cultural Expo will continue until early July.Centered around the theme of"Dragon Boat Festival·Sweet Neijiang",Neijiang will organize seven categories of activities and a series of sub activities,including the Night Beer Plaza,"Sweetness+"Food Exhibition and Sales,"Sweet Sweet City"Series Theme Cultural Performance,"Art and Sports Corridor"Cultural and Sports Goods Exhibition and Sales,and the Collection Treasure Exhibition of the Daqian Old Town Museum.With rich cultural and tourism supply,new sports events,and new consumption scenes,Neijiang will extend sincere invitations to tourists,cultivate new urban formats and consumption hotspots,and further enhance the brand of"Daqian Cultural Town"and"China's Sweet Food Capital".
At the same time,Neijiang City simultaneously held the 6th Sports Games.On the evening of the opening ceremony,at the flag,athletes,and referees entry ceremony of the 6th National Games in Neijiang,world diving champion Qiu Bo,world shooting champion Wang Siyu,former national team table tennis coach Wu Jingping,Asian roller skating champion Zhu Siyi,Asian martial arts champion Huang Xianjie,Olympic judo champion Tang Lin and other Neijiang sports athletes led a delegation of athletes to make appearances.The director and leading team of the popular drama"All the Way Forward"also interacted enthusiastically with the audience at the opening ceremony.(Zhang Xiaoli and Xiao Zhengjun)
