On the morning of June 16, the 2026 Guangyuan City themed civic practice event “Fragrant Zongzi Warms Hearts, Patriotic Sentiment Ties the Dragon Boat Festival” and the “Intangible Heritage into Communities” campaign were officially launched at the Zhuangyuan Culture Square in Cangxi County. Through a rich array of activities—including intangible heritage performances and a civic services bazaar—local residents experienced the unique charm of traditional culture right on their doorsteps.

Immediately after the opening ceremony, a vibrant series of intangible cultural heritage folk performances and interactive experiences unfolded. With resounding drums and gongs and flowing lantern light, the Cangxi Lantern Opera (Gundeng) took the stage, instantly igniting the atmosphere. Dressed in distinctive costumes, performers balanced oil lamps on their heads while twirling, leaping, and moving with agility. The lamp shadows danced along with their movements, creating a dazzling interplay of light and motion. This authentic local folk art drew rounds of enthusiastic applause from the audience.

While the stage buzzed with excitement, volunteer service activities were in full swing below. At the “Zongzi for Neighborly Love” experience area, volunteers from the county’s Renai Volunteer Association prepared fresh bamboo leaves, glutinous rice, dates, and other ingredients in advance. Through live demonstrations and guidance, they attracted many residents to join in the fun of making zongzi. Hot, freshly boiled zongzi were also distributed free to the crowd. In addition, other community-benefiting services were offered simultaneously, including free haircuts, health check-ups, anti-fraud awareness, child safety education on drowning and burns, and civilized pet-keeping campaigns.

The “Intangible Heritage into Communities” experience zone was equally bustling that day. In front of the Miaoya Dragon Boat Zen Tea area, numerous visitors stopped by to taste and try their hand at tea-making. The lightly fragrant and refreshing Zen tea, with its smooth and mellow aftertaste, tempted passers-by to take a sip. According to Huang Chaoming, the inheritor of the Miaoya Dragon Boat Zen Tea intangible heritage project, drinking cool tea during the Dragon Boat Festival is a time-honored custom in Cangxi, believed to ward off illnesses and ensure good health. This Zen tea embodies the local people’s wishes for dispelling summer heat and dampness, and for peace and well-being during the festival.

It is reported that the intangible heritage experience zone gathered nearly 20 provincial, municipal, and county-level intangible cultural heritage items, including Huanma Paper-cutting, Qiping Handmade Silk Carpet, Cangxi Root Carving, and Yuanba Bamboo-skin Painting. Through a combination of static displays, lively performances, hands-on experiences, and community-friendly sales, the event enriched the festive cultural life of residents and breathed new vitality into China’s outstanding traditional heritage in the new era.

— By Liu Min & Zhan Lei