The festival that we celebrate today, however, is believed to be inspired by an ancient myth, about the poet Qu Yuan. Dragon boat racing ... he fell into deep despair. Unable to bear his sadness ...

[Photo by Chen Weiping/For chinadaily.com.cn] In the ancient village ... ceremonies and the bench dragon dance, all aimed at preserving and promoting the region's deep cultural heritage.

At an ancient Tang Dynasty site in Hebei Province ... upper brow of a face followed by two large eyes, and the head of a dragon came into view. Coins, lotus tiles and building materials were ...