On the morning of May 17, two important events were held in Foshan at the same time, namely the Paralympic Games Deaf Football Event (Eleven-Article Men's Group) competition and the "Salt Buck Laolong" customs activity, one of the protection and promotion projects of China's sports intangible cultural heritage. As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, it is also the time when this year's National Day for Disabled Persons' Help, these two activities have produced subtle chemical reactions in the interweaving of time and space.

593-year-old "Salt Bu Laolong" comes out of the water. Source: Southern Network

In Cantonese, "vigorous" is generally a word that describes the tenacious resistance and vitality of seafood and other ingredients, and is also often used to describe a person's "vigorous" state. Therefore, in addition to food, the shadow of "vibrantness" can be found in many fields in Guangdong. Foshan, the "world's food capital", is also a city famous for its kung fu and lion waking. In recent years, it has swept the Internet world with its vivid dragon boat culture, allowing more people to understand the "vibrant" background of Guangdong.

The oldest dragon boat in the country - the 593-year-old "Yanbu Laolong" held a water discharge ceremony on the morning of the 17th, unloading all mud and "returning out of the world." In the Pearl River Delta region, dragon boats in various villages have also come out of water recently and have been engaged in competition training. Dragon boat racing is the most competitive part of dragon boat culture. It requires cooperation among multiple people and highly consistent rhythms to win the competition. Villages are inspired to strive for the first place and strive for the best through dragon boat racing. The traditional customs of dragon boat racing, such as visiting relatives and attracting scenery, form a system of dragon boat traditions, promote group communication and understanding through friendship, and enhance collective cohesion.

Saving carefully, the folk sports competition of dragon boat racing has many similarities with the Paralympic Games football match. To win in the Paralympic football match, you also need to work together and strive for the first place; for the athletes themselves, you need to surpass themselves. At this level, the "Dragon Boat Drift" in Deijiao, Foshan uses a single-ship racing system to adapt to the narrow river channel. There can only be one ship to set off at each start. Compared with multiple ships to compete, "Dragon Boat Drift" is more like a competition beyond oneself.

The Paralympic Olympics advocates that the whole society cares for special groups, including people with disabilities, understand their life value, respect their personality, maintain their creativity, and ensure that they achieve their comprehensive development to the greatest extent. In the Paralympic Games deaf football match that kicked off on the 17th, the athletes showed the style of hearing-impaired people on the field with a full spirit. Foshan athlete Lu Yongjian said after the game, "Football gives me strength." Hong Kong team coach Zheng Zhiwei said in an interview that the Paralympic football match is of great significance to the players. Participating in this game will allow the players to feel that they are respected and valued, and can also have good communication with other teams.

It is understood that in order to organize this event well, Foshan has completed the "Accessible Facilities Renovation 2.0 Project" of the two major venues of Century Lotus Sports Center and Nanhai Sports Center with high standards. Accessible viewing seats, signs and other facilities and equipment have been added in the venue. Disabled people who are watching the game praised the convenience of accessibility facilities and the enthusiasm of volunteer services. Lu Yongjian said: "I feel very proud to participate in the competition in my hometown."

What is as exciting as the football match is the "vigorous" lion dance performance at the opening ceremony. Dragon boat racing and lion waking are activities with great cultural characteristics of "Feng Nan Guangdong". They are the largest sports meeting that advocates the whole society to pay attention to people with disabilities. They echo and complement each other in the city of Foshan, and jointly convey the simplest and most powerful fighting spirit to the outside world, and also convey the concepts of self-improvement, inheritance and innovation, respect and care for people with disabilities to the whole society.

In recent years, dragon boat culture has impressed more and more people, and the "dragon boat drift" of Diejiao has frequently appeared on social platforms. Even overnight training has attracted many citizens to watch the competition on the shore, and even foreign netizens have come to experience it. Perhaps it starts with the enthusiasm of the scene, the thrillingness of the unique skills, and the excitement of loyalty. The "emotional value" brought to the audience by these "dragon boats" attract everyone's attention year after year and become a phenomenon-level IP in Foshan.

In life, you are not afraid of losing, you are afraid of giving up. Physiological defects cannot be equated with failure. As long as you do not give up and strive for self-improvement, and at the same time, the social environment is respectful and tolerant, people with disabilities can also find their own life stage in society. Providing a stage for self-worth for people with disabilities is also one of the most important purposes of the Paralympic Games.

At the time when the National Disabled Persons' Day is approaching, the Paralympic Games held its first summer event competition in Foshan, conveying the outside world the concept of tenacity, motivation, care and inclusiveness and the spirit of "vigorousness". I believe that by December this year, at the National Paralympic Games co-sponsored by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in my country for the first time, disabled athletes will have a more exciting life!

Southern Net, Guangdong Learning Reporter Zhu Wenting

Photo source: Executive Committee of the Guangdong Division of Paralympic Games (except for signature pictures)