Published : 2025-02-12
Updated : 2025-02-13
During Chinese New Year, people go everywhere to pay homage to the new year and celebrate the joy of the festive.
However, don't you know that over 100 years ago, there were people living in the water could only be allowed to go ashore one day to celebrate new year?
Who were they? and which day was that?
The people were Nanao Tanka fishmen (南澳蜑家漁民) in Shenzhen, they had been living only in the water for over 100 years ago. They were allowed to go ashore only on the second day of the Chinese New Year.
On this day, the Nanao Tanka people need to finish all the customs in one day.
They should land early at dawn, prepare things to make a giant grass dragon, perform dragon parade, worship Gods and end the ceremony by burning the dragon at night.
Then they should get back to their life in water for the whole year.
Since the ceremony must be completed within on day, and so it got the name "One Day Dragon". Why was it happened on the second day of the new year and how did the dragon be made?
Nanao Tanka fishermen worship "Mazu" temple for peace
The Nanao fishermen were historically known as "Tanka", they belonged to the descendants of the ancient Baiyue people (古百越族), who lived on water and earned living by fishing.
According to the "Guangdong Customs Records, "people in the past took boats as their homes, considered water as land, and lived their lives on rivers and seas."
Tanka people were discriminated against by those on land and were not allowed ashore or receive education. Their living was hash as they were threatened by typhoons and huge waves. Therefore, the Tanka people often pray to "Mazu" for safety and peace.
Although the Tanka people could not receive any education, they were, however, equipping with excellent skills in weaving grass dragons.
They passed the skills down orally from generation to generation, and that's why the descendants could be able to do the "One Day Dragon" and preserve the customs for century long even though they were uneducated.
Why do they go ashore to weave grass dragons on the second day of the new year?
It was said that over 100 years ago, one night, "Mazu" appeared in a dream, saying that during the New Year, if everyone united to perform a fire dragon dance with incense sticks, all typhoons at sea could be subdued, and there would be good weather throughout the year.
Since then, the Nanao fishermen began the tradition of weaving dragons for worshipping.
Read more: Why is dragon dancing performed during Chinese New Year?
Dragon weaving for worshipping in front of Tianhou Temple
Due to the fact that they lived on boats and had no houses or land on the shore for them to prepare before, the fishermen need to organize young people on the second day of the Chinese New Year to go ashore early in morning.
Immediately after they are landed, they would go up mountain to cut grass and bamboo as materials.
Then, they bundled the grass with vines and leaves, supported the base with bamboo branches to make a long grass dragon.
The dragon consisted nearly 33 to 60 segments, to become the body of the dragon. The body was then inserted with a lot of incense incense sticks.
As for the dragon head, it was crafted by people using bamboo, and vines, and used two large flashlights as eyes. The dragon head was also filled with incense sticks. Then the One Day Dragon was made. It was presented in front of the Tianhou Temple for the ceremony.
After the offerings in front of the Tianhou Temple, the grass fire dragon was ignited amidst the sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers to worship the Queen of Heaven and the sea deity.
The dragon then proceeded along the beach to offer blessings to each boat household anchored in the bay.
Read more: Distinct new year customs in Jiangmen and Zhaoqing of the Greater Bay Area
Burning fire dragons to complete custom for good weather and harvests
After all the ceremonies were completed, the fire dragon was immediately incinerated on the beach, symbolizing the dragon returning to the sea.
This act expressed hope for favorable weather, abundant fish harvests, and safety and happiness for all in the coming year.
This ritual, consisting of "cutting grass," "crafting the dragon," "dancing the dragon," and "burning the dragon" all within a day, is a unique way for the Nan'ao Tanka fishermen to pay homage to the Queen of Heaven and sea deities every Chinese New Year.
The "One-Day Dragon" custom demonstrates the reverence that seafaring people have for the sea.
It also reflects the fishermen’s deep-hearted wish to seek protection for their families from gods.
Read more: The 280-year-old Puzai fire dragon in Guangdong
Listed as a Guangdong intangible cultural heritage Item
Nowadays, most of the Tanka fishermen are settled on land, mainly located in Dapeng New District in Shenzhen.
There is a street called Nan'ao Street. The "One Day Dragon" custom has become a new year celebration among Nan'ao Tanka fishermen.
In 2006, the Nan'ao grass dragon dance was listed by Shenzhen as one of the first intangible cultural heritage protection projects.
In 2007, it was selected as the second batch of Guangdong provincial intangible cultural heritage.
