The first release in the Guang Fu Wen Ku (Canton Library) series, Chebei Dragon Boat, debuted at the Chebei Dragon Boat Culture Exhibition Hall in Guangzhou's Tianhe district on June 1.

Guang Fu Wen Ku is a series of books that aims to pass on and carry forward Cantonese culture. It will feature works that are the most classic and representative parts of Cantonese culture. Work on the series began in 2021 and it is expected to be comprised of at least 100 books upon completion.

The book Chebei Dragon Boat was written by Zeng Yingfeng, a famous folk culture expert in Guangdong province. In addition to spending more than 10 years conducting research, Zeng spent another two years working on the book in Chebei village.

The launch ceremony for Chebei Dragon Boat takes place in Tianhe on June 1. [Photo/China News Service]

It is the first book to discuss Cantonese dragon boat culture from the point of view of Chebei village. The development of Chebei dragon boats, stories of clan dragon boats, dragon boat racing, and dragon boat inheritors are detailed in the book, as well as Chebei's customs to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival like eating dragon boat cakes and drinking noon tea.

QR codes are also printed in the book, allowing readers to visit the 12 ancestral halls in Chebei, watch Chebei's dragon boat racing, listen to dragon boat songs, and enjoy the Dragon Boat Festival.

Cantonese dragon boat culture has a long history. As early as the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), there were related activities. Chebei is a typical Cantonese village in Guangzhou, with the largest number of dragon boats, and retains traditional Dragon Boat Festival activities. On May 20, Chebei's Dragon Boat Festival activities were listed among the eighth batch of Guangdong provincial intangible cultural heritage expansion items.