GUANGZHOU — The waterways of Guangzhou’s Panyu district came alive on Tuesday as thousands of residents and visitors gathered to witness one of the region’s most cherished Dragon Boat Festival traditions: Zhaojing, which loosely means “sending out invitations.”

On the first day of the fifth lunar month, dragon boats adorned with colorful flags and clan emblems crisscrossed the Pearl River and its tributaries — not for competitive racing, but to strengthen community ties.

Zhaojing begins when a host village sends out formal invitations to related villages. The invited villages then send dragon boats to the host village, performing traditional rituals along the way.

In return, the host village welcomes its guests by setting off firecrackers along the riverbanks and treats the visitors to a communal feast after their arrival.

China Daily reporter Parker Zheng captures the merriment with his lens.