Chapter 22 Dragon (continued)

Maqiao people painted dragons in black, with antlers, eagle claws, snake body, bull head, shrimp whiskers, tiger teeth, horse face, fish scales, etc., all of which were indispensable.These dragons are painted on walls, mirrors, or carved beds, and they have to be matched with waves and clouds, including sea, land and air.From this point of view, the dragon is not an animal at all, and it has nothing to do with the dinosaurs in ancient times.The dragon is a Chinese-style collection of all animals, a generalized abstraction of all life in the world.Dragons are just an idea.An omnipotent concept.Make the boat into a dragon shape, and it becomes a dragon boat.When I was an educated youth in Maqiao, because of the "Cultural Revolution", the Dragon Boat Festival in May, as an old custom, was criticized and banned.I only heard from people in the village that dragon boat races used to be very lively. People on both sides of the Luo River always competed for the top. After the loser went ashore, everyone had to cover their heads with their trousers and was ridiculed and humiliated by the people. .I also heard that the dragon boats at that time were painted with tung oil seven to forty-nine times. Before starting to build the boat, burning incense and worshiping gods and all kinds of red tape, not to mention the red tape, after the boat was built, it should not be exposed to the rain, the sun, or enter the water easily. On the day of the first day, the drums and music were played, and the young men were carried to the starting point of the competition.Even if you walk along the river, you still have to take people on boats, not people on boats.I asked why it was turned upside down like this.They said that if you want to let the dragon boat rest, you can't be tired.At this time, the dragon has become an animal, and a guy with limited strength.