Zhang Weichao, a Guangzhou-level intangible cultural heritage representative inheritor: Making every dragon head unique

Zhang Weichao, a representative inheritor of Guangzhou municipal-level intangible cultural heritage (ICH), has devoted more than a decade to the craft of carving dragon boat heads and tails. His works were featured at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Ahead of this year's Dragon Boat Festival, orders for his dragon boat heads surged. For Zhang, passing on ICH is not only an honor, but also a responsibility: to write a new chapter for traditional dragon boat culture through craftsmanship.

"Dragon boating embodies the rich folk culture of waterside communities," Zhang said. In the Guangfu region, there has long been a custom of taking dragon boats in procession along waterways to pray for blessings. A dragon boat carries an entire village's hopes for peace, safety and good fortune. The appearance of a dragon head, he said, cannot be imagined out of thin air, nor should it ever be made in a uniform style.

It is this deep love for dragon boat culture that has led Zhang to "do his homework" before designing each dragon head. He communicates fully with the villagers who place the order, looks into the village's history and legends, and learns about local preferences. For villages with a tradition of revering the Big Dipper, he incorporates black, white and silver, along with seven-star motifs, into the dragon's horns and forehead. For villages deeply influenced by Mazu culture or by culture associated with the Nanhai God Temple, he studies local historical sites and folk materials before distilling representative elements and colors. "Dragon boats are a major carrier of dragon boat culture. If you do not understand a village's historical context and simply make a dragon head at random, it will have no soul," Zhang said.

After more than ten years of dedication, Zhang's craftsmanship has also attracted overseas Chinese admirers. Many Chinese living in Europe and North America have bought his works for their collections, turning the overseas journey of this traditional Guangdong craft into a much-told story. "Dragon boat culture itself has the power to cross seas and oceans. Wherever Guangfu people go, dragon boats follow," Zhang said.

Source: 羊城晚报