AT only 6 years old, Zhuang Enqi is already on the road to mastering a centuries-old art — even if it means a long ride beneath the starry skies in Chaoshan, Guangdong Province. The journey often lulls the little girl to sleep in the back seat of her father’s car, but as soon as they arrive, she perks up with excitement. “Yingge is fun,” she said. During the Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday, Zhuang performed Yingge — or “dance to the hero’s song” — in her home province. Dating back over 300 years, it blends theater, dance, and martial arts. With its forceful moves and bold, unrestrained style, Yingge remains one of the most festive and iconic traditions in the region. Zhuang’s enthusiasm mirrors a growing trend among the youngest generation in the country, who are increasingly discovering joy and a sense of identity in the rhythm of traditional culture. China has created a splendid civilization over millennia, but the hundred years following its military defeat in the 19th century were marked by humiliation, suffering, and a cultural decline. In recent years, as China strives for national rejuvenation, the country has elevated its cultural confidence to an unprecedented level. True rejuvenation, it is believed, requires not only material strength, but also spiritual strength — with fine traditional culture seen as the root and soul of the nation. The world’s second-largest economy has since poured resources into the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage. More museums and libraries have been built to preserve and showcase the nation’s rich legacy. During International Children’s Day, which fell during the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a vast number of children explored traditional culture with curiosity and wonder. On Friday, in Changsha, Central China’s Hunan Province — the birthplace of a story behind the Dragon Boat Festival — students tried their hand at crafting miniature dragon boats from wooden pieces. Dragon boats are a hallmark of the festival in the region, which is celebrated with spirited races and the sharing of zongzi — sticky rice dumplings — in honor of Qu Yuan, a loyal statesman and patriotic poet from the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) While adults prepare their long, narrow boats for races, kids scurry nearby, lending their small hands and big cheers. Nearby, middle schoolers rehearse their paddle strokes in sync, gearing up for their turn on the water. Chinese travel platform Tuniu predicts a boom in “traditional culture-plus-family” tourism during the three-day holiday. In Xi’an, northwestern China’s Shaanxi Province, ticket sales for classical operas and puppet shows at one theater have surged 12.6-fold compared to the same period last year, according to another tourism platform Tongcheng Travel. Stronger identity Generation Alpha (Gen A), those born after 2010, is being raised in a time when traditional culture is more robustly preserved and proudly celebrated, said Xu Junxian, a member of Guangdong’s intangible cultural heritage protection panel. From a young age, they immerse themselves in traditions like Yingge dance and dragon boat racing, forging a deep identification with their cultural heritage, Xu added. Zhuang is one notable example of this. Born into a family with a legacy of Yingge, Zhuang often followed her father to rehearsals, where she watched the dancers leap, spin, and roar with infectious energy. At home, the living room tells its own story: a toy drum, a black-and-white miniature snake prop, and tiny sticks — all playful versions of Yingge dance props — are strewn about, shared between her and her younger sister. In April 2024, the little girl charmed millions online as she was filmed spontaneously joining a Yingge parade on a street in Shantou — waving two sticks, dancing confidently, and roaring along to the beat of the drums. Her cool gaze and sharp moves captivated the Yingge dancers, who exchanged handshakes and fist bumps with her. Later, she was invited to train Friday or Saturday evenings with a prestigious troupe. In Lixian County, Hunan Province, 11-year-old Jie Yutong joins his peers in chanting songs that local boatmen sang 500 years ago. Originally sung to rally the oarsmen braving rocky rapids, the songs have been adapted in pitch and technique for young singers. Why sing these songs today, when engines have long replaced manual paddling? Jie offers a simple answer: “Before engines, boatmen had to paddle. Their hard work deserves to be remembered.” Sometimes, children prove to be reliable custodians of traditional culture. Jin Chenle, a fifth-grader from eastern China’s Zhejiang Province, recently made headlines after spotting a typo in an exhibition on a classical opera at a local museum. He wrote to the provincial official in charge of cultural and tourism affairs, who not only corrected the mistake but also sent Jin a handwritten letter of thanks. “I was surprised and excited,” Jin said. “They took it seriously.” The new generation, growing up in the era of mobile internet, are not passive recipients in global cultural exchanges but active participants and communicators, said Lian Si, vice president of the Central School of the Communist Youth League of China. They are able to embrace diverse cultures from around the world while developing a keener appreciation for the unique appeal of Chinese culture, he added. At the Suzhou Archaeological Museum in Jiangsu Province, East China, 9-year-old Xu Xuhan marveled at a delicate hairpin from an ancient tomb recreated to full scale. “I want to know how our civilization began,” said the third-grader. Though she has yet to study history in school, her visits to exhibitions with her parents, including one on ancient Greece, have fueled her dream: “I hope to be an archaeologist.” Novel presentations Lin Lunlun, former president of Hanshan Normal University in Guangdong and a scholar on cultural inheritance, attributed children’s fascination with cultural heritage to innovative presentation and interpretation. Immersive festivals, digital museum tours, and trendy cultural programs have opened vibrant gateways for young audiences to connect with their roots, he noted. Yingge exemplifies this transformation. Chen Pingyuan, a Guangdong native and Boya Chair Professor at Peking University, said, “When I was a kid, the dance wasn’t nearly as cool as it is now — they’ve mixed in elements from street dance.” Modern-day Yingge dazzles with dynamic choreography, bold formations, and striking costumes and props — far surpassing its past iterations. The troupe training Zhuang, for example, stands out with its vibrant branding and inclusive approach. Breaking from tradition, it welcomes members from outside the village and even provides free instruction. In Zhuang’s hometown, a women’s Yingge troupe is redefining the traditionally male-dominated art form, drawing inspiration from legendary heroines like Hua Mulan. Their graceful yet powerful routines radiate a fierce spirit that rivals any warrior’s. “I’ll dance until I’m 100,” Zhuang declared. (Xinhua) | 