The ancient Changhua River, running in peace, nourishes the people living along the river with its rich water system. In fact, living along the river was the best way to ensure the survival of the ancestors of the Li ethnic group under harsh natural conditions. It is in the various Li villages along the river that we find the calabash boat.
The calabash boat of the Li ethnic group is a "living fossil" for the research on the pre-historical water transport. It is of great significance to the invention of watercrafts later, for it is the oldest and simplest vehicle designed to float on water and defeat the flood in human society. It was developed first into rafts and later boats.
There are two ways of using the calabash boat to cross the river: one is to hold the calabash in one arm and use the other hand and two feet to thrash the water like the pose of the sidestroke; the other is to place the calabash in front of the head, hold the thin bamboo strips or the rattan nets on the calabash, and flap the water with the two legs in turn.
The calabash boat is not only a vehicle designed to float on and cross the water, but also a simple carrier. The upper part of the calabash has an opening with a caliber of ten to thirteen centimeters, which is covered with a top made of buffalo hide. The top is specially made: when the calabash boat is in form, prepare a piece of soaked and softened buffalo hide, cover the opening with the hide, and fasten it tight to the calabash; take off the hide when it turns dry, remove the burs, and the reversed cop is ready. When crossing the river, the passenger will put his or her clothes, food and other things into the calabash in order to prevent them from being dampened. As long as the cover is in place, the clothes and other things inside the calabash will never be dampened no matter how strong the wind and the wave are. After getting ashore, he or she can take out the clothes and get dressed before going ahead with the calabash on the back.
The calabash boat of the Li ethnic group is a "living fossil" for the research on the pre-historical water transport. It is of great significance to the invention of watercrafts later, for it is the oldest and simplest vehicle designed to float on water and defeat the flood in human society. It was developed first into rafts and later boats.
There are two ways of using the calabash boat to cross the river: one is to hold the calabash in one arm and use the other hand and two feet to thrash the water like the pose of the sidestroke; the other is to place the calabash in front of the head, hold the thin bamboo strips or the rattan nets on the calabash, and flap the water with the two legs in turn.
The calabash boat is not only a vehicle designed to float on and cross the water, but also a simple carrier. The upper part of the calabash has an opening with a caliber of ten to thirteen centimeters, which is covered with a top made of buffalo hide. The top is specially made: when the calabash boat is in form, prepare a piece of soaked and softened buffalo hide, cover the opening with the hide, and fasten it tight to the calabash; take off the hide when it turns dry, remove the burs, and the reversed cop is ready. When crossing the river, the passenger will put his or her clothes, food and other things into the calabash in order to prevent them from being dampened. As long as the cover is in place, the clothes and other things inside the calabash will never be dampened no matter how strong the wind and the wave are. After getting ashore, he or she can take out the clothes and get dressed before going ahead with the calabash on the back.
Source:
http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/16Traditions4180.html
