With drumbeats thundering and lions dancing, the Beijing Xicheng District Shichahai Maiden Voyage Ceremony was kicked off on the lakeside of Shichahai on April 20, 2011.

Sixteen sculling boats, built according to the renowned Chinese painting “Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival”, sailed on the lake. The captain of the ship sang traditional sailing songs, taking the guests to enjoy the beauty of Shichahai, an oasis in the heart of Beijing.

The event was designed to recreate the busy scene of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal from ancient times, as well as to attract more tourists by showcasing the charm of Shichahai at the beginning and the end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.

The ceremony will become an annual event on the date of Grain Rain, the 6th solar term each year.

Reporter:Huang Lan

Vioceover:Chris Clark

Photographer:Wu Chuanjing

Video:Zhang Xiao

Producer:Flora Yue