At the start of the Year of the Dragon, the colorful Water Cube tells the story of the dragon

The Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) is a hot topic among the citizens and visitors of Beijing during the Lunar New Year of the Dragon. The temple fair at Longtan Lake and the dragon lanterns at Shichahai attract crowds of visitors. However, the place that truly captivates visitors and keeps them coming back for more is the competition hall of the National Aquatics Center at the Water Cube. The 'Dragon Shines at the Water Cube, Joyfully Celebrating the Year of the Dragon' event comprehensively presents the auspicious, majestic, and lucky special significance of the dragon in Chinese culture, as well as its important role inseparable from the history of Chinese civilization. Upon entering the Water Cube, bright red lanterns lead us into the 'Dragon Shines at the Water Cube' venue, where a variety of forms and sections tell the same theme: the story of the dragon. The dragon is a mysterious symbol of faith in the history of Chinese civilization, permeating our history, literature, art, and daily life, especially prominent in festivals such as the Spring Festival, the Dragon Raises Its Head in February, and the Dragon Boat Festival during the Duanwu Festival. Among the activities held at the Water Cube, the most dazzling is the 'Auspicious Dragon' flying performance. A 30-meter-long giant dragon rises into the air with music, sometimes rushing to the ceiling, sometimes circling above people's heads. High-tech means allow people to witness the spectacular sight of the dragon's flight, and to see the true face of this majestic and awe-inspiring dragon soaring in the air, making people feel the beautiful wishes of great luck in the Year of the Dragon. There are six performances a day in the Water Cube venue, at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 18:30, and 19:40, each lasting about 10 minutes. The venue has a 3,500 square meter exhibition hall that tells the story of the dragon from different perspectives. From a high vantage point overlooking the exhibition hall, one can appreciate the complex traditional Chinese character for 'dragon'. Here, the main attractions and activities are threefold: First, the Joyful Museum tells you the origin of the dragon: in this small museum, how did the Chinese dragon come about? What does it look like? Why is it related to water? What is its connection to astronomy? What are the folk customs of the dragon, etc., are all explained. If you want to learn more about the past and present of the dragon, you can rent an automatic guide at the entrance of the exhibition hall, and listen as you go. Second, the exhibition room displays more than 200 pieces of dragon-themed Chinese embroidery, wood carving, shadow puppetry, and New Year paintings in different materials. Among them, the dragon bed and the divine carriage are two treasures that are highlights of the exhibition area. Third, in the exhibition area, there are also activities that are very popular with children: the wood carving dragon area's rubbing technology practice; ring toss, hoop throwing parent-child projects, and the Joyful Maze themed around the dragon are all places where children can play happily and enjoy themselves. At the dragon head in the center of the Joyful Maze, a blessing wall has become a place for visitors to express their good wishes. At the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, the Water Cube's dragon-themed series of activities brought a strong festive atmosphere to the citizens of Beijing and tourists from other places.