Last traditional dragon boat maker in Chengdu

Peng Jiabai installs the plastic-made dragon head on the dragon boat in Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, June 12, 2015. [Photo/IC]

Peng Jiabai, a carpenter in his 50s, is the only one who can build traditional wood-made dragon boat, usually used for racing during China's Dragon Boat Festival, in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Peng has been engaged in this work for more than 30 years, and has built more than 100 wood dragon boats in Chengdu.

Building a dragon boat usually costs about 30,000 yuan and takes more than 20 days' work, according to Peng.

Since 2010, Peng has not received any order for dragon boat after rules stipulated that the boats must be made from fiber-reinforced plastics to take part in international racing events.

At one time he was constructing more than 20 boats in a year when demand was high.

The once dragon boat maker now works as a maintainer of plastic-made dragon boats in Jintang county in Chengdu.

This year, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 20.