Sihong Fishing Contest Draws 1,000 Anglers for 1 Million Yuan Prize

What changed

The 18th Sihong International Big Round Pond Million-Yuan Fishing Contest opened on October 2 in Jiangsu, drawing more than 1,000 anglers to the Hongze Lake site during China’s National Day holiday. Cong Zhihui of Zhoukou, Henan, won the 1 million yuan grand prize; Ren Junfang of Heyuan, Guangdong, finished second, and Dai Qixian of Neijiang, Sichuan, third.

Why it matters

This is more than a large fishing match. Sihong has turned a specialist contest into a recurring regional event: its fishing center can host 2,500 competitors, and the tournament has now been held 18 times.

That gives the holiday gathering a second role. It brings visitors to a lakeside county and supports nearby tourism, restaurants and accommodation. The event’s staying power also shows how a sporting niche can become part of a place’s public identity, alongside its landscape and local food.

The clearest sign of that is the return pattern. Some participants treat the contest as an annual reunion, while others bring relatives and combine competing with sightseeing. The million-yuan prize supplies the drama, but the broader draw is the chance to gather at the same waters year after year.