Episode 32: Dragonburn (Elaine & Francesca)
This episode features an insightful and inspiring conversation with Dragonburn organisers Sassy Panda and Koi about the unique, often chaotic journey of hosting China's official Burning Man regional event since 2014. They recount the event's evolution from grassroots beginnings to navigating extreme logistical hurdles, sudden venue cancellations due to government regulations or development, and cultural clashes surrounding concepts like radical self-expression, leave no trace, and the rise of commercialised "glamping". The discussion contrasts their community-driven ethos against highly funded, goal-oriented copycat events like the 2019 "Gobi Heaven" experiment, highlighting the deep resilience required to maintain authentic burner culture in a highly regulated society. Running a burn in the Far East is a masterclass in Radical Self-Reliance and Immediacy, whilst also dodging default world bureaucracy. Amidst hilarious and bizarre anecdotes - such as a surreal art application to bring a live pony painted as a zebra, and a spontaneous dual-burning of the effigy and temple to evade satellite fire detection by local authorities - the organisers reflect on the future of Dragonburn, suggesting a strategic shift toward smaller, agile, or nomadic community gatherings as a vital survival mechanism to keep the culture alive without drawing heavy attention.
Host: Stevan ‘Silent Disco’ Lay
Guests: Elaine 'Sassy Panda' Kang & Fransceca 'Koi'
Produced by PY Wong & Stevan Lay
Theme music by Will & Kate
2019 Dragonburn: The Great Offline
Photo credit: YuZhe
USEFUL Links:
Dragonburn: https://www.dragonburn.org/
Dragonburn Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dragonburnchina/
Burning Man: https://burningman.org/
Kiwiburn: https://kiwiburn.org/
Burning Seed: https://www.burningseed.com/
Sunburnt Arts: https://sunburntarts.org.au/
Pirainia theme camp: https://www.facebook.com/pirainia/
Gobi Heaven: https://www.facebook.com/gobiheaven/
Chinese Version Burning Man Festival - A Documentary "His Utopia" 《何大的乌托邦》纪录片: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwzessETLQQ
Inside Gobi Heaven, China’s Burning Man-style desert festival: https://qz.com/quartzy/1687755/pictures-from-chinas-burning-man-style-gobi-heaven
The Chinese “Copycats” of Burning Man: https://pandaily.com/the-chinese-copycats-of-burning-man
Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Intro theme
[00:00:30] Intro panel
[00:02:01] Roles and origin stories
[00:07:34] International burns
[00:14:36] Dragonburn story
[00:23:57] First 6 year journey
[00:37:52] Last 6 year journey
[00:49:01] Site search
[00:51:51] Why dragon?
[00:53:31] Burning Man in China
[01:09:44] Perception of Burning Man
[01:16:50] Transformational experiences
[01:20:35] Sense of play
[01:22:40] Ten principles translation
[01:45:29] China burn vs Dragonburn
[02:14:56] Dragonburn quiz
[02:30:57] Zebra story
[02:51:12] 80% new burners
[03:00:01] Future of burner culture
[03:20:11] Shoutouts and gratitude
[03:30:27] Outro theme
The information presented in the following audio program is for informational, educational, entertainment, and archival purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed on the Bonzaar Podcast are solely those of the hosts and the guests and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the entire burner community. Bonzaar Podcast is an independently-produced, volunteer-led, and community-funded project and is not associated or affiliated with the burning man organisation or it's world-wide subsidiaries.
This episode was recorded on 29 June, 2026
