The Water Splashing Festival in Yunnan, is a traditional and significant festival celebrated by ethnic minorities such as the Bai and Dai people in Yunnan Province. Every year in the fourth month of the lunar calendar, people go together to celebrate this day by splashing water, symbolizing the washing away of the past year's misfortunes and welcoming the new year. The Water Splashing Festival is a unique cultural event in Yunnan, and it attracts tourists to come to join.Yunnan is a multi-ethnic province, each ethnic group in Yunnan has its unique culture. Among them, the Dai People’s Water-splashing Festival is particularly famous.The Water-splashing Festival is equivalent to the New Year of the Dai people. Many people come to this festival every year.
The festival usually lasts for three to seven days, during which people dress in festive attire, carry water buckets or water guns, and sing and dance while splashing water on each other. The streets of the city are filled with laughter and joy during the Water Splashing Festival, creating a lively atmosphere. People of all ages and genders actively participate in the water-splashing activities, showcasing ethnic unity and happiness.
Time of the festival: April 13-15.
Legend story :
There are many legends about the Water-splashing Festival, and the most famous one is the story of Li Liang who put out a mountain fire by himself. A long time ago, a Dai village by the river was on fire, the villagers had no strategy, at this critical juncture, there was a young man called Li Liang, in order to protect the village, carry water from the river, sprinkle the fire, into the efforts of a day and night not only extinguished the fire, but also saved the whole village, and eventually fell into the river due to overwork. Later, in order to commemorate Li Liang, on the third day of the third lunar month every year, the sink at home was filled with water, and the pine branches were dipped in water and sprinkled on the body to commemorate Li Liang. Up to now, the Water-splashing Festival has a lot of meanings.
Customs and habits:
Singing and dancing--On this day, people wear festive costumes, gather together to sing and dance, and go from house to house to congratulate the happy New Year.
Buddha Bath -- Before the official start of the water splashing activity, people go to the Buddhist temple to make offerings and wash the Buddha with water, to pray that the New Year can take away the disaster of the previous year and bring new good luck and health. After the completion of this ceremony, the Songkran Festival officially began.
Dragon Boat racing -- This is one of the most exciting events of the Songkran Festival, usually on the third day of the festival, people gather to the river, the players are ready in the boat, the whistle blows, the race begins, the people on the bank beat gongs and drums to cheer them up.
Put the Kongming Lantern -- In the evening, everyone gathers in the playground or a wider place, write down their wishes on the Kongming lantern, light the Kongming lantern and fly. To commemorate the ancient sage Kong Ming.
