Water-Splashing Festival: Fusion of tradition and tourism ignites cultural excitement

Local residents and tourists flock to a plaza to celebrate the 2024 Water-Splashing Festival in Ruili, Dehong prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, on April 14, 2024. The festival is regarded as one of the most important festivals observed by the Dai and the De'ang ethnic people in the prefecture. Photo: VCG

The Water-Splashing Festival in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, a traditional celebration, has gained widespread attention after videos of participants joyfully splashing water at each other and playfully "attacking" others with their sandals went viral on social media.

Amid the laughter and joy of this festival, many participants "lost" their sandals in the chaos, some even hilariously ended up wearing them as ankle "bracelets." These scenes not only bring joy but also illustrate the festival's unique interactive nature. Netizens have flooded social media with comments, with the hashtag "Those who can bring sandals home are impressive" becoming a trending topic as people shared various amusing moments and stories.

This is a traditional festival for the Dai people in the Dehong area of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. Part of the Dai New Year, it is a festival to send off the old and greet the new. Lasting for three or four days, it is held during the sixth month of the Dai calendar, usually falling in mid-April of the Gregorian calendar. The Water Splashing Festival is also known as the Festival for Bathing the Buddha. It is also one of the first events to become a national intangible cultural heritage in China.

A square in the Xishuangbanna Dai Garden, Southwest China's Yunnan Province Photo: VCG

During the festival, people of all ages dress in festive attire, while women carry clean water to wash Buddha statues and seek blessings. After the "bathing of the Buddha," people begin to splash water at each other, expressing blessings and hopes to wash away diseases and disaster and usher in a life of happiness and prosperity.

The Water-Splashing Festival in Yunnan Province is generally divided into "civil splashing" and "martial splashing," with the former using branches dipped in water for more controlled splashing, while the latter involves unrestrained splashing, drenching everyone among laughter and joy. People use various containers to hold water, flooding the streets and alleys, chasing and playing with each other, splashing water at anyone they meet. 

As night falls, the sound of drums and music fills the villages, and people revel in singing and dancing. Throughout the festival, in addition to traditional entertainment activities such as dragon boat races, releasing sky lanterns, water splashing, and throwing bags, there are also new activities such as releasing balloons and park carnivals. 

It is said that during the festival, the more water one is splashed with, the more blessings they receive. This year's Water-Splashing Festival has attracted attention as some celebrities have been participating in various water splashing events across Yunnan Province. 

Media has reported that Taiwan singer Kenji Wu was seen fleeing after being heavily splashed during the festival in Xishuangbanna. Former member of South Korean-Chinese boy band EXO Huang Zitao was also drenched and "begged for mercy" during the water splashing festival in Yunnan Province's Mangshi. 

As Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and other countries also celebrate the Water-Splashing Festival, Yunnan's festival also attracts tourists from neighboring countries.

For example, during the opening ceremony of the Water-Splashing Festival in Mangshi on Friday, the peak number of people in a central square exceeded 80,000, with people from China and Myanmar joining in the water splashing festivities together, turning the scene into an ocean of joy.

This phenomenon not only reflects the festive atmosphere of the festival but also demonstrates people's love and enthusiasm for the traditional event. 

During this festival, people let go of their inhibitions, expressing their best wishes and joy through water splashing and interactive games, enhancing friendship and understanding. The integration of this traditional festival with tourism is worth promoting to further advance the development of cultural tourism.