Published: 16:31, April 16, 2024 | Updated: 16:57, April 16, 2024
Xishuangbanna hosts water-splashing festival, ushering in year of prosperity
By Li Xiaoyun in Hong Kong
The water-splashing festival, on April 15, takes center stage at the water square of Jinghong city, Yunnan province. (ZHANG XI FOR CHINA DAILY)
Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in southwest China’s Yunnan province hosted its annual water-splashing festival on Monday, with residents and tourists gathering at the water square of its main city, Jinghong, to exchange blessings.
Xishuangbanna is a significant settlement for the Dai people, with the Dai population comprising nearly 33 percent of its total population. The annual water-splashing festival is an important part of the New Year celebrations, involving people splashing water on each other, symbolically washing away misfortune and ushering in a year of prosperity.
In addition to the grand water-splashing festival, Jinghong hosted a series of captivating events over the weekend, including parades, performances, and dragon boat races, which attracted an estimated 800,000 visitors, marking a year-on-year increase of 16 percent.
Li Yingqing in Yunnan contributed to the story
Visitors immerse themselves in the water-splashing revelry at the water square of Jinghong, Yunnan province, April 15, 2024. (ZHANG XI FOR CHINA DAILY)Visitors immerse themselves in the water-splashing festivities at the water square of Jinghong, Yunnan province on April 15, 2024. (ZHANG XI FOR CHINA DAILY)Local actors and residents participate in a variety of traditional cultural performances in Jinghong, Yunnan province, on April 14, 2024. (LIN XI FOR CHINA DAILY)Local dancers perform in Jinghong city, Yunnan province on April 14, 2024, showcasing the traditional dances of the Dai ethnic group. (ZHANG XI FOR CHINA DAILY)A group of children showcase the traditional instrument of the Dai ethnic group during the cultural parade in Jinghong, Yunnan province on April 14, 2024. (LIN XI FOR CHINA DAILY)The glow of Kongming lanterns illuminates the banks of the Lancang River in Jinghong, Yunnan province, on the evening of April 13, 2024. (ZHANG XI FOR CHINA DAILY)One of the 12 large Kongming lanterns is released into the night sky in Jinghong, Yunnan province, on April 13, 2024. (ZHANG XI FOR CHINA DAILY)
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