The Water Splashing Festival is a grand festival inherited by the Dai people of Xishuangbanna for thousands of years. The bathing ceremony of Buddha begins the sacred prologue. Clear water washes away the dust of Buddha statues and cleans the miscellaneous thoughts of people's hearts. When splashing water, every splash of water is a farewell to the past and a prayer for happiness in the future. Dragon boat racing shows unity and forging ahead, and raising height means dream take-off. This is not only a festival celebration, but also a vivid inheritance of Dai culture. In the flow of water, it continues the spirit and strength of the nation.
I. Introduction to customs:
1. Bath Buddha: This is the opening ceremony of the Water Splashing Festival. On the day of the festival, people will go to the temple in costumes and bathe the Buddha with pure water to wash away the dust on the Buddha statue, which means to wash away the misfortunes and troubles of the past year. At the same time, they also pray for the Buddha to bless the weather and good luck in the new year.
2. Water Splashing: This is the core custom of the Water Splashing Festival. People hold water in various containers and sprinkle each other. The more water they are splashed, the more blessings they receive. Splashing water symbolizes washing away the misconves and disasters of the past year and welcoming a new beginning and a bright future. Whether it is the streets and alleys or park squares, people will splash water and play with joy and blessings.
3. Dragon boat racing: During the Water Splashing Festival, dragon boat racing activities are usually held on the Lancang River. The dragon boat is beautifully decorated, and the bow and stern are usually carved into the shape of a dragon. During the competition, the players dressed in bright traditional costumes, waved the oars together in the excited drums and moved forward bravely. Dragon boat racing is not only a sports competition, but also embodies the spirit of unity, cooperation and forging ahead of the Dai people. At the same time, it also has the implication of praying for a smooth weather and abundant grain.
4. Raise: "High rise" is a homemade earth rocket. People fill bamboo tubes with fuel such as gunpowder, ignited and let it rush to the sky. When Gaosheng launches, there will be a loud noise, which is said to drive away evil ghosts. At the same time, it also implies people's yearning and pursuit of a better life. I hope that the new year can soar to the sky and thrive like Gao Sheng.
5. Kongming lantern: After nightfall, people will fly Kongming lanterns in an open place. Kongming lanterns are framed with bamboo sticks, covered with tissue paper, and ignited turpentine or other fuel at the bottom. When Kong Ming's lamp slowly rose and flew to the sky with people's good wishes, it seemed to pass on people's blessings and wishes to the gods in heaven, praying that the gods wish their families safe and happy, grains and six animals to flourish.
6. Swing: This is a traditional market during the Water Splashing Festival. People will set up various booths on specific venues to sell various special goods, such as Dai traditional clothing, handicrafts, special food, etc. At the same time, there will also be various folk artists performing, such as Dai dance, music performance, etc. The swing is not only a place for commercial transactions, but also an important activity for people to exchange culture and enhance feelings. It is full of strong national customs and festive atmosphere.
II. Attractions of Special Activities
1. Water Splashing Square
Ten thousand people splashing water carnival: As one of the main venues of the Water Splashing Festival, there is a professional team driving the atmosphere every day. People use water guns, basins and other tools to splash water on each other to bless each other. There is also a DJ sound wave on the scene. You can jump "Daidi" with the rhythm and feel the warm carnival atmosphere.
Folk culture display: Some stalls will be set up around to display and sell traditional Dai handicrafts, clothing, etc., so that visitors can have an in-depth understanding of Dai culture.
2. Double View of the West of Zhuang
Special food feast: This is a paradise for foodies. There are various special foods such as Lao iced coffee, chicken feet, and Paoluda. Tourists can enjoy the exotic atmosphere while eating.
Night scene and photo punching: In the evening, you can rent a Snoopy tram, wear a Dai suit to visit the tower temple, and enjoy the night view of the village. It is a blockbuster, which is very suitable for taking photos.
3. Manting Park
Royal ceremony experience: With a long history of 1,300 years, visitors can feel the "royal ceremony" that cannot be missed in the Dai New Year. Under the statue of Premier Zhou, they can celebrate the Dai New Year with all ethnic groups.
Rushing and intangible cultural heritage exhibition: There are activities during the day, where you can taste Dai folk food and watch the exhibition of Dai intangible cultural heritage skills. There are also Zhang Ha singers on the lake who use ancient rap to pray for the coming year.
Song and dance bonfire party: "Lancang River and Mekong River Night" song and dance bonfire party will be held in the evening. Finally, you can also put floating lights on the lake to make wishes for the next year.
4. Lancang Riverside
Romantic water lamp and Kongming lamp: During the day, you can participate in the water-splashing battle by the river, and at night, you can put on the water lamp to make a wish. On the evening of the 13th, there will be tens of thousands of people playing Kongming lanterns. The lights rise all over the sky, and the romantic value is full.
Dragon Boat Performance: During the Water Splashing Festival, a dragon boat performance will be held on the Lancang River. The contestants bravely moved forward in the exciting drums, shouting and cheering one after another. The scene was very spectacular.
5. Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Orchid Exhibition: Hold the "Natural Orchid" orchid exhibition. Visitors can enjoy a variety of rare orchid varieties and feel the magic and beauty of nature.
Explore the secret land of fireflies at night: carry out night exploration of fireflies in specific areas, allowing visitors to enter the world of fireflies and experience the romantic rainforest night.
Water splashing carnival: A water splashing area will also be set up in the park. Visitors can participate in water splashing activities surrounded by the tropical rainforest and enjoy different coolness and joy.
6. Wangtianshu Scenic Area
Rainforest tracing: Launching rainforest tracing activities, visitors can cross the tropical rainforest along the stream, feel the coolness of the stream and the mystery of the rainforest, and experience different outdoor adventure fun.
Kayaking tour: It provides a two-person kayaking tour of the Water Splashing Festival. Visitors can kayak on the Nanla River, enjoy the tropical rainforest scenery on both sides, and participate in the water splashing interaction.
Rainforest "splashing": carry out activities such as punching in the real tropical rainforest and "splashing" in the rainforest, so that visitors can enjoy the splashing of water in the rainforest and feel the wild fun of the rainforest.
7. Wild Elephant Valley Scenic Area
Elephant water splashing interaction: You can interact with elephants. Elephants will use their noses to absorb water and spray on tourists, bringing different blessings to tourists.
Jixiang parade and elephant flash: There are cute activities such as auspicious elephant parade, elephant flash, etc. The elephants parade in the scenic spot in full costumes, and there will be some lovely performances, which is very interesting.
8. Dai Nationality Garden
Water-splashing Carnival: With the new water-splashing square, there are 2 water-splashing carnivals every day, where visitors can experience the water-splashing blessing of "wet whole body, happy life", and the "jumping" activity of electric music and national song and dance. The atmosphere is very warm.
Folk ecological experience: It is composed of five well-preserved thousand-year-old natural villages of the Dai people. It is the most complete place in Xishuangbanna to display the history, intangible cultural heritage, religion, architecture and other folk ecology of the Dai people. Visitors can experience the Dai bamboo building, Nanchuan ** culture, etc.
III. Carnival
• Water splashing carnival
Main battlefield experience: From 11:00 to 16:00 on April 15, you can participate in the water splashing carnival in the urban area of Jinghong City. In addition, Xishuangbanna Dai Garden is also a good place to splash water. There are 3 water splashing activities every day, and the atmosphere is the happiest at 2 p.m.
Prepare equipment: Prepare water guns, buckets and other "weapons" in advance. There are generally Dai clothes for rent in scenic spots, and the price is about 30 yuan/set.
Put on water lanterns to pray for blessings: At night, you can go to the lake in the Royal Garden of Manting Park. While putting on lotus lanterns to make wishes, you can also enjoy the song and dance performance of Lancang River Night and feel the romantic atmosphere.
Kongming lanterns fly: On the evening of April 13, I went to the Lancang River to participate in the activity of tens of thousands of people to set off Kongming lanterns. When thousands of lights were lifted in the sky, the sky would make endless wishes and blessings.
Ethnic Folk Culture Tour: In Gaozhuang West Double View, Splashing Square, Lancang River Observation Platform and other places, a national folk culture tour will be held. You can watch the dancing ethnic dance and magnificent theme float, and feel the gorgeous folk culture.
IV. Organization of activities
April 12 - Water Splashing Festival opens (statewide holiday, prepare Water Splashing Festival items)
April 13 - The dragon boat race, tens of thousands of people set off Kongming lanterns (1. The dragon boat race is in the waters of the Lancang River in front of the riverside viewing platform in Jinghong City. 2. Go to the Guanzhuang West Shuangjing and Lancang River observation deck at 20:30-22:30 to participate. 3. All flights are grounded on that day)
April 14 - Florist street performance, swing (the whole city will be closed on the same day)
April 15 - Water splashing carnival and blessings in the whole city (the climax of the water splashing festival) (1. The city is closed, 2. The water splashing activities are mainly in Jinghong City, the double scenic trunk road in the west of Jiaozhuang, and Rama Island Square)
April 16 - The Water Splashing Festival ends, and you can visit local scenic spots normally.
V. On-site atmosphere
• Ocean of joy: With the beginning of the water splashing activity, the whole Xishuangbanna instantly turned into an ocean of joy. Streets and alleys, squares and parks are full of people laughing, chasing and splashing. Both the neighbors they know and tourists from afar enjoy the carnival of the water. People who are soaked not only are not angry, but laugh more brilliantly, because in Dai culture, the more they are splashed with water, the more blessings they get, the happier they will be in the new year.
• Enthusiastic interaction: Children are like cheerful fish, spinning and playing in the crowd, and the small water cannon in their hands keeps spraying; young people are energetic, forming "teams" to launch fierce "attacks" against each other, and laughter and screams are up and down; the elderly are also infected by this warm atmosphere, and their faces are full of happy smiles. Although the action of splashing water is no longer agile, the joy in their eyes does not diminish at all. Others were ingenious, wearing exaggerated raincoats and funny masks, adding more joy to the carnival.
•Intense ethnic customs: During the splashing of water, you can see Dai girls in gorgeous ethnic costumes dancing like beautiful peacocks. Their dancing postures are light and beautiful, and the umbrellas in their hands dance with the rhythm of the music, which contrasts with the surrounding water flowers and becomes a beautiful scenery. In addition, activities such as dragon boat racing, lifting, Confucius lanterns, swinging and other activities are also wonderful, so that people can deeply feel the unique charm of Dai culture in the process of participating in the festival.
• Multicultural blending: Water Splashing Festival attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to experience it. People of different colors and languages gather here to participate in this water carnival and enhance mutual understanding and friendship. For example, in 2024, an international cultural exchange group composed of overseas communication officials from Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Russia, the United States and other overseas communication officers experienced the water splashing carnival in Xishuangbanna, sharing the Xishuangbanna Water Splashing Festival with netizens around the world through live streaming and other forms.
• Lively music rhythm: The theme song of the Water Splashing Festival will be played in the Water Splashing Square. The cheerful music rhythm and song and dance performance make the crowd gathered around the venue swing. In addition, the integration of rock electronic music and folk music makes everyone integrate into the ocean of joy.
VI. Points to note
1. Property security
Try to avoid bringing valuables to the event site, such as unnecessary cash, high-end electronic products, precious jewelry, etc. If it must be carried, keep it properly with a waterproof bag and always pay attention to whether it is under your control to prevent theft or loss.
In crowded places, such as splashing squares, fairs and other places, special attention should be paid to the property around you to prevent pickpockets from stealing indiscriminately. You can carry the backpack in front of you and zip your pockets with your hands at any time.
2. Personal safety
Observe the instructions and arrangements of the on-site staff, do not splash water in areas where water splashing is prohibited, and do not run or push in crowded areas to avoid falling, trampling and other accidents.
When participating in water splashing, pay attention and methods, do not splash water with hard objects or sharp objects, and do not splash water on sensitive parts such as their faces and eyes to avoid causing harm. If the water accidentally enters the eyes, rinse it with clean water immediately and see a doctor in time.
Pay attention to the surrounding environment and avoid being close to dangerous areas such as fire sources, power supplies, river edges, etc. If there are stage performances or other activities on the scene, keep a safe distance from the stage, audio equipment, etc. to prevent being damaged by dropped items.
Due to the hot weather during the Water Splashing Festival and the fact that people have been outdoor activities for a long time, they are prone to heatstroke and dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish moisture in time to avoid prolonged sun exposure in the scorching sun. You can use umbrellas, sun hats and other sunscreen products appropriately.
3. Traffic safety
During the Water Splashing Festival, there are more pedestrians and vehicles on the road, and traffic congestion is more common. When crossing the road, be sure to take the pedestrian crossing, follow the directions of the traffic lights, and do not cross the road at will.
If you choose to take public transportation, you should pay attention to the safety of getting on and off the bus and avoid congestion at the door. If you drive to the event site by yourself, you should plan the route in advance, reserve enough time, be patient in case of traffic congestion, do not change lanes or overtake at will, and abide by traffic rules.
4. Epidemic prevention and safety
Although the epidemic prevention and control policy has been adjusted, it is still recommended to wear masks in densely populated places, do a good job of personal protection, and prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.
Pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands frequently, and avoid touching the mouth, nose and eyes with your hands. If you come into contact with public goods, such as railings, handrails, etc., wash your hands in time or use disinfectant wipes.
In a word, while enjoying the happy atmosphere of the Water Splashing Festival, you must pay attention to safety and ensure that you and others have a happy and safe holiday.