The Water Splashing Festival is a festival of the Dai people, a favorite festival of ethnic minorities in Yunnan, and the festival with the largest number of participants. The Water Splashing Festival is the New Year of the Dai people and usually lasts from 3 to 7 days. People gather together happily, splashing water on each other to wash away the bad luck of last year, and welcome the best and most auspicious new year

The Water Splashing Festival is a showcase of Dai water culture, music and dance culture, food culture, clothing culture and folk admiration. The comprehensive stage of traditional culture is an important window for studying the history of the Dai people and has high academic value. The artistic performances such as Zhang Ha and White Elephant Dance displayed at the Water Splashing Festival help to understand the Dai people's national characteristics of understanding nature, loving water and respecting Buddha, and being gentle and calm.

At the same time, the Water Splashing Festival is also an important link to strengthen the unity of the people of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna. It plays a positive role in friendly cooperation and exchanges between Xishuangbanna and Southeast Asian countries, and in promoting the socio-economic and cultural development of the whole state.

Extended information:

Celebrations of Songkran Festival:

1. Bathing the Buddha. On "Mai Day" (the first day), early in the morning, people will collect flowers and green leaves to offer offerings to the Buddhist temple, and carry clean water to "bathe the Buddha" - to wash away the dust of the Buddha statue. It also prays to the gods to bless people with good health in the new year. After the "Buddha Bathing" is completed, the collective splashing of water on each other begins. Groups of young men and women filled the streets with water in various containers, chasing each other and splashing water on everyone.

2. Packet loss. The Water Splashing Festival is also a beautiful time for unmarried young men and women to find love and cultivate happiness. During the Water Splashing Festival, unmarried young men and women of the Dai nationality like to play the "packet throwing" game. The flower bag carefully made of flower cloth in the girl's hand is a token of love. "Bao" is a token of love. It is carefully made of floral cloth by Dai girls and contains cotton seeds. The four corners of the bag are decorated with colorful flower spikes

3. Dragon boat racing. Dragon boat racing is one of the exciting events of the Water Splashing Festival, and is often held on the "Maipaya Wanma" (third day) of the Water Splashing Festival. On that day, people in festive costumes gathered on the banks of the Lancang and Ruili rivers to watch the dragon boat races. There was a dragon boat covered in green and colorful moored on the river, with dozens of strong sailors sitting on the boat. When the order was given, the dragon boat, ready to go, flew forward like an arrow.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia - Water Splashing Festival