Water Splashing Festival of Dai Ethnic Minority in Yunnan

The Water-splashing Festival holds deep cultural significance for the Dai people and is considered their most ceremonious and characteristic festival. In essence, it serves as the New Year celebration in the Dai calendar, akin to the Spring Festival for the Han people. The festival derives its name from the tradition of people splashing water on each other for good luck.

Celebrated in April (June by the Dai calendar) each year, the Water-splashing Festival precedes the planting of rice seedlings and symbolizes sending off the old year and welcoming the new one. It typically lasts for three to four days, with each day marked by specific activities.

The first day, known as “Wanduoshanghan” in Dai, translates to New Year’s Eve. On this day, people wash their bodies and change into new clothes before participating in various activities such as dragon boat races and firing Gaosheng (homemade rockets used for celebrations).

The following two days, referred to as “Wannao” in Dai, are relatively quiet with no scheduled events. The final day, “Wanbawanma” in Dai, signifies “the day King of Days comes.” People rise early to visit Buddhist temples, listen to teachings, and clean the Buddhist statues, seeking blessings for health, prosperity, and happiness in the upcoming year.

The highlight of the Water-splashing Festival occurs when people splash water on each other to express good wishes. This act is accompanied by the chanting of “water, water, water!” Splashing water is considered a form of blessing, and the more one is splashed, the luckier they are believed to be. While elders are respected during the festival, there are no rules regarding splashing water among youngsters, who engage in lively chasing and frolicking with basins and buckets of all sizes.

The festival’s origin story is rooted in a tale of bravery and triumph over evil. Legend has it that the Dai people once faced a powerful devil terrorizing their village. With clever tactics, they managed to defeat the devil, and the act of splashing water became a symbolic ritual to wash away the past and usher in a brighter future.

Overall, the Water-splashing Festival is a joyous occasion filled with cultural traditions, storytelling, and communal celebrations, embodying the spirit of renewal and solidarity among the Dai people.