Seven Fairies Hot Spring Festival opens in Hainan

Tens of thousands of people have taken part in Friday's opening of the 2025 Hainan Seven Fairies Hot Spring Festival, turning the streets of Baoting Li and Miao autonomous county into a lively water-soaked arena.

The three-day event, now in its 22nd year, coincides with Qixi Festival, the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar, traditionally known as Chinese Valentine's Day.

Participants armed with water guns, basins and buckets splashed both friends and strangers, while residents of the Li and Miao ethnic groups donned colorful costumes to welcome visitors from across the country.

The festival is rooted in ancient Li rituals and draws on the legend of the Seventh Fairy and her mortal lover, Dong Yong, who meet once a year on the Magpie Bridge. Traditionally, locals gathered at hot springs to dance, sing and make offerings for favorable weather.

This year's festival includes new nighttime events, including river-lantern ceremonies, parades and cultural performances, alongside daytime paddleboard races and dragon boat competitions.

"It has become one of China's top ten cultural celebrations and a platform for ethnic exchange and cross-Strait dialogue between Hainan and Taiwan," said Mu Kerui, Communist Party secretary of Baoting.

Authorities have also introduced a "Splashing Fun and Joy" tourist route featuring water festivities, ethnic cultural experiences, craft workshops and rainforest excursions.

"We have blended tradition with innovation," Mu added. "We want every guest to leave with unforgettable memories."