Ruili celebrates annual Water-Splashing Festival with blessings

Ruili in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, hosted its annual Water-Splashing Festival over the weekend, showcasing a fusion of ethnic traditions and contemporary vitality.

At the opening ceremony, performances highlighting the intangible cultural heritage of the Dai and De'ang ethnic groups took center stage. The graceful and lively peacock dance, coupled with the powerful and stirring elephant-foot drum dance, created a captivating display.

As the event kicked off, people from various ethnic groups, equipped with basins and water guns, used water as a means to exchange blessings, symbolizing the washing away of past misfortunes and the welcoming of good fortune in the new year.

Water splashed and laughter echoed as people sang and danced joyfully along the banks of the Ruili River.