Events in Kunming

Water-Splashing Festival

The Water-Splashing Festival, also known as the “Festival for Bathing Budda”, is the most important festival of the Dai ethnic group. It falls in mid-April and lasts for three to seven days.

During the festival, people carry clean water first to the temples to wash the Buddha and then sprinkle water to each other to pray for good fortune, which is also the New Year festival of the Dai ethnic group.

The festival is a traditional celebration of the Dai ethnic group, which is believed to send off the old and ring in the new. The Dai people on that day would wear traditional clothes to commemorate, becoming a part of the beautiful scenery. Water splashing is featured as an entertainment festival. Cultural dances were staged and authentic Yunnan cuisines were specially prepared. Other activities include launching rockets, dragon boat rowing and hunting in the mountains.