The Water-Splashing Festival of the Dai People

Image Source: Cultural Keys

The Dai people, mainly residing in Yunnan Province, are known for an interesting tradition: the Water Splashing Festival.

From the 13th to the 15th of each April, the Dai people will engage in a ritual known as the 'Bathing of the Buddha’, before pouring into the streets to splash each other with water. No one is safe, regardless of who they are and what they’re wearing. In villages, things get even more intense, as some people get dunked into huge water tubs.

Water is viewed by the Dai as a symbol of religious purification and goodwill, so splashing someone with water is seen as a wish of good luck and prosperity for that person.