Yunnan Luoping Buyi Water Splashing Festival opens on April 7

Do you know the Buyi ethnic group in Luoping, Yunnan? They will also celebrate the Water Splashing Festival there, which is on March 3rd. This festival is a very grand one among the Buyi, and its importance is comparable to the Spring Festival. It is also one of the most active festivals for the Buyi during this period. In one month this festival will be here, and today we will introduce it to you.

March 3, the Buyei language means "change three powder", is the Buyei grand sacrifice to the god of the mountain, the god of the water, all the people happy traditional festival. It is the largest of many Buyi festivals and the Spring Festival of the Buyi people. Most of the Buyi festivals are held here.

The "March 3" of the Buyi is similar to the Water Festival of the Dai, and is also a festival that focuses on water worship. But unlike the Dai, the Buyi don't use pots and other utensils to splash water, but use local bamboo to make bamboo water guns to splash water, which is very novel and fun.

Into the Duoyi River, both sides of the ancient bamboo forests, flower beach, water color beautiful, Buyei cottage in which hidden. Bamboo forests and green trees from time to time out of the cooking smoke.

Many rivers have beautiful scenery, quiet environment, numerous waterfalls, different postures, scenic spots of the Buyei ethnic minority flavor is equally rich and intoxicating. They live on both sides of the Duoyi River, where they farm, set up stalls to make money, build rafts, splash water and sing.

The waterwheel is a beautiful scenery of Duoyi River. There are dozens of waterwheels of all sizes on the banks of the Doi River, the largest of which is 18 meters in diameter. There are waterwheels with wooden and bamboo strips, most of which are covered with moss.

Because they live near the river, the Buyi people invented the waterwheel a long time ago to carry water for irrigation. In order not to miss the farming time, they are still using the water lifting irrigation system that has been utilizing the principle of water energy for thousands of years.

In the functional exhibition area of Duoyi River waterwheel, you can not only see the vertical waterwheel and water-carrying carts, but also water saws, water mills, water mills and water hammer waterwheels powered by water energy. When you learn about the waterwheel, you will be impressed by the cleverness and wisdom of the Buyi forefathers.

The area around Duohe is the most exciting place for the March 3 festival. After crossing Bajiaoqing, the festive atmosphere is already in the air. People from near and far flocked to Doihe in an endless stream. Among them are locals, outsiders, Buyis, and people of other nationalities. Some drove cars, some rode motorcycles, and some walked. No matter what kind of people they were, everyone had various water splashing tools in their hands. All of them have excitement written on their faces, and they all have only one purpose, which is to go to the Buyei's house to splash the holy water of life. When you go to the border of Lazhou, you will really get into the carnival atmosphere of March 3rd. Starting from the deep blue water at the source of the Tujing River, there are countless bamboo rafts on the surface of the Tujing River as far as you can see. On the rafts, there are young men and women in brightly colored ethnic costumes holding flat stretches and holding a traditional and exciting bamboo raft race. The river roars, the waves splash, and the uniquely shaped rafts fly forward like arrows. On both sides of the river, there are even more people, holding water guns and buckets, splashing and chasing each other. Many rivers and water flying all over the sky, Buyei love song flying with the waves. It's really a world of water, an ocean of songs.

The mountain songs and water tunes are floating among the green hills, and the Buyi people are living in the songs. The waves roll up the colorful Buyei love, the waves burst out endless reverie.

Buyi women weave their own cloth. Every Buyi woman's wedding and festival dress is a batik dress woven and sewn by her own hands. Among the Buyi costumes, there are pleated skirts, head scarves, tiger hats, lion hats, hairless hats, etc. They have vivid designs, exquisite workmanship, bright colors and distinctive features, so they are worth purchasing to keep as souvenirs.

Buyi people called Luoping "mother river" of the multi-river, is a soft and quiet river, has a rich and intoxicating Buyei flavor, with endless stories of the Buyei people, running water, issued a natural and romantic notes.

The Water Splashing Festival on March 3, the Buyei language "change three powder", is the most extreme one

Every year on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, the Buyei young men and women of the Duoi River will wear their best clothes to gather at the riverside, race on the rafts, shoot the water pistol, send the purse, and courtship with songs. They use a special way to splash water with guests from far away, and their joy is unforgettable.

On the eve of March 3, families go to the mountains to collect sweet-smelling maple leaves, glutinous rice flowers and the roots, stems, leaves and flowers of some plants as dyes to dye the glutinous rice into colorful flowers of red, yellow, blue, purple and black.

The colorful rice is bright and colorful, symbolizing a bountiful harvest and plenty of food. The rice is tasty and has the effect of calming the mind and moistening the lungs, beauty and health care, especially for asthma and other airway diseases.

Splashing water is a ritual activity on March 3rd. Adults worship the gods of mountains and water. Children make water, row bamboo rafts, have water fights and compete in swimming. By then, the whole village will turn into a sea of water, and people will try to splash others while dodging the water they splash, which is so lively.