The Water Splashing Festival, also known as the "Buddha Bathing Festival," is a major festival of the Dai and De'ang ethnic groups in Ruili. In the Dai language, it is called "Shangjian," and the De'ang people call it "Gongpai." It is said to have evolved from the Indian "Holi Festival" and the custom of bathing in sacred rivers. The Water Splashing Festival includes bathing the Buddha, praying for rain, welcoming spring plowing, and wishing for prosperity of people and livestock as well as a bountiful harvest. Within the Pali Buddhist cultural sphere, it is the grandest religious ceremony of the year. The first day of the festival is the Dai New Year's Eve, when every household cleans their home. The Bumaos and Busaos dress in festive attire, beat elephant-foot drums and gongs, and go in groups to the mountains to pick "Shangjian flowers," decorate the water-splashing pavilion, and the elders at home slaughter chickens and cattle to make water-splashing rice cakes, rice noodles, and prepare to entertain guests. The next day is the Dai New Year's Day, the beginning of the year. On this day, middle-aged and elderly people must go to the temple to listen to scriptures and bathe the Bodhisattva with purified water. The Buddha is invited to chant scriptures in front of the water-splashing pavilion and hold prayer ceremonies. Everyone pours water from water dragons and then splashes water on each other to give blessings.

Event Time: Between the 17th and 19th day of the 6th month in the Dai calendar, calculated as the 7th day after the Qingming Festival in the lunar calendar, which falls around mid-April in the Gregorian calendar each year. The celebration usually lasts 3 to 7 days.