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XI SHAI JIE (THE BASKING AND BATHING FESTIVAL)
A Cultural Celebration of Sun, Water, and Heritage
Each summer, as the sun crests over the lush mountains of southern China, the Bouyei ethnic minority of Guizhou Province gathers in festive unity for Xi Shai Jie, or the Bathing and Basking Festival. Rooted in ancient customs, this colorful holiday celebrates nature, vitality, and community, blending water rituals, sun worship, and joyful reunions.
Held annually on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month—typically in July—Xi Shai Jie marks a spiritual and physical cleansing. Though the exact origins of the festival are challenging to pinpoint, it has been observed for centuries, passed down through generations as a vital expression of Bouyei cultural identity. The festival gained broader recognition in the early 2000s when regional governments began promoting it as an emblem of ethnic heritage and rural tourism.
A key tradition is the act of bathing in rivers or springs. Wearing traditional dress, families gather at natural water sources to wash themselves and their children to purify the body, cast away misfortune, and protect against illness. After the bath, villagers “bask” in the sun—hence the name Xi Shai Jie—as sunlight is essential for health and spiritual renewal.
Equally important are the foods and festivities that follow. Bouyei women prepare colorful glutinous rice dyed with natural plant extracts, zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), fresh river fish, and seasonal fruits: communal feasts and open-air banquets feature during the day.
Traditional songs, bamboo dances, bullfighting contests, embroidery exhibitions, and sporting competitions fill the village squares, transforming the event into a celebration of ethnic pride and a showcase of intangible cultural heritage.
Xi Shai Jie is a vibrant celebration of life, health, and harmony. It offers a bridge between generations and preserves the unique culture of Asian society.
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