Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival 都江堰放水节

Location: Dujiangyan City

Time and Duration: On Qingming Fetival, starting on 4th or 5th of April and lasting for 3-5 Days

Features: Celebration the Beginning of Farming, Wish for Prosperous Harvest;

Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival is also called Water Festival. It started from the funding of Dujiangyan Irrigation System and made official to the day of Qingming Festival from Northern Song Dynasty in memory of Libing, the engineer and showing of gratitude to the many successors who took care of the irrigation. It is also a celebration to mark the beginning of farming season in Chengdu Plain, as well as a good wish for good harvest for the year. Goat and pig will be slaughtered on the ceremony as a tradition from old times. In recent time in order to make it more attractive to tourists local authority has also included a “ancient” dance that was believed to be performed in the time when the irrigation was built.

 

Huanglongxi Fire Dragon Festival 黄龙溪火龙节

Location: Huanglongxi Old Town

Time and Duration: From 2nd Day of CNY until 15th Day, Highlights on the 15th Day

Features: Fire Dragon Dance, Lanterns of Different Kinds, Kongming Lanterns, Drifting Lanterns and other Celebrations

Fire Dragon Dance is originated first from Eastern Han Dynasty and was formed in Southern Song Dynasty. It starts from the 2nd day of 1st lunar month by CNY and last all the way to the 15th day of 1st lunar month. Everyday in Huanglongxi Old Town there are performance of dragon dance, lion dance. Celebrations of all kinds to wish for good fortune and harvest for the next year. There is also dragon burning and colorful dragon dance as well as the Kongming Lantern, Drifting Lantern, Sichuan Opera performance, etc.

 

Wuhou Shrine CNY Temple Fair 武侯祠大庙会

Location: Wuhou Shrine of Chengdu

Time and Duration: From 1st Day of CNY until 15th Day, Highlights on the 15th Day

Features: Food, Folk Craftsmanship, Opera

Wuhou Temple Fair is a new festival started by the beginning of 2000’s. It features on food, folk items and opera based on the tradition of Wuhou Shrine and history of Three Kingdoms. It is developed along with modern tourism.

 

Chengdu Flower Festival 成都花会

Location: Chengdu Culture Park

Time and Duration: 15th Day of 2nd Lunar Month (usually in March)

Features: Exhibitions of Flowers of different kinds

The history of Flower Festival dates back to Tang Dynasty when Chengdu was considered a place with many different flowers. It is held in the blooming season of March each year when all kinds of flowers in pots will be displayed in Culture Park of Chengdu.

 

Xinjin Dragon Boat Festival 新津龙舟节

Location: Xinjin

Time and Duration: Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) by 5th day of the 5th Lunar Month (usually in June)

Features: Dragon Boat Race, Dragon Boats Display, Light and Lantern-decorated Boats

This is the biggest dragon boat festival celebration around Chengdu in western China. The festival lasts full day from dragon boat racing to colorful dragon boats display. In recent years it also added local food quarter.