Making a Splash
The Chinese Ethnic Culture Park, also known as the China Ethnic Museum, in Beijing, features a large area devoted to the culture of many of the country’s 56 ethnic groups. The public have an opportunity to experience the singing and dancing, traditional housing and art of these groups. One of the most popular performances is a sample of the Water Splashing Festival of the Dai ethnic minority from Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, which get the crowds wet and in merry spirits. The water splashing is historically linked to religious purification. PhotographerFrancisco Little