The Water-Splashing Festival (泼水节) is a traditional festival for the Dai people in Yunnan Province,     1     marks the official New Year celebration for over one million Dai people living in China.     2     (hold) during the sixth month of the Dai calendar, it usually lasts three or four days.

For the Dai people in Yunnan province, water is a symbol     3     goodness and the most valuable thing. During the festival, both men and women enjoy     4     (them) in the game of water-splashing. They are armed with buckets of water to make each other     5     (complete) wet, wishing all good luck and happiness to happen to them.

During the festival, the door of every house     6     (decorate) with colorful pieces of paper. All the     7     (villager) wear their unique clothes. Mutton and beef are served with delicious rice cakes, rice noodles, and rice wine. The festival is celebrated with     8     variety of activities, including singing and dancing, firework displays and boat racing. Dai People will also invite people to celebrate the festival from other ethnic minorities (少数民族) and tourists     9     (come) from afar (从远处) to celebrate the festival.

The Water Splash Festival is the Dai people’s respect to water, music, dance and food. It is also a     10     (culture) bridge between China and Southeast Asian countries that share the same festive culture of the water-splashing.

3 . The harvest season falls at different times of the year depending on region and climate, but festivals celebrating its arrival are held all over the world Some are the start of the season and the fist crops, while other are celebrations to give thanks for the blessing of a harvest.

Rice Harvest Festival (May ~ June)

The harvest festival is dedicated to Dewi Sni-the goddess of rice and fertility(丰产) celebrated by the people of Bali, Indonesia.

Mid-Autumn Festival (September ~ October)

Mooncakes and tea are served on Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Moon Festival, because it coincides with the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is also a time of family gatherings.

Yam Festival (August or September)

Men are carrying yams(山药) at the Yam Festival on the Trobriand Islands, Papua NewGuinea. The people there celebrate the end of the rainy season and the first appearance of yams.

Sukkoth (September ~ October)

Jewish people decorate the family Sukkah for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. A Sukkah is a temporary building where meals are taken for the week. The 8-day festival gives thanks to the harvest.

Pongal (January)

The 4-day festival of Pongal is a celebration of the rice harvest period. Held after the winter solstice(冬至), it celebrates the return of longer days of life-giving sunlight. Its name comes from a Tamil word, meaning “to boil”, and is also the name given to a rice dish that is prepared during this time.