Traversing from Modern Times to Ancient Times, 17 Embassies and Consulates Visiting Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival

On April 5, the "2023 Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival" was opened in Flying Sand Spillway of Dujiangyan Scenic Area during the Tomb Sweeping Festival. More than 30 representatives from 17 countries, including the Ambassador of Ecuador to China Carlos Larrea, the Ambassador of Thailand to China Arthayudh Srisamoot, the Ambassador of Malta to China John Bustill, the Minister of the Ethiopian Embassy in China Muhammed Seid Yimer, and the Consul General and Consular Officers of Poland, Chile, Spain, Germany and other countries in Chengdu and Chongqing, wore Han Dynasty clothing and immersively experienced water conservancy culture.

Consul General of France in Chengdu, Guillaume Delvallée (left), wears Hanfu to learn etiquette [Photo by Wenhan Yang]

Ambassador of Ecuador to China, Ambassador of Thailand to China, Ambassador of Malta to China, and Minister of the Ethiopian Embassy in China (from left to right) experience Macha [Photo via Foreign Affairs Office of Dujiangyan Municipal People's Government]

Brave workers pull the rope down the Macha [Photo by Wenhan Yang]

"Today is the traditional Chinese Tomb Sweeping Festival. After watching the water-releasing ceremony, I deeply feel the Chinese people's respect for nature from ancient times to the present. It is truly commendable that this custom can be passed down to this day. " Ecuador's Ambassador to China, Carlos Larrea, sighed. Ecuador, like China, attaches great importance to ecological protection and hopes that both sides can continue to deepen exchanges and cooperate in this field in the future.

Consul General of Chile in Chengdu, Gustavo Díaz Hidalgo, expressed his thoughts [Photo by Wenhan Yang]

Consul General of Chile in Chengdu, Gustavo Díaz Hidalgo, said, "Traditional culture is an important part of a country and an important tool for cultural exchanges. It's my pleasure to participate in this year's Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival, which gives me a chance to have a more intuitive understanding of China's long-standing traditional culture and unique and simple folk customs."

Embassy and Consular Officers visiting Panda Park [Photo via Foreign Affairs Office of Dujiangyan Municipal People's Government]

After the water-releasing ceremony, the Embassy and Consular Officers also visited the Panda Park to see the charm of the national treasure giant panda. The various playful appearances of giant pandas, such as gnawing bamboo, climbing trees, and snoring, make the delegation members exclaim 'cute'.