On April 14th, 2014, 38 international students from Laos and Thailand at our college, led by their teachers and armed with buckets and basins, gathered at the Osmanthus Square of Leshan Normal University to celebrate their own festival—the Water-Splashing Festival—along with other international students in Leshan.

On the edge of the square, several large barrels filled with clear water had already been prepared. The international students scooped water from the barrels and splashed it onto each other, wishing one another a happy festival. Everyone chased and splashed each other, with smiles of happiness on their faces. On the other side of the square, drummers and guitarists played energetic music, and the talented international students sang and danced along to the rhythm.

Passers-by, including students and teachers, were also infected by the cheerful atmosphere and joined in the celebration. For a while, the square was filled with laughter and joy.

The Water-Splashing Festival is a traditional festival in Laos, mainly celebrated to mark the harvest and is the most widely participated festival. It is regarded as the most beautiful and auspicious festival. On the morning of the festival, the elderly and children dress up, carry flower pots, and first go to the temple to bathe the Buddha. Then they start splashing water on each other and offering blessings, wishing for health and good fortune. People dance and splash water, and the more water that is splashed, the more auspicious it is believed to be. The splashing of water is seen as a way to bring happiness and good fortune, with the belief that being soaked in the water of blessings leads to a lifetime of happiness. The scene is quite spectacular. Additionally, the Water-Splashing Festival is also a common festival among the Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, and Dai ethnic groups in China.

In addition to the Water-Splashing Festival celebration, the morning also saw the launch ceremony of the "Guorong Scholarship for International Students in China."

The "Guorong Scholarship for International Students in China" was proposed by Mr. Cheng Guogen, the chairman of Guorong Group, through the coordination of the Leshan Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. It is specifically designed to provide financial support for Laotian students studying in Leshan. This initiative represents a significant act of social responsibility and philanthropy by local entrepreneurs, giving back to society and education.