Diubao Festival or Valentine’s Day in Jiangcheng County, Puer
Overview and Intrdoduction
- Chinese Name: 江城县丢包节/情人节
- English Name: Diubao Festival or Valentine’s Day in Jiangcheng County, Puer
Since 2009, initiated by Jiangcheng County and through friendly consultations among relevant provinces, cities, and counties in the tri-border area, China, Laos, and Vietnam have successfully rotated hosting four Bag Throwing Festivals. These festivals have further strengthened economic, cultural, sports, tourism, and educational exchanges and cooperation among the three countries. The traditional friendship of peaceful coexistence and mutual visits has been continuously enhanced, gradually forming a situation of friendly cooperation and mutual benefit. The small act of throwing a bag carries not only love but also the deep friendship among the three peoples.
The 7th China-Laos-Vietnam Bag Throwing Carnival and the 2023 China-Laos-Vietnam (Pu’er) Border Trade Fair will be held in Jiangcheng, Pu’er, under the theme “Bag Throwing Love Endures, Hand in Hand for a New Journey.” Bag throwing, also known as scented sachets or pouches, is an essential feature of the festival. These diamond-shaped bags, often filled with buckwheat, grass seeds, grains, or tea leaves, are brightly colored and suspended by a main string with three corners tied with colorful ribbons. They are not only a beautiful folk art but also carry rich cultural significance.
Recently, a reporter visited Aunt Shi Chunfang’s tailor shop, where several elderly women were busy sewing bags, inserting tea leaves, stuffing silk cotton, and stitching the seams. In no time, they completed beautifully crafted and fragrant bags. The women chatted softly while working, creating a joyful and harmonious atmosphere.
The China-Laos-Vietnam Bag Throwing Carnival leverages Jiangcheng County’s unique geographic position, where one can see three countries at once. The festival turns the small token of love, the bag, into a medium of friendship and a bridge connecting the world. It fully showcases the unique ethnic customs and traditional culture of the border area through cultural exchange and economic cooperation, strengthening ties between Jiangcheng, Laos, Vietnam, and other regions.
The tradition of “Bag Throwing for Love, Singing for Affection” is a shared custom among the ethnic groups living in the tri-border area, expressing deep and beautiful emotions such as love, family ties, and friendship.
China, Laos, and Vietnam share mountains and rivers, fostering harmonious neighborly relations and cultural exchanges. Each festival brings new surprises and delights, highlighting the unique cultural interplay among the three countries. Performances like “Original Jiangcheng: From the Ancients,” “Follow Grandma, There’s Food to Eat,” “Coming of Age, Visiting Girls,” “Marriage, More Than Just Joy,” and “Festivals, the Happiest Days of the Year” create vivid snapshots of life, blending traditional culture and modern civilization, and repeatedly bringing the atmosphere to a climax.
The grand feast features tables connected in a circle, with romantic dishes from all three countries. As attendees enjoy the meal, they eagerly ask about the origins of each dish, adding to the lively atmosphere.
The event also includes the largest bag throwing activity launch ceremony, bag throwing carnival, tri-nation bag throwing competition, tri-nation top spinning competition, tri-nation cultural photography exhibition, and the China-Laos-Vietnam Border Triangle Economic and Trade Conference. In short, it’s a carnival that you won’t want to leave.
