Beginner Group Class Launch

Before I dive into today’s main topic, I just quickly wanted to mention that the waitlist for my new beginner group class is now open:

It’s a 10-week beginner group class starting this May (exact date coming soon)! It's designed to help you start speaking from day one, learn essential phrases, get confident with Pinyin, and even write your first essential characters—all in a fun and interactive small-group setting.

I’m starting with just 3–4 people per group, so you’ll get lots of personal attention and speaking time. It’s a great chance to join a smaller, more relaxed class before things grow and the groups get a bit bigger in the future.

You'll get live weekly sessions, a printable workbook I created just for this course, class recordings, WhatsApp support, and more.

You can find all the details and join the waitlist here: thechinesespeaker.com/groupclasses

Yunnan’s Water-Splashing Festival - 泼水节

When most people think of Songkran, they imagine Thailand’s wild water fights and street parties. Maybe you’ve even heard that Hong Kong’s Kowloon district joins in too — though on a much smaller scale, often led by the local Thai community.

But what many people don’t know is that this festival is also celebrated in southern China, especially in the tropical city of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province, where the biggest celebrations take place.

There, it’s called 泼水节 (pō shuǐ jié) — the Dai ethnic minority’s version of Songkran, and it marks the beginning of the Dai New Year.

In 2025, 泼水节 falls on April 13–15.

What do people do during 泼水节?

Just like in Thailand, splashing water is the main event — people hit the streets armed with water guns, buckets, and even hoses to playfully drench friends, strangers, and tourists. It’s believed that the water washes away bad luck and brings blessings for the new year.

But 泼水节 is much more than just a giant water fight:

• People gather at Buddhist temples to bathe Buddha statues, a more spiritual version of water blessing

• Families and friends release 孔明灯 (kǒng míng dēng) – sky lanterns that float up into the night carrying wishes

• On rivers, people light and float 水灯 (shuǐ dēng) — lotus-shaped lanterns symbolizing peace and good fortune

• You can see traditional Dai dances like the 象脚舞 (xiàng jiǎo wǔ, elephant foot dance) and the 孔雀舞 (kǒng què wǔ, peacock dance) performed in colorful costumes

• There are even dragon boat races (赛龙舟 sài lóng zhōu), adding to the excitement!

All of this takes place in the streets of Xishuangbanna, a region that feels more like Southeast Asia than the rest of China.

Here’s a handy vocabulary list for the festival — a great chance to pick up some new words, especially if you’re ever planning to join in the fun! You can also find flashcards with audio for these words on my Quizlet page.

🏯1:1 lessons: thechinesespeaker.com

🏯Beginner Group Classes: thechinesespeaker.com/groupclasses