Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c12.s1.9

v2.c12.s1.9

Firstly, Bathing Buddha Festival. According to Mahayana classics, the eighth day of the fourth lunar month was Buddha’s Birthday which in folk is known as Bathing Buddha Festival. The way of bathing the Buddha originated from India. It is said that when Buddha Sakyamuni was born, two dragons jetted out one spout of warm water and one spout of cool water to bathe him. Therefore, believers would bath the Buddha for commemoration on Buddha’s Birthday. The content of “Parading the Buddha” was added when the activity of bathing the Buddha was held in Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE). “Parading the Buddha” means parading the Buddha image in a carriage. In the period of Southern and Northern Dynasty, the activity of “Parading the Buddha” was held in south and north of China in Bathing Buddha Festival.