(20 April 2026, Kunming)
The Myanmar Consulate-General in Kunming held a ceremony celebrating the Myanmar Traditional Maha Thingyan Festival and showcasing Myanmar’s Thanaka culture on 19 April 2026. The event was attended by over 300 participants, including Mr. Jin Youbao, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province; Consuls-General, diplmats and their family members from Kunming-based consulates; members of the Myanmar community from Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces; students; Chinese nationals; and other foreign guests.
At the ceremony, the Consul-General of Myanmar, U Thwin Htet Lin, delivered opening remarks, highlighting the significance and historical background of the Myanmar Traditional Thingyan Festival. He also introduced the cultural tradition of applying Thanaka, a distinctive practice of the Myanmar people.
Following the remarks, Chinese students studying Myanmar language at universities in Yunnan Province, together with Myanmar students and government staff trainees in Kunming, presented group performances of Thingyan songs and dances. Guests were also served traditional Myanmar delicacies, including vermicelli soup, Shwe Yin Aye (a traditional coconut milk dessert), sago, and Myanmar tea leaf salad.
Afterward, participants joyfully took part in the traditional water-splashing activities of Thingyan. They also showed great interest in Myanmar’s Thanaka tradition by observing demonstrations and personally experiencing its application.
