Awash with a sea of colour , sounds and smells , a stunning water carnival has exploded into life in China . The annual Water Temple Fair in Jiangnan , China , sees thousands gather on boats to pray for good fortune for the upcoming year . Locals dress up in traditional costumes , while boat races , drumming and dragon dances bring a carnival atmosphere to the town of Jia Xing . Riot of colour : The Water Temple Fair in Jiangnan , China , sees thousands gather on boats to pray for good fortune for the upcoming year . Superstition : People travel from nearby towns to join the Net Boat Fair . Other Water Temple Fairs are held around Chinese New Year . Fishermen from the area take their boats out for show , hoping for good fortune and blessing . Extravagance : An aerial view of the 2015 China Jiangnan Net Boat Fair which commemorates an ancient hero . Starting on different dates in the western calendar , the fair happens annually according to the Chinese Lunar calendar . This year , it began yesterday and the celebrations are expected to last three to seven days , with festivities sometimes being extended to a month long . One of the highlights of the carnival is the Net Boat Fair which showcases the unique culture of Jiangnan water people . One of the most anticipated performances is the 'tie the perfume to your skin ' which sees performers attach metal hooks to their forearms . On the other side of the hook hangs a censer containing incense or sometimes even heavy anchors with flowers in them to mask the natural smell of the fishing town . Locals dress up in traditional costumes , while boat races , drumming and dragon dances bring a carnival atmosphere to the town of Jia Xing . The traditional local folklore carnival pays homage to Liu Chengzhong , a figure who led people in annihilating locusts in the Yuan Dynasty . Tradition : Fishermen and their families dress up in traditional clothes . About 50 different folklore groups and nearly two thousand people will be joining the celebrations . It will be the biggest Net Boat Fair in 60 years . The Fair commemorates General Lui Chengzhong , a hero in the Yuan Dynasty ( 1279-1368 ) , who successfully eliminated pests during a massive drought . When the Yuan Dynasty came to an end , General Lui killed himself by jumping in the river as an act of loyalty to the Yuan emperor . The locals built the Lui King temple for him and celebrated his heroic acts . Mr Li , one of the participants , told Jia Xing Ping Dao : ' I am the sixth generation to come to this temple fair . 'My great-grandfather once said the celebrations were even more extravagant than what we have now . 'We want to pray for safety and for the Gods to give us proper weather next year . ' Music and beats : Little drums are used to scare away angry spirits . This event was listed as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in China in 2011 , along with Chinese abacus , an ancient calculator . Cultural heritage : Fishermen prepare shrine offerings , including food , wine , pork , fruit and snacks . An elaborate ritual will be performed on the boats to give thanks to the Gods and the ancestors . The Net Boat Fair has already been included in the list of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage . One of the most important agenda this year is giving out the 'folklore religion activity ' certificate to the Liu King temple . Jiangnan Mayor Liang Bokai sauid : 'This marks the first certificate of its kind . It is a massive step for the preservation , promotion and legacy of this folklore religion in the Liu King temple . 'We will further promote our local customs and culture and combine it with tourism in order to put out a new image . ' Jiangnan folklore : 'Stepping on whites boats ' is a custom for fishermen . Their boats are known to be very unstable because of the exceptionally long frame . Fishermen remodel the boats with a wooden see-saw in the middle . Two people stands on the edge of both sides and jump to make the boat go forward . Tourism : It is a very popular tourist attraction as well . Vendors and shopkeepers appeal their products to passers-by , participants gather for pictures and others pray for blessings .
Water festival Fair occurs annually in canton , China , where villagers gather to pay homage to ancient hero . Locals dress up in their traditional costumes and perform local rituals with dances , boat races and songs . Honours General emperor Chengzhong , a hero of Yuan dynasty ( 1644 - 1368 ) , who eliminated pests during drought .