Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province, east China - July 12, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Aerial shots of Huigang Village
2. Local beating gong, shouting, starting activity
3. Various of dragon dances
4. Various of ancient street, visitors splashing water
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Chen Chi, tourist (starting with shot 4):
"I found this traditional activity online and brought my child here during summer break to experience seasonal joy."
6. Various of ancient street, stalls
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lei Jingen,local food vendor (partially overlaid with shot 8):
"During the two months of street washing till September, we sell baked cakes. Weekends are especially busy. We now can sell 100 to 200 per day, even over 300 on Saturday."
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8. Various of Lei making baker cakes
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9. Visitors walking along street

A unique traditional Chinese folk summer activity, "Xi Jie" (Street Washing), has attracted crowds seeking respite from the heat in Huigang Village, Tonglu County in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, since mid-July.

The annual activity "Xi Jie" refers to channeling mountain springs to the local ancient cobblestone street, symbolizing purification and auspiciousness while providing a cooling effect.

With a history spanning over 300 years, the activity typically launches around the Major Heat, or "Dashu" in Chinese, the 12th of the 24 solar terms according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

This year's "Xi Jie" was inaugurated with the beating of a gong on July 12, while dragon dances were performed. At the shout of "It's time to wash the street!", sluice gates release mountain springs across the ancient street, inviting visitors to splash through the waters.

The ancient street of Huigang Village features over a dozen ancient water ditches. Around the Major Heat each year, locals block the water in the water ditches with stone gates to create a purposeful overflow.

"I found this traditional activity online and brought my child here during summer break to experience seasonal joy," said Chen Chi, a tourist.

This year's expanded event features enhanced water corridors with cultural stalls offering handicrafts, traditional snacks such as sticky rice cakes (miguo), glutinous rice balls (maci), and mulian tofu, as well as specialty teas.

"During the two months of street washing till September, we sell baked cakes. Weekends are especially busy. We now can sell 100 to 200 per day, even over 300 on Saturday," said Lei Jingen, a local food vendor.

The activity will run through August on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays each week from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.