An annual Water-Releasing Festival kicks off in Sichuan province on April 4, 2016. The festival dates back 1,000 years to commemorate Li Bing, designer of the Dujiangyan irrigation system in 256 BC, and also pays people's respect to nature. The irrigation system has given the flood-plagued people along the banks of Minjiang River a peaceful and affluent lifestyle. Minjiang River irrigates nearly 70,000 hectares of farmland in Sichuan and has won the province the reputation of "the land of abundance". During the ceremony, actors played Li Bing and his helpers telling the history of Dujiangyan as well as to paying tribute to their efforts in building the irrigation system. (Photo: China News Service/ Liu Jie)