The Shangsi festival(Shangsi Jie) 

                              
March 3 Festival is also called Shangsi Festival. Shangsi is the first siri of March in the lunar calendar. It was a festival to ward off misfortunes and pray for blessings in ancient China. On that day, the ancients would go to the waterside to play games, take a bath, or pick orchid flowers in the hope of driving away misfortunes and praying for blessings. Called xiuxi, or chunxi, the activity was held early in the Zhou Dynasty. In the Han Dynasty, it was officially prescribed as a festival celebrated on Shangsi of March.

At the Three Kingdoms Period, the festival was stipulated to be held on March 3 of the lunar calendar. Later, the festival was continuously evolved, and the custom of feasting guests on the waterside was formed. 

Formerly known as "Shangsi Festival", the March 3rd Festival is a traditional festival observed by the Han people and a number of ethnic minority groups. In ancient times, the first Si day (according to the year numbering system by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches) was called "Shangsi" and celebrated as a festival. Most of the time, March 3rd of the lunar calendar happened to be a Si day. So, after the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the Shangsi Festival was set on the third of lunar March and renamed "the March 3rd Festival". Originally March 3rd was more focused on religious activities to ward off disaster and keep evil spirits at bay as well as to pray for having children. The activities included sacrificial rituals in honor of Goddess Gao Mei, "Fu Xi" (a bathing ritual) and get-togethers attended by young men and women etc.
Gao Mei is the Goddess of Marriage and Childbearing. People would pray her for childbearing through sacrificial rituals. Meanwhile, "Fu Xi" was carried out to get rid of ailments by bathing. It was believed to cure women's infertility. And get-togethers through spring outings provided a chance for young men and women to get to know each other and to seek future significant others. Such gatherings were also aimed at marriage and childbearing. In addition, activities like floating eggs, dates and wine cups on the river were also held.