A complete collection of traditional Dai festivals

The Dai people are a ethnic group with a long history and characteristic culture. In our country, they mainly live in areas such as Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. There are many Dai festivals, and the most eye-catching ones are the Closing Festival, the Opening Festival and the Water-Splashing Festival.

The Dai language for the closing festival is "Jinwa", which means that the Buddha Lord enters the temple. Yunnan Dai traditional religious festivals are held every year on the 15th day of the ninth year of the Dai calendar (mid-seventh month of the lunar calendar) and last for three months. Legend has it that on the ninth day of the Dai calendar every year, the Buddha goes to the Western Heaven to preach scriptures with his mother, and can only return to the world in March. Once, during the Buddhist preaching period in the Western Heaven, thousands of Buddhist disciples went to the countryside to preach, destroying the people's crops and delaying their production. The people complained and were very dissatisfied with the Buddhists. After learning about this, Buddha felt uneasy. From then on, every time a Buddha went to the Western Heaven to preach scriptures, he gathered all Buddha disciples together and stipulated that they were not allowed to go anywhere during these three months. They could only confess to atone for their previous sins. Therefore, people call it the "Closing Festival" every second.

The Dai language for the opening festival is "Chuwa", which means that the Buddha Lord has left the temple. Traditional religious festivals of the Dai people in Yunnan. It is held every year on December 15th of the Dai calendar. The event content is the same as the Closing Festival. On the 15th day of the twelfth month of the Dai calendar, the thing that was placed behind the Buddha seat when entering the depression was taken out and burned, indicating that the Buddha had left the depression. On the 16th, the monk left the depression, and the whole family, men and women, old and young went to Zang's room to worship Buddha. A grand "flower rush" event was held on the 17th. Because the Buddha returned to the world three months after going to the Western Heaven to preach scriptures on this day, all villages and villages would ring gongs and drums to hold a grand meeting to welcome the Buddha. At the same time, they would also confess to the Buddha in Zang's room for a year's sins; monks took advantage of this time to publicize the teachings to young men and women. At the Open Door Festival, the busy farming season is over, the weather is getting colder, and there are not many Buddhist activities. Young people can fall in love or get married, while adults can go out on errands or visit relatives and friends. This festival is the time when the Dai people have the most cultural and recreational activities. People set off sparks, lit lights, set off high lifts, and traveled around various villages. It was very lively.

The location of the

shows that some places are also called "Longchu". "Long" in the Dai language refers to a tree or a forest, and "Shi" or "chase" both mean sacrifice, so "Long Shi" means offering sacrifices to the tree god. In ancient times, when Dai people established villages, they had to plant trees to commemorate them. Therefore, the Dai people regarded the trees planted in the village as the protector of the village. The time of "Longshi" is in February of the summer calendar, and the specific time varies from village to village. Generally, descendants of the village people lead the way. Men in the village go to a special tree to sacrifice. During the "Long Shi" period, they visit each other and exchange holiday greetings. Young men and women travel through mountains and villages, singing folk songs and looking for partners. On the second day of the "Longshi" in the Dashun Village area, young men and women invited them to fish and shrimp in the river. In the evening, they took a little of the captured fish and shrimp and put them into the river. This means that they hope that the river will be filled with fish and shrimp in the coming year. There will be no end to fishing. We will have dinner together on the riverside that night, and young men and women will eat and have fun together. During the "Long Show" period, guests are allowed to enter and not leave, and must stay with warm hospitality to satisfy their wishes.

On Duanyang Day in May every year, Dai men and women on both sides of the Red River gather at Nabing Dalongtan in Wuwan Village, Majie Township to celebrate the "Duet Festival". On the day of singing, young men and women from all villages came dressed up to hold singing competitions between men and women and between villages, from the beginning of the sun to the sunset of the west mountain. Old people and children came to listen to the singing with dry food. The singing festival is an excellent opportunity for young men and women to make friends and find partners.

Called Gu Hun is also called "Zhao Gu Hun". Every year in October of the summer calendar, when grains enter the warehouse, the Dai people choose the last dragon day at the end of the month to be called Gu Hun. On that day, every household would go to the field to kill a hen and light a pile of straw or grain to sacrifice. After the sacrifice, take a small amount of rice grain home and place it in the warehouse. To show that Gu Hun has returned home, he can open the warehouse and use it in the future.

Water-Splashing Festival 1. Origin Water-Splashing Festival is the Dai New Year's Festival and the most important festival of the Dai people. It is held every year in April of the lunar calendar (equivalent to May of the Dai calendar) and generally lasts for three to four days. The first day is "Mai Day", similar to Lunar New Year's Eve. It is called "Wanduo Shanghan" in Dai language, which means sending off the old. At this time, people have to clean up their houses, clean them, and prepare for New Year's meals and various activities during the festival. The second day is called "Nao Day", and "Nao" means "empty". According to custom, this day belongs to neither the previous year nor the next year, so it is called "empty day"; the third day is called "Maipaya Wanma". It is said that this is the day when the heroic spirit of Paya Wan returned to the world with the new calendar. People are accustomed to regard this day as the arrival of the king of days, which is the New Year's Day of the Dai calendar.

The Songkran Festival originated in India and was a ritual of ancient Brahmanism. It was later absorbed by Buddhism. It was introduced into the Dai region of Yunnan, China through Myanmar along with Buddhism from the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 13th century AD. With the deepening of Buddhism's influence in Dai areas, the Water-Splashing Festival has become an ethnic custom and has been passed down for hundreds of years. During the spread of the Water-Splashing Festival, the Dai people gradually combined it with their own national myths and legends, giving the Water-Splashing Festival a more magical meaning and national color.

To this day, there is still a very interesting myth circulating among the Dai people: In ancient times, there was a demon in the Dai area. He did all kinds of evil and exercised indiscriminate power, making the crops unharvested, people's hearts uneasy, and people's lives miserable. People hated him deeply, but they couldn't deal with him after thinking of many ways. Later, the devil took seven civilian daughters as wives. Seeing their compatriots living miserable lives, the girls are determined to find a way to eliminate the devil. The clever seventh girl discovered his fatal weakness from the devil's words, that is, only the devil's own hair could kill him. One night, the devil fell into a deep sleep after being drunk. The girls bravely pulled a strand of hair from his head and tied it tightly around his neck.

Sure enough, the demon's head fell off immediately. But as soon as his head hit the ground, a fire broke out on the ground. Seeing that disaster was about to turn into, the girls immediately picked up their heads, the fire was extinguished, and the demon disappeared. In order to prevent the fire from burning again and harming the people, the sisters decided to take turns holding the devil's head and change it every year. At the annual change of people, people flush the girls with their heads to wash away the blood and adult fatigue. Later, in memory of these seven resourceful and brave women, the Dai people splashed water on each other on this day every year. From then on, a grand festival for the Dai people to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, the Water Splashing Festival.

2. The Water-Splashing Festival is blessed on the "Mai Day". Early in the morning, people will pick flowers and green leaves to worship in Buddhist temples, and carry clear water to "bathe Buddha"-to wash away the dust of Buddha statues. After the "Buddha bathing" was over, the collective splashing of water began. Groups of young men and women used various containers to hold water, poured out of the streets and alleys, chased and played, and poured it on everyone they met. "If you splash water, the Dai family will go crazy","If you splash water, you will be happy for life"! Water droplets symbolizing good fortune, happiness and health are blooming in the air. People splash and sprinkle to their hearts 'content. They laugh loudly, are extremely happy, their bodies are soaked and in high spirits...

3. Water Splashing Festival Love Water Splashing Festival is also a beautiful time for unmarried young men and women to seek love and cultivate happiness. During the Water-Splashing Festival, unmarried young men and women of the Dai people like to play the game of "losing packets". The flower bag carefully made out of floral cloth in the girl's hand is a token of love. On the day of the packet loss, the girls tried their best to dress up, and then came to the "contract market" with flower umbrellas and small flower bags. They stood on both sides of the boys, thirty to forty steps apart, and began to throw flower bags at each other. If the young man can't catch the flower bag thrown by the girl, he has to put the flowers prepared in advance on the girl's hair. If the girl can't catch the bag thrown by the young man, he has to put the flowers on the young man's chest... In this way, each other was gradually selected, and romantic love stories began... 4. The power of the Water Splashing Festival was one of the most exciting events of the Water Splashing Festival, often held at the "Maipaya Evening"(the third day) of the Water Splashing Festival. On that day, people dressed in festive costumes gathered happily along the Lancang River and the Ruili River to watch the dragon boat races. A dragon boat dressed in green and decorated was moored on the river, and dozens of strong sailors were sitting on it. As soon as the order was sounded, the dragon boat was ready to fly forward like an arrow. Suddenly, drums, gongs, trumpets, cheers, came one after another and the sound corresponded, and the festive atmosphere reached its climax here...

5. Water Splashing Festival Dance Dai people can sing and dance, and the Water Splashing Festival naturally has dancing. Large-scale dances are mainly arranged on the third day of the Water-Splashing Festival, such as the elephant foot dance and the peacock dance. Everyone from seven or eight years old to people in their seventies and eighties wore festive costumes and gathered in the village square to participate in group dances. The elephant's foot dance is passionate, steady and elegant. Dancers form a circle and dance with manganese gongs and elephant feet drums. While dancing, they cheer "I, I" or "Water, Water"! The peacock dance is beautiful, elegant and lyrical. It is the soul of Dai dance. The dance is based on the peacock's various postures. In the re-creation of interest and beauty, it embodies the aesthetic interests of Dai children. There are also many dancers who indulge in their impromptu works. Some sing and dance, and some even drink while dancing. They are intoxicated and unrestrained, dancing for days and nights without feeling tired.

6. The "Gao Sheng" and "Gao Sheng" of the Water Splashing Festival are another reserved program of the Water Splashing Festival. Gaosheng is a kind of fireworks made by the Dai people. The bottom of a bamboo pole is filled with gunpowder and other ingredients, placed on a high-rise frame made of bamboo, connected with wires, and often set off at night. When raising high, ignite the fuse to burn the gunpowder, which will produce strong thrust, pushing the bamboo into the sky like a rocket. The bamboo spewed white smoke and made a whooshing sound. At the same time, it spat out gorgeous fireworks in the air, like a cluster of flowers, dazzling and beautiful. On the ground, cheers and cheers came one after another, and discussions and praises were endless. It was so lively.

Tianba Festival Tianba is an annual traditional spring festival for the Dai people. On the early morning of the 13th day of the first lunar month, Dai men and women who can sing and dance, dressed in festive costumes, gathered under the green trees in the village, beating gongs and drums, and were jubilant. The singers held fragrant rice wine and sang happy spring songs and four seasons songs. People danced to the beat of the drums.

When the golden sun rose slowly and an elderly man loudly announced the beginning of the "Tianba Patrol", the people intoxicated in the song and dance automatically formed a team, led by eight young people carrying colorful flags. Everyone blew trumpets all the way, beat gongs and drums, sounded firecrackers, and set fire guns, marching towards Tianba in a majestic manner..."Tianba Patrol" can be said to be a "inspection" of agricultural spring plowing production by the Dai family. Through this activity, combined with the actual production, the villages and villages also formulated some rural rules and regulations.

For example, early rice in Quanbazi must be planted before the 13th of the first month; no one is allowed to steal or grab water when water is released for irrigation; no one is allowed to cut down a tree in the restricted area. Violators will be fined 30 bowls of wine and 30 kilograms of fresh meat; Village cadres will be punished twice. "Patrol Tianba" reflects the traditional virtue of the Dai people's attaching importance to agricultural production.

The Woba Festival is a festival for the Dai people to pray for a good harvest of fishing and rice. It is held every year in Dayao Bay Bi on the seventh day of the third month of the lunar calendar. It is said that in ancient times, when foreign tribes invaded, the Dai people's ancestor King Lubbai unfortunately died in battle. Under the leadership of Prince Qingge and Princess Hongmei, the Dai family continued to fight bravely, but in the end they were outnumbered and retreated to the Jinsha River. Brother Qing and Hongmei were also captured by the enemy and imprisoned in a cave along the river. In order to kill all the Dai family, the enemy colluded with a demon called stone moth in the river cliffs to harm the Dai family. Stone moths make waves, black clouds roll, river water rises sharply, vicious waves reach the sky, flash floods break out, rocks and rocks collapse, and the tortured Dai people are about to suffer disaster.

At this moment, Brother Qingge and Hongmei rushed out of the cave and fought desperately with the stone moth. They finally killed the stone moth, caused the river to retreat, and stabilized the rock. The black clouds dispersed, the river receded, the mountain torrents stopped, and the Dai family was saved. The Dai family settled down on the Jinsha River and lived a good life with smooth weather. But in the battle with the stone moth, Brother Qing and Sister Hong were enchanted and turned into blue and red fish. In order to commemorate the achievements of Brother Qingge and Hongmei in saving the Dai family, on the seventh day of the third lunar month every year, Dai family men, women and old wear bright national costumes and carry Jiakan wine to come to the Jinsha River to sing and dance, and hold commemorative celebrations to celebrate the Dai family's victory over the devil.

This morning, people came to the Jinsha River early. When the sun shone on the riverside, the grand festival ceremony began. Under the command of a highly respected Dai speaking elder, two strong Dai men carried two big wooden fish on their shoulders, one was a herring and the other was a red fish. Using the three sounds of a musket as a signal, they whistled the way and blew and beat the wooden fish. Send to the beach along the river. The people followed them to the riverside. Under the leadership of the elderly, they used basins to bring the river water and splashed it on the wooden fish amid the singing.

Then the elderly chanted blessings and auspicious words in Dai language, dipped pine branches in the river water and gently sprinkled them on everyone's heads. People splashed water on each other to send good blessings. Accompanied by suona, manggong, and elephant foot drum, men, women and children danced a happy "Gayang Dance", wishing the new year a smooth weather, a basket full of fish, and a bumper harvest of rice. Today, the Woba Festival gathering place has also become a place for people of all ethnic groups in Chuxiong, Lijiang and adjacent areas of Sichuan and Yunnan to conduct cultural and material exchanges. More than 10,000 people come every year to participate in festivals and local specialty transactions.

The Flower Street Festival is also called the "Reshuitang Flower Street Festival." A traditional folk festival of the Dai people in the Yuanjiang area of Yunnan Province is held on the seventh day of the first month of the lunar calendar every year, with a one-day festival. Dai people also celebrate the Flower Street Festival, with the activity content basically the same as the Dai Le people, but the festival is on the sixth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. The main purpose of the Flower Street Festival is to eliminate the old and welcome the new. On the morning of the festival, at the beginning of the sun, men, women and old, dressed in festive costumes, gather on the hot water pond lawn on the east bank of the Yuanjiang River to sing and laugh to celebrate the festival. The old people talk about the past, the young people sing and dance, and the children chase games and have fun. People also bathe in the hot springs of the hot pond one after another to remove the filth of the old year and welcome the new year cleanly and cleanly. On this day, unmarried young men and women also held a duet to find a partner.