Information about the Songkran Festival

Songkran Festival is the biggest festival of Dai people, and it is also the festival with the greatest influence and the largest number of participants among all ethnic groups in Yunnan. Songkran Festival is the New Year of the Dai people, which is equivalent to the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar and generally lasts for 3 to 7 days. On the first day, the Dai language was called "Mairi", which was similar to the Chinese New Year's Eve. The next day, the Dai language is called "angry day" (empty day); The third day is the New Year, called "Overlord Horse", which means the beginning of a year. People think this day is the most beautiful and auspicious day.

Dai water-splashing festival

Also known as "Bathing Buddha Festival", the Dai language is called "Bimai" (meaning New Year), and the Dai people in Dehong area of Xishuangbanna also call this festival "Shang Han" and "Shang Jian". Both names are derived from Sanskrit, meaning turnover, change and transfer, which means that the sun runs around the zodiac and begins to transition to the New Year. Achang, De 'ang, Bulang, Wa and other ethnic groups celebrate this festival. Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and other countries also celebrated the Songkran Festival. The Songkran Festival originated in India and was a ceremony of ancient Brahmanism, which was later absorbed by Buddhism. 12 century to 13 century, it was introduced into the Dai area of China with Buddhism. With the deepening influence of Buddhism in Dai areas, the Water-splashing Festival has been circulated as a national custom for hundreds of years. During the spread of the Water-splashing Festival, the Dai people gradually combined it with their own myths and legends, giving the Water-splashing Festival more magical significance and national color.

Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a vicious devil. He has magic. He can't float in the water, burn in the fire, cut with a knife, stab with a spear or shoot with a bow and arrow. He is arrogant, arrogant, bullying and evil all day. Bullying and plundering the people, doing evil. At that time, there were sixteen floors in the sky, and he became the overlord of one of them. He robbed seven beautiful wives. One June, it was the first day of the lunar new year, and the demon king was drinking and having fun in the palace. After three rounds of drinking, I am already drunk. My youngest wife, Zongbu, also said that Shannon took the opportunity to praise the devil: "My noble king, you have boundless power and noble virtue. With your prestige, you can be the master of conquest of paradise's hell. You should be the master of the three realms. " The demon king listened proudly, thought for a moment, turned to his beloved wife and said, "I can really conquer the Three Realms, and no one knows my weakness." Wan Zongbu then asked, "Your Majesty has such great power, how can he have weaknesses?" The devil replied in a low voice, "I'm afraid someone will pull out my hair, strangle me and split my head." You must watch it often. " Wan Zongbu pretended to be surprised and asked, "How can a king who can conquer the Three Realms be afraid of Mao?" The demon king whispered again, "Although my hair is small, I can't live with my neck broken." After listening to Zongbu, she secretly made up her mind. So, she continued to pour wine for the devil until the banquet was over, and she helped the devil to sleep. At this time, she carefully pulled out a hair of the devil and tied it around his neck before the devil woke up. The devil's head immediately fell to the ground, and every drop of blood on his head turned into a fire, burning and spreading to the whole world quickly. At this time, Wan Zongbu quickly picked up the devil's head, and the flame on the ground went out, but as soon as the head was put down, the fire burned again. So the king's six wives came, and they took turns holding the devil's head to keep the fire from burning. Later, she returned to the world, but she was still covered in blood. People threw water on her in order to wash away her blood. The blood was finally washed away, and Zongzi lived happily on earth. After Zongbu's death, in order to commemorate her, people splash water on each other every Spring Festival to wash away the dirt with clean water and usher in an auspicious New Year.

"Flying high" and flying lanterns are also unique activities in Dai areas. People set up anti-aircraft gun racks before the festival, and then celebrate the festival scene at the Songkran Festival.

The homemade earth rocket was ignited and let it fly into the blue sky whistling. The higher and farther the stockade flies, the more glorious and auspicious people feel. Winners will also receive prizes. In the evening, people lit lanterns and candles in the open space of the square, put them into homemade "balloons", and released the "Kongming Lantern" into the air by using the buoyancy of hot air to commemorate the ancient sage Kongming, namely Zhuge Liang. In addition, boat release, elephant foot drum dance, peacock dance and cockfighting are also activities during the Water-splashing Festival. In recent years, it has also increased the investigation of folk customs and economic and trade negotiations. Let the activities of the Songkran Festival be more colorful. The Songkran Festival is held simultaneously in Xishuangbanna and Dehong every year. You can fly directly from Kunming to these two places. 1961April 13, premier Zhou Enlai attended the Xishuangbanna water splashing festival. Since then, the water-splashing festival has grown in scale, and every year thousands of Chinese and foreign tourists regard it as the most unforgettable experience in their lives. The water-splashing festival is coming, and the Dai people are busy killing pigs, chickens and making wine. They also have to make many "rice cakes" and Baba made of various glutinous rice to eat during festivals. The Songkran Festival lasts for three days. On the first day, rowing dragon boats, flying high and performing arts; Splash water the next day; On the third day, young men and women lost their bags together and exchanged materials. The Songkran Festival is usually held on the banks of the beautiful Lancang River. When the dawn reflected the "City of Dawn", people of all ethnic groups dressed in costumes gathered here from all directions. At the command, one by one rose into the sky, like an arrow of a dragon boat, and went straight to the other side. At this time, thousands of golden bamboos "must be played on bamboo", gongs and drums sounded like feet and drums, and the Lancang River suddenly became a sea of joy. At the beginning of water splashing, the polite Dai girl said a blessing, while soaking bamboo leaves and branches in the water in the basin and splashing each other. At the climax, people use copper bowls, washbasins and even buckets to hold water and play and chase in the streets. They only feel that the water in front and the water behind are soaked, but people are in high spirits and full of laughter everywhere. After a period of water baptism, people form a circle and dance with gongs and elephant-foot drums, regardless of nationality, age and occupation. Excited, people also burst into cheers of "water, water, water". Some men drink while dancing and stay up all night. Among them, "packet loss" is the most romantic, and it is often a special game for unmarried Dai youth. Treasure is a symbol of love. Made by Dai girls with cotton seeds, the four corners of the bag are decorated with colorful flowers. When the bag was lost, men and women stood in a row on the grassy lawn. First, the Dai girl threw the bag to the boy, and then the boy threw it to the girl to convey their feelings. In this way, flowers fly around, and finally the feelings communicate to a certain extent. The two sides quietly withdrew from the packet loss field and found a quiet place to whisper to each other. The first day is "Mairi", which is similar to Chinese New Year's Eve. Dai language calls it "ten thousand business letters", which means to send the old. At this time, people have to tidy up their houses, clean up, and prepare for the New Year's Eve dinner and various activities during the festival. The next day is called "Angry Day", which means "Empty Day". According to custom, this day is neither the year before nor the year after, so it is an "empty day"; The third day is called "Maipaya Wanma". It is said that the soul of Mapaya Wanma returned to Earth with a new calendar. People are used to seeing this day as "the arrival of the King of Heaven", which is the New Year of the Dai calendar. During festivals, Dai men, women and children put on festive costumes, carry clear water, go to the Buddhist temple to bathe the Buddha first, and then start splashing water on each other. You splash me, I splash you, and one splash blooms in the air, symbolizing auspiciousness, happiness and health. The bright and glittering water drops in the hands of young people also symbolize sweet love. Everyone threw water at each other, and there were baptisms, blessings and songs everywhere. Water splashing is laughing, and the water splashing festival has become an ocean of joy. Apart from splashing water, the contents of the Water-Splashing Festival also include folk activities such as catching pendulum, dragon boat racing, bathing Buddha, chanting, singing Zhangha, fighting cocks, jumping peacock dance, jumping white elephants, throwing bags and flying lanterns, as well as other artistic performances and economic and trade exchanges.

Traditional festivals of Dai, Achang, De 'ang, Bulang and Wa. Dai language calls the New Year "Jingbimai" and the Songkran Festival "Hounan". Therefore, the Songkran Festival is a symbol of the Dai people's alternation of old and new over the years. The Songkran Festival usually lasts for three to five days in mid-April of Gregorian calendar and mid-June of Dai calendar. The first day is called "more than ten thousand miles", which means New Year's Eve, and the last day is called "eighty thousand horses", which means "the day when the king comes", which is New Year's Day. The middle is called "wrist brain", which means "empty sky". Every festival, we should carry out activities such as splashing water, losing bags, rowing dragon boats, flying high, worshiping Buddha and going to the market. On the morning of the first day of the festival, people gathered flowers and green leaves to worship in the Buddhist temple, and built four or five pagodas in the temple. Secular beings sit around the tower, listen to the Buddha chanting, and then carry the Buddha to the courtyard. All the women in the village came to meet the Buddha with clear water. After the Buddhist temple ceremony, young men and women stopped splashing water on each other for fun, so the people began splashing water. People use copper bowls, washbasins and even buckets to hold water, squeeze out of the streets, play and chase, and throw water at everyone. People think this is auspicious water, blessed water, which can eliminate disasters and get rid of diseases, so pour it and pour it heartily. No matter who spilled it or who spilled it, I was very happy although I was soaked from head to toe. A blossoming spray blooms in the laughter of the crowd and reflects gorgeous light under the sunlight. In addition to splashing water, there are also mass song and dance activities. Old people from 70 to 80 years old to 78-year-old dolls put on festive costumes and gathered in the village square. Men, women and children formed a circle and danced with gongs and drums. Some jump "peacock dance"; Some jump "jade wax"; Some improvise, singing and dancing; Beautiful movements, moving songs; The rhythm is clear and the enthusiasm is overflowing. Jump up in high spirits, or burst into "water! Water! Water! " Cheers, or end with the song "Euler, Euler". Some men drink while dancing, such as getting drunk, staying up late, and even getting drunk on the dance floor. During the festival, dragon boat races are held on the broad Lancang River. There are colorful flowers on the wooden boat, dressed as Jackie Chan, peacock and big fish, and dozens of young men and women are struggling to paddle forward. The audience on both sides of the strait is like a cloud, and the sound of gongs and drums and cheers resounded through the sky. After the competition, the winner came to the podium to receive the prize and drank the celebration wine. In the evening, the village set off fireworks. This is the fireworks made by the Dai people. A few tens of feet long bamboo, filled with gunpowder and other ingredients, was placed on an elevated frame made of bamboo and taro. When the fuse is lit and the gunpowder burns, bamboo shoots soar into the sky like rockets, emitting gorgeous fireworks in the air, just like flowers, and the stars are shining and dazzling, making the night sky of the festival particularly beautiful. Those who are promoted to the highest position will be appreciated and rewarded. There will also be activities such as packet loss during the Songkran Festival. Young men and women seek partners through packet loss and express their affection. On the first day of the Water-splashing Festival, we should not only row dragon boats, put lanterns, water lanterns and have a barbecue (local characteristics), but also have a more important thing-the border people's conference! Small businessmen in Thailand hold border fairs and buy local specialties and snacks to increase the friendship between the two countries! The border fair lasts for 3 days, and the water-splashing festival lasts for 3 days.

Edit this paragraph of Thailand Songkran Festival.

The Dai nationality in China is a minority with a long cultural tradition and a population of nearly one million. They mainly live in the south of Yunnan, and Premier Zhou attended the Songkran Festival in Xishuangbanna.

Dai Na Autonomous Prefecture, Dehong Autonomous Prefecture in the west, Gengma and Menglian Autonomous County are distributed all over Yunnan. Dai nationality has a long history, and Dai language belongs to Zhuang and Dai language branch of Sino-Tibetan language family. The whole people believe in Buddhism, but primitive religious activities are also very common, such as worship of gods, ghosts, agriculture, hunting, spiritual objects and so on. Water-splashing Festival is actually the Dai New Year, and it is one of the most solemn traditional festivals in Xishuangbanna. Generally, it is held in the middle of June in Dai calendar (about ten days before and after Tomb-Sweeping Day in the lunar calendar) for three to four days. Generally, it is from April of Gregorian calendar 13 to June of 15.

Songkran Festival is also a wonderful time for unmarried young men and women to find love and cultivate happiness. During the Songkran Festival, unmarried young men and women of the Dai people like to play the game of "losing packets". The flower bag carefully made by the girl is a token of love. On the day of packet loss, the girls tried their best to dress up, then came to the "package field" with flower umbrellas and small flower bags, separated from the boys by thirty or forty steps, and began to throw flower bags at each other. If the young man can't get the bag thrown by the girl, he has to put the flowers prepared in advance in the girl's hair. If the girl can't get the bag thrown by the boy, she has to put the flowers in the boy's chest ... so he gradually chose the other person and a series of romantic love stories began.

Edit this Water-splashing Festival "Power": Dragon Boat Race

Dragon boat race is one of the most exciting activities of the Water-splashing Festival, which is usually held on the third day of the Maypaya Night Horse Festival. On that day, people dressed in festive costumes gathered on the banks of Lancang River and Ruili River to watch the dragon boat race. There is a green dragon boat moored on the river, and dozens of lean sailors sit on it. At the command, the dragon boat ready to go flies forward like an arrow. Suddenly, the drums, gongs, trumpets and cheers of the whole river came and went, and the sounds corresponded. The festive atmosphere here has reached a climax. ...

Edit this "dance" of the Songkran Festival: Elephant Foot Dance and peacock dance.

Beautiful peacock dance.

Dai people can sing and dance well, and dancing is indispensable in the water-splashing festival. Large-scale dances are mainly arranged on the third day of the Songkran Festival, such as Elephant Foot Dance and peacock dance. From the dolls of seven or eight years old to the elderly of seventy or eighty years old, they all put on holiday costumes and gathered in the village square to participate in group dances. Elephant foot dance is warm, steady and chic. Dancers form a circle and dance with manganese gongs and elephant drums, cheering "me, me" or "water, water" while dancing! Peacock dance is beautiful, elegant and lyrical, which is the soul of Dai dance. Dancing is based on various postures of peacocks, and in the recreation of interest and beauty, it embodies the aesthetic purport of Dai children. There are also many dancers who indulge their improvisation. Some sing and dance, and some even drink while dancing. They are crazy and unrestrained, and they are not tired after dancing for days and nights.

Raise the lanterns of Gaosheng and Kongming.

Raising the height is another reserved program of the Songkran Festival. Goldman Sachs is a kind of fireworks made by Dai people. The bottom of the bamboo pole is filled with gunpowder and other ingredients, placed on a high shelf made of bamboo, connected by wires, and often set off at night. When lifting, igniting the fuse will make the gunpowder burn, which will produce a strong thrust and push the bamboo into the sky like a rocket. Bamboo emits white smoke, making a whizzing scream, and at the same time emitting gorgeous fireworks in the air, just like flowers, dazzling and wonderful. On the ground, cheers, cheers come and go, and there are endless comments and exclamations, which are very lively. The stockade flying higher and farther makes people feel more glorious and auspicious. Lighting lanterns is also a unique activity in Dai areas. At night, people light lanterns and candles in the open space of the square, put them into homemade balloons, and use the buoyancy of the air to fly lanterns into the sky. Bright lanterns fly higher and higher and farther in the dark. People use this to commemorate the ancient sage Kong Ming.

Edit this passage of the Dai people who live in the "hometown of peacocks"

Unforgettable Water-splashing Festival (Premier Zhou) New Year Pictures/Posters

1961April 13 ~ 15, the beloved premier Zhou Enlai came to Jinghong, the beautiful hometown of peacocks, to celebrate the annual Dai New Year Water Splashing Festival with people of all ethnic groups in the border areas. The traffic in Jinghong was blocked in those days. Premier Zhou arrived in Simao by plane and took a bus instead. The Lancang River Bridge is under construction, so we can only cross it by ferry. With the arrival of the people and Premier China, the whole town is boiling. People tell each other, help the old and carry the young, embrace flowers and flock to the streets and docks, and greet the people's prime minister with the highest etiquette of the nation. Xishuangbanna in April is the season when phoenix flowers bloom. Under the flaming phoenix flower tree, Premier Zhou put on Dai costumes with great interest, holding silver pots and splashing water on each other to bless the people of all ethnic groups. Since then, Xishuangbanna Jinghong has gradually become famous throughout the country and even the world, and now it has become a famous tourist attraction at home and abroad. During Jinghong, Premier Zhou inspected the rubber garden introduced by Tropical Crops Research Institute, and encouraged builders from all over the country to make efforts to build Xishuangbanna into the second largest rubber base in the motherland. Up to now, in Chunhuan Park, also known as the Park, there is also a bronze statue of Premier Zhou splashing water, which stands at the entrance of the park about 100 meters.