Customs of Spring Festival of the Dai People

In the Dai Spring Festival customs, April 13 every year is the Dai New Year, but also the grandest festival of the Dai people - the Water Splashing Festival, they see the splashing of water as a symbol of driving away evil spirits and good luck, and they also regard this day as the best and most auspicious day.

Photo: Water Splashing Festival

The Water Splashing Festival, also known as the Buddha Bathing Festival, is an ancient traditional festival of the Dai people and the Dai New Year, which starts on the 7th day after the Ching Ming Festival in the 4th month of the Gregorian calendar, and lasts for 3 to 4 days. Legend has it that there was a devil king in ancient times who did no evil, and people suffered from its scourge. He already had 11 wives. But he went to snatch a smart and beautiful girl. The girl was determined to rid the people of evil. She tried to find out, although the devil king can't be killed by flooding, can't be hurt by cutting, but as long as the devil king's own hair, you can strangle the devil king's head down. One night, while the Demon King was drunk and it was late at night, the girl strangled the Demon King with his hair and his head fell to the ground. But although the devil king lost, but his head rolled to where, where the disaster: thrown into the river, the river flooding; buried in the ground, the stench of the sky; put on the ground, the earth burning, only his wife holding will not be a disaster, the girls in order to avoid disaster on earth, 12 people 1 person 1 day, each person take turns one day. A day in the sky is a year on earth, every rotation people have to use water to the girl splash, wash away the blood stains on their bodies. Dai people in order to thank the 12 girls, in memory of them, every year, the Water Festival. The first day of the festival is to send the old. Early in the morning, devout Buddhists bathe and change clothes, in the Buddhist temple courtyard with the beach into a pagoda, sitting around the pagoda to listen to the monks chanting sermons, praying for a good year, and then the whole village village of the masses each pick a quart of water, splashed on the Buddha, for the Buddha to wash the dust. After bathing the Buddha, people from all sides of the point of light gongs, playing elephant foot drums to the streets, overflowing with festive laughter. Accompanied by "water, water, water" (Dai good meaning) cheers, the pots of holy water thrown at each other to express good wishes, can eliminate disasters in addition to disease, until everyone wet. Water Festival, but also race dragon boats, jumping peacock dance, young men and women to take advantage of the festival, "throwing bags" love. At night, the square set off colorful fireworks, everyone around a roaring bonfire, singing and dancing, and lively all night. Now, new elements such as cultural performances and bazaar trade have been added.

Photo: Throwing chaff bags

The Dai Spring Festival, the second and third days, some villages will be held in the "Elephant's Foot Drum Competition", the contestants are excited, the drums keep beating, who moves beautifully, drums sound good that is the award.

Photo: Elephant's foot drum competition