The origin of the March Street Festival

The origin of the March Street Festival:

The first legend:

It is said that, a long, long time ago, there was a tyrant, who wished to live forever, listened to the words of a servant, and ate a pair of eyeballs every day, which brought a deep disaster to the local Bai people. At that time, there was a warrior full of magic power, in order to get rid of the devil for the white people to exterminate the evil, in March, one day, skillfully tricked the tyrant to the Cangshan Mountain in the foot of the peak, called the god dog bit off the tyrant's throat, drank his blood, eliminated the demon king, for the white people in addition to the scourge. In order to commemorate this warrior and the white people saved the great day, people every year in the lunar calendar March 15 - - 20, gathered at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, singing and dancing. Year after year, it formed an annual "March Street". Now "March Street" period, in addition to the exchange of materials, but also perform ethnic songs and dances, sports and other activities. In particular, the horse race riders of all ethnic groups, gathered at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, whip horse, clouds and fog like running to the Erhai, the scene is very spectacular.

The second legend:

Nanzhao early, Guanyin Bodhisattva in the lunar calendar on the 15th of March to come to the city of Can Tho Baa (i.e., the ancient city of Dali) to preach Buddhism, as believers gathered more and more, and later even became a "listening to the law will be". Bai ancestors to commemorate the Goddess of Mercy preaching teachings, they will be in the Goddess of Mercy preaching place to receive the shed worship, and vegetable sacrifices to the Goddess of Mercy. Over time, this originated from the religious beliefs of the folk gatherings, gradually evolved into a regular large-scale folk market trade activities. March Street is therefore also known as "Guanyin Street", "Guanyin City".

The third legend:

A young Bai fisherman, Ah Shan, lived by the Erhai Sea in Yunnan. At night, he fished on the moon, played the three strings and sang a fishing song, which reached the Dragon Palace. The Dragon King's daughter, Ah Xiang, heard it and came to the boat and married Ah Shan. March 15, is the day of the fair in the moon, all the gods and goddesses go to the moon palace to buy things. Ah Heung turned into a small yellow dragon and carried Ah Shan to the fair. They came to the Moon Palace, with Chang'e and Wu Gang, they traveled to the Moon Street under the Big Green Tree, the street was bustling with activity, and everything was transparent and shining, visible and invisible. They returned to the village, the moon in the market situation to tell the townspeople, we decided to imitate the moon street, at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, planted three big green trees, scheduled for March 15 in the big trees around the stalls, so that the four townships and eight villages of the people to come to the market. Dali's "March Street" continues to this day.

Introduction of March Street

March Street, also known as the "Guanyin City", is a grand festival of the Bai people and the street. It is held at the foot of Dancang Mountain, west of Dali City, from the 15th to the 20th day of the third month of the summer calendar every year. Initially it has religious activities, and later gradually become a grand exchange of materials. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, merchants from Sichuan, Tibet and Jiangnan provinces came here to trade. It is not only a place of exchange, or perform a variety of dances and horse racing, athletic garden.