The origin of the Dai Water Splashing Festival
The Water Splashing Festival originated in India as a ritual of ancient Brahmanism, which was later absorbed by Buddhism, and then introduced into the Dai area of Yunnan Province of China along with Buddhism via Myanmar from the end of the twelfth century to the beginning of the thirteenth century AD. With the deepening of the influence of Buddhism in the Dai region, the Water Splashing Festival has become a national custom that has been passed down.
The book "Che" has a paragraph: "On the morning of New Year's Day, all the nobles and commoners bathed and dressed, and went to the Buddhist temple to fine Buddha. The women's generation is each carrying a pick of water for the Buddha to wash the dust, from the top to the heel, drenched, mud Buddha a few for the collapse. After bathing the Buddha people will pour water on each other, splashing water play can be able to do". This record is not exhaustive, but has told people, splashing water is the Dai must be held on New Year's Day, an activity. The above mentioned "New Year's Day" is not the calendar January 1, but the Dai New Year's Day.
The Songkran Festival is the New Year's festival of the Dai people in China. It is held on June 15 of the Dai calendar (about 10 days after the Ching Ming Festival) and lasts 3-5 days. During the festival, men, women and children dressed in costumes, chasing each other to splash water blessing, and burning "Gao Sheng" (fireworks), singing and dancing, racing dragon boats. After the founding of New China, during the Water Splashing Festival, new contents such as cultural performances, movie nights, exhibitions and material exchanges were added, which increased the joyful atmosphere of the festival. Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a vicious and boundless magic demon king in the sky, oppressing and plundering the people, doing no harm. He robbed the earth of a beautiful princess named Nan Dumpling cloth for his wife.
One year in June, the Dai New Year's Day, the Devil King also for the South Dumpling cloth congratulations. The South Dumpling cloth while the King of the Devil drunk at the time, to understand the King of the Devil's Achilles' heel, that is, with its hair strands can be strangled off its neck. In order to get rid of the evils in the heaven and on earth, Nan Zong Bu strangled the head of the Devil King after he was asleep according to this method. Who knows that the demon king's head dripping every drop of blood into a fire to the earth, the South Dumpling cloth busy to the demon king's head to hold tightly, the fire was extinguished. The blood-stained Nan Zong Bu finally returned to the earth, and people poured water on her in order to wash off the blood stains on her body. Later, in order to commemorate the South Dumpling cloth, in the festival every year to splash each other with clean water to wash away the dirt, ushering in an auspicious new year. This is the origin of the Dai Water Festival.
The meaning of the source of the Water Festival
First, the water on behalf of the blessing
In the Mai Day, early in the morning, people have to pick up flowers and leaves to the Buddhist temple offerings, and bring water to the "bath Buddha" - for the statue of the Buddha to wash the dust." After the "bathing Buddha", the collective mutual water splashing began.
A group of young men and women with a variety of containers of water, out of the streets and alleys, chasing and playing, everyone will splash. The water flower release, Daijia crazy, splashing wet all over the body, happiness for life! Symbol of good luck, happiness, health, a flower in the air bloomed, people splash as much as possible to sprinkle, laughing loudly, wet all over the body, the excitement is very high.
The wetter the water is poured, the more water is poured, the more blessings you receive. A pot of water represents a pot of blessings, splash to everyone you want to bless.
Second, splashing water represents love
The Water Festival is also a wonderful time for unmarried young men and women to find love and cultivate happiness.
During the festival, the Dai unmarried young men and women, in addition to the game of throwing bags, splashing each other, splashing more on behalf of the more blessings and care, in the back and forth between the splashing, so gradually selected each other, a period of romantic love stories began.
Third, splashing water on behalf of the elimination of disasters
The Water Festival is divided into three days, of which the second day is called "annoyed day", "annoyed" means "empty", according to the custom of this day, neither the previous year, nor the previous year. Neither the previous year, nor the year after the customary, so the "empty day", this day is usually held to splash water activities, to the holy water to eliminate disasters, wishing each other peace and happiness.
Fourth, splashing water on behalf of the new beginning
The third day of the Water Festival is called "MaiPaYa evening horse", it is said that this MaiPaYa evening horse of the spirit of the new calendar to return to the earth, people used to regard this day as "the king of the day to come", is the Dai calendar of the New Year's Day.
Therefore, people believe that splashing water can make their hearts clean, in order to meet the spirit of "Maipaya evening horse", bringing a new year of good. It is a symbol of people's respect for goodness and justice and their desire for a better life.
Fifth, splashing water can forget the trouble
Water Festival splashing each other, in addition to the ideological use of water to wash away the trouble, people splashing each other in the joy of the water can really make people forget the immediate trouble.
For the introverted Burmese, the festival is undoubtedly a "carnival". Companies are closed, stores are closed, work is forgotten, worries are left behind, and everyone is immersed in an atmosphere of total relaxation and joy.
Six, splashing water can be eliminated
April in Southeast Asia is too hot. Every year in April and May the heat is unbearable in many areas, with temperatures reaching about 40 degrees Celsius. Government meteorological departments constantly issue heat warnings, advising people not to go out between 11am and 1pm, as they are prone to UV sunburn.
The festival creates a "cool world" for people. Young people stand on the splash stage, holding high-pressure hoses, spraying water on the open minivans and pedestrians passing under the stage. People on the stage sprayed a lot of fun; under the stage is a sea of people, singing and dancing, enjoy the "sky flying rain".
Notes on the Water Festival
1, during the Water Festival in Dehong, Yunnan, the time to splash water is after 12:00 noon, before 6:00 pm, and the rest of the time do not splash water. People here can't see anyone splashing water during this time, if you want to go out to do something and don't want to be splashed with water, you can go out during that time.
2. Please don't splash the old people, children, pregnant women and people who drive when splashing water. In the water festival during the safety of their own and small children pregnant women do not go out. Children who want to splash water should be under the protection of their parents before going out to splash water.
3, do not wear too thin and too exposed clothes, so as not to be splashed wet image. It's not convenient to wear too thick, and it's not easy to dry your clothes when they're wet and cold.
4, Ms. do not go to the very large flow of people splashing water, so as to avoid some people take advantage of the opportunity. Previously, there have been clothes on the spot was stripped of the case occurred, in the carnival at the same time also want to protect themselves.
5, water balloon during the festival, do not directly hit the eyes or head, water balloon hit the body very painful, civilized, splashing water is to express the blessing, do not smash others light a piece of purple.
6, valuables do not carry on the body, you can buy a cell phone protection bag, the phone and pocket money in it, the rest of the items do not bring.
7, do not wear high-heeled shoes or flip-flops, splashing water is not convenient, running is not fast enough. Ms. hair long best tied up, or be splashed by the water will look very lousy.
8, Ms. must pay attention to the sun Oh, during the Water Festival is the hottest time, do not just focus on playing, if the sun on a few hours, the consequences are very serious.
The significance of the Water Festival 2
The Water Festival is to show the Dai water culture, music and dance culture, food culture, dress culture and folk worship and other traditional culture of the integrated stage, is an important window to study the history of the Dai people, has a high academic value. The artistic performances such as Zhangha and White Elephant Dance displayed at the Water Splashing Festival can help to understand the national characteristics of the Dai people, such as their understanding of nature, love of water and respect for Buddha, and gentleness and serenity. At the same time, the Water Festival is also an important link to strengthen the unity of the people of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna and Southeast Asian countries friendly cooperation and exchanges, and to promote the development of the state's socio-economic culture has played a positive role.
The fundamental significance of the Water Splashing Festival lies in its cleansing and purifying process - clearing away all evils, misfortunes and sins and starting the new year with all goodness and purity. Water represents the process of purification and cleansing in this festival.
Thailand's Water Festival, also known as Songkran, is a three-day festival that marks the country's major holiday and New Year. Songkran is a Sanskrit word meaning "the sun's transit through Aries, the beginning of the new solar year", which is also the hottest time of the year. In this context, it represents the removal of all evils, misfortunes and sins and the beginning of a new year with all goodness and purity.
During the festival people throw water at each other for blessings, and there are a series of celebrations such as pooja puja, beauty contests, float parades, food exhibitions, cultural and artistic performances, and so on. These three days, no matter men and women, young and old, whether you splash, or be splashed, are wet into the soup chicken, face clothes on the white powder spots, we are still excited.
In this Thai Water Festival custom, it heralds the resignation of the old and welcome the new, blessed with good luck, happiness, always friendly, modest, courteous Thais in this festival to show their enthusiasm and madness.
Since ancient times, Songkran has been an important festival to celebrate the Thai New Year, symbolizing care, love and close bonding with family, society and religion. Families take this opportunity to come together to honor the elders of the family, and the younger ones ask the elders to sprinkle water on their palms for blessings. Afterwards, they congratulate each other by accumulating virtues, contributing food to the monks, piling up sand stupas, and sprinkling water on each other. Afterwards, by contributing food to monks, piling up sand stupas, and congratulating each other on sprinkling water, we can feel the harmony of society, care for the public, and preserve the environment, which will help to clean homes, monasteries, and buildings.
Introduction to the Water Festival
The Water Festival is the grandest festival of the Dai people, and also the most influential and attended festival among the ethnic minorities in Yunnan. The festival is the new year of the Dai calendar, which is equivalent to the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar, and the festival usually lasts three to seven days. The first day of the Dai language called "Mai day", similar to the lunar New Year's Eve; the second day of the Dai language called "annoyed day" (empty day); the third day is the New Year, called "bahnema", even for the first year, people regard this day as the most beautiful, most auspicious, and the festival will be held on the first day of the year. Day as the most beautiful, most auspicious days. Early in the morning of the festival, the Dai men, women and children dressed in festive costumes, picking water, first to the Buddhist temple bath, and then began to splash each other, wishing each other good luck, happiness and health. People dance while shouting "Water! Water! Water!"
The Dai Water Festival
The Dai Water Festival is actually the Dai New Year, the Dai language called "Sanghan Bimai", "Linghe Bimai". It is one of the grandest traditional festivals in Xishuangbanna, generally held in the middle of April on the Dai calendar (that is, about ten days before and after the Qingming Festival on the Lunar Calendar) and lasts for three to four days. It is held for three days from April 13 to 15 on the solar calendar.
The New Year of the Dai calendar is a traditional festival of the Dai people to send the old and welcome the new. Because splashing water is a unique feature of this festival, hence the name.
The Dai people are a people who love water, love water, cherish water, and respect water. Every time when it comes to the Water Splashing Festival, the Dai people go to the nearby mountains to collect some flowers and leaves, and splash the water with it dipped in clear spring water, sprinkle it to relatives, sprinkle it to friends, and sprinkle it to the guests from faraway places, and dedicate themselves to others with the best wishes. The Dai people believe that the dragon is a symbol of good luck and happiness, and every Water Festival, people have to splash water on the dragon, wishing for a good life and a good harvest every year.
The Dai are an ethnic minority group with a long cultural tradition, with a population of nearly one million, most of whom live in the southern part of Yunnan, in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, the Dehong Dai Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in the west, and the autonomous counties of Gengma and Menglian, while the others live scattered all over Yunnan. The Dai people have a long history, and the Dai language belongs to the Dai branch of the Zhuang Dai language family of the Sino-Tibetan language family. All the people believe in Buddhism, but primitive religious activities are also more common, such as sacrifices to the gods of the village, the village ghosts, agricultural sacrifices, hunting sacrifices, spirit worship.
The Dai Water Festival, also known as the "Buddha Bathing Festival", is celebrated by the Achang, De'ang, Brown, Wa and other ethnic groups. Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and other countries also celebrate the Water Festival. The Water Splashing Festival originated in India, and with the deepening influence of Buddhism in the Dai area, the Water Splashing Festival has been passed down as a national custom for hundreds of years now. At the festival, the Dai men, women and children put on festive costumes, while the women each pick a quart of water to wash the dust for the Buddha statue, and ask for the blessing of the Buddha's spirit." After the "Bathing Buddha", people start to splash water on each other to express their blessings, hoping that the holy water will wash away diseases and disasters and bring about a better and happier life. Collective splashing each other started in this way. Groups of young men and women with a variety of containers of water, out of the streets and alleys, chasing and playing, splashing everyone. The elegant ones splashed water with tree branches." Water flowers, Daijiawang", "splash wet all over the body, happiness for life"! Symbol of good luck, happiness, health, a flower in the air bloom, people splash as much as they can sprinkle, laughing loudly, wet all over the body, the excitement is very high. Into the night, the village drums and music heard, people singing and dancing, lively and extraordinary. Throughout the festival, in addition to the dragon boat race, put high, put the lanterns, splashing water, throwing bags and other traditional recreational activities, there are cockfighting, balloon, garden party, material exchanges and other new activities. The Dai and Wa men and women in Yunnan Ethnic Village are also dressed in costumes to celebrate the Water Festival with tourists.
The first day of the festival is "Mai Day", which is similar to the New Year's Eve of the lunar calendar, and is called "Wando Shanghan" in Dai language, which means to send the old, and the entertainment programs include putting on the high rise, rowing the dragon boat, etc. The second day is called "Worry Day", which is similar to the New Year's Eve of the lunar calendar. The next day is called "annoying day", the Dai language called "Wan brain", meaning empty day, that is, this day is neither of the old year nor the new year, is "empty down" day. According to traditional custom, people or at home to rest, or hunting in the mountains. The third day for the New Year's Day, the Dai language called "Wanba Wanma", that is, "the king of the day of the arrival of the day". Early in the morning, people dressed in costume, to the temple to worship Buddha, and in the temple courtyard with fine sand piled up three, five pagoda-type sand pile, about three, four feet high, the tip of the tower inserted eight wrapped in red and green strips of bamboo, and then, sitting around the tower, listening to the Yuking scriptures and historical legends, and prayed for the coming year of wind and rain, prosperous people. At noon, each woman carries a quart of water to wash the statue of the Buddha in order to seek the blessing of the Buddha's spirit. Immediately afterward, people begin to splash water on each other to express their blessings, hoping that the holy water will wash away diseases and disasters and bring about a better and happier life. Into the recognized night, the village drums and music heard, people sing and dance, lively and extraordinary. Throughout the festival, in addition to the dragon boat race, put high, put the lantern, splashing water, throwing bags and other traditional recreational activities, there are cockfighting, balloon, garden party, material exchanges and other new activities.
The Water Festival is a comprehensive stage to show the traditional culture of Dai water culture, music and dance culture, food culture, dress culture and folk veneration, etc. It is an important window to study the history of Dai people and has high academic value. The artistic performances such as Zhangha and White Elephant Dance displayed at the Water Splashing Festival can give people artistic enjoyment and help them understand the national characteristics of the Dai people, such as their sense of nature, love of water and respect for Buddha, and gentleness and serenity. At the same time, the Water Festival is also an important link to strengthen the unity of the people of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, and has played a positive role in promoting the development of socio-economic and cultural development around the world through friendly cooperation and exchanges between Xishuangbanna and Southeast Asian countries.
In the Water Splashing Festival who was splashed with more water, symbolizing who is the happiest this year, but also expresses the Dai people hope that each other safe and happy moral, nostalgic.
The origin of the Water Festival
The Water Festival is the grandest festival of the Dai people, and it is also the most influential festival among the ethnic minorities in Yunnan, with the largest number of participants. The festival is the new year of the Dai people, equivalent to the middle of April on the Gregorian calendar, and generally lasts three to seven days. The first day is called "Mai Day" in Dai language, which is similar to the New Year's Eve in the lunar calendar; the second day is called "Worry Day" in Dai language (Empty Day); the third day is the New Year, which is called "Bao Nang Ma", meaning the first day of the year, which is considered as the best and the most auspicious day. The third day is the New Year, called "Ba Nang Ma", meaning the first of the year, people regard this day as the most beautiful, the most auspicious, the happiest days.
Songkran Festival, also known as Songkran Festival, April 13 - April 16, has a history of 700 years, is the Dai, Deang the grandest traditional festival. On that day, people in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, as well as China's Yunnan Province, wake up early in the morning to bathe and worship the Buddha, after which they start celebrating for several days. During this time, people splash each other with pure water, praying to wash away the past year's misfortunes and start the new year with good wishes. The Water Splashing Festival is the grandest festival of the Dai people, and it is also the festival with the greatest influence and the largest number of participants among the festivals of the ethnic minorities in Yunnan. The Water Splashing Festival is the New Year of the Dai people, which usually lasts for three to seven days. The first day is called "Mai Day" in Dai language, which is similar to the New Year's Eve in the lunar calendar; the second day is called "Worry Day" in Dai language; the third day is the New Year's Day, which is called "Aba Net Ma", meaning to keep the New Year's Day, and people regard this day as the best and most auspicious day. The third day is the New Year, called "Ba Nang Ma", meaning the New Year's Eve, people regard this day as the most beautiful, most auspicious days.
Another notable activity of the Songkran Festival is rowing dragon boats, jumping elephant foot drum dance and peacock dance. It is the third day of the Dai New Year, which is called "Maipaya evening horse" in Dai language, and the festival atmosphere reaches a climax. People dressed in festive costumes gathered on the banks of the Lancang River and the Ruili River to watch the dragon boat race.
The Water Splashing Festival is rich in activities, and others include releasing gaosheng, cockfighting, and peacock dancing, etc. People dressed in full costume, joyful, and the scene is extremely lively.
"Sangkan Bimai", is the Dai language, meaning the Dai New Year. As the Dai people in the celebration of the New Year Festival, to hold a unique water activities, mutual blessing of water, so other ethnic groups will be called this festival for the Water Festival. There is a sentimental folk story about the origin of the Dai New Year (Water Splashing Festival). Legend has it that the climate on earth was originally controlled by a celestial god named Huanmazha. He divided the year into dry season, rainy season and cold season, and set the agricultural time for the earth, and let a god named Huanmadalachar be in charge of the implementation. A young man named Paya Wan used four wooden boards as wings and flew up to the heavenly court to find the god of heaven, Indra Tila, to tell him about the disaster on earth. When Paya Wan wanted to go to the highest level of heaven to worship the heavenly pagoda, Taksinas, he accidentally hit the heavenly gate, which collapsed and crushed him to death at the entrance of the heavenly court. After Paya's death, the king of the heavens, Indatila, began to use a scheme to punish the magical Huma dot Dharaksha. He turned into a handsome young man and went to the seven daughters of Hema Dharamchak in disguise to talk about love. The seven beautiful girls fell in love with him at the same time. The girls learned from the young man's mouth about their father's plague on earth, both regret and hate. Seven kind girls for the earth to avoid disaster, determined to righteousness. They try to find out the secret of their father's life and death. In the point of holding a horse to pull the Chad drunk, cut off a bunch of his hair, making a "bow Sai Zai" (heart-string bow), resolutely cut off the head of the wrongdoing of the point of holding a horse to pull the Chad in his arms, from time to time to rotate, and each other with the water sprinkled with water to rinse out the filth, wash away the stench. It is said that this is the people during the New Year, mutual splashing blessing of the origin.
Dai New Year Festival, most of the Dai calendar in late June, a few years in early July, the traditional festival time, generally three days (sometimes four days). The first day is called "Mai", which is equivalent to New Year's Eve in the lunar calendar, and each household has to clean up, prepare food supplies for New Year's Eve, and eat New Year's dinner. The second day is called "brain", is an extra day, not counted in the old year, not counted in the New Year, known as the empty day, legend has it that this day is to hold the horse point Dala Chad head rot day. This day is usually held to splash water activities, in honor of the people to eliminate the evil of the heavenly maiden, to the holy water to eliminate disasters, wishing each other peace and happiness. The third day is called "Mai Paya late Ma", is said to be Paya late the spirit of the new calendar to return to earth day, people used to call this day the day of the King of the coming. According to ancient custom, this day to "catch pendulum", put the high rise, singing and dancing, rowing dragon boat to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.
The Dai New Year (Water Festival) is the grandest festival of the Dai people. Before the festival, every family has to sew new clothes, buy new umbrellas, and prepare festival costumes. Every village has to make high rise, ceremonial flowers, decorate dragon boats, carry out rowing training, young people also have to rehearse the program, make songs and dances. When the festival comes, we have to kill pigs and cows to make New Year's cake and prepare a sumptuous New Year's dinner for our friends and relatives.
The Dai New Year is also known as the Water Festival, celebrated for three to seven days. The first day is called "net mold" (the meaning of death). People believe that this day is unlucky, so they do not wash their hair, do not cut their hair, do not work. People go to catch swing, dragon boat race, put the high rise.
The next day is called "net brain" (the meaning of stink) this day is considered unclean, to bathe, shampoo, haircut, change clothes, wash the statue of Buddha and pagoda, the evening held to catch the pendulum, fireworks, release of lanterns, the year's diseases, disasters and dirty things are sent off, clean into the new year. These two days in the Dai calendar, is considered to be "empty days" is not called in the old year, not counted into the New Year. The third day is New Year's Day, called "Ba net Ma" (meaning the gods, but also the meaning of the first year). Dai people regard this day as the most beautiful and auspicious day. It is the climax of the Water Splashing Festival. To pile up sand, fine Buddha, splashing water, put the high rise, throwing bags, jumping "Yilaga" dance, pay homage to the New Year and other activities.
Dai people in the Water Festival, like to form a queue, knocking the gong, beat up the elephant foot drum, the collective dance "Yilaga" dance, to go from door to door to pay tribute to the New Year, congratulations on a happy new year, all the best. "Yilaga" is a kind of singing while dancing. It has a strong flavor of life and rich emotions of the Dai people, and it is very interesting to sing it during the "New Year Worship", "Water Splashing", "Dragon Boat Racing" and "Putting on Gao Sheng". It is very interesting to sing when "paying homage to the New Year", "splashing water", "racing dragon boat" and "putting on high rise". For example, the words of "Paying New Year's Greeting": "Panzhihua, red and colorful, Sangkai Dai (New Year's Greeting), has come. Pasa Dai (Dai), all open face, glutinous rice wine, honey-like sweetness, **** raise the cup, congratulate the New Year, Yilaha, Yilaha, water water water!" Splashing water words: "Lancang River, the city of dawn, people of all ethnic groups, like shuttle. Deeply in love, out of the heart, like a clean spring, like manna. Silver water flowers, in flight, one by one, wet. Through the heart, is the blessing, smiling disk, is the flower. Yiraga, Yiraga, water water water!" Dragon Boat Race: "Copper mangos ringing, oars raised, unity tight, strength. Like the dragon, like the waves, raise your heads and row hard. Pasadai, the dragon boat race, follows the tradition and strives for the top. Yilaga, Yilaga, water, water, water!" Putting on a high rise: "Doing a high rise, putting on a high rise. Learn science and practice your skills. A little fire, black smoke, like a sharp arrow, rushing in. I wish a good year ahead, and I hope the grains will be plentiful again. I'd like to wish you all the best for the coming year, and I wish you all the best for the coming year.
Water Festival in the Dai calendar in June and July, the day early in the morning, men, women and children dressed in festive attire, picking the water, first to the Buddhist temple fine Buddha, bath Buddha, and then began to splash each other, wishing each other good luck, happiness, health. People dance while shouting, the sound of drums and gongs ringing through the sky, blessing the water splash everywhere, the scene is really very spectacular.
During the Songkran Festival, Dai youth like to the forest clearing to do throw package game. Flower package made of beautiful flower cloth, loaded with cotton paper, cotton seeds, etc., four corners and the center is decorated with five flower spikes, is a token of love, young men and women through the throw package, receive package, get acquainted with each other. When the girl consciously let the young man can not catch lose, the young man will be ready to give gifts to the girl, both left the crowd to the secluded place to talk about love to go.
During the Songkran Festival, there will be a dragon boat race, which will be held on the Lancang River. A group of red and green dragon boat in the "tang tang" gong and "hi hi hi" shouts and whistles, chopping waves, bravely forward, thousands of Chinese and foreign tourists attracted to the Lancang River side, for the festival has added a lot of tension and joyful atmosphere.
Customs of the Dai Water Festival
Every Water Festival, the Dai people to the nearby mountains to collect some flowers and leaves, to the day of the festival, the Dai men, women and children on the festive dress, picking up water, the first to the Buddhist temple to bathe in the Buddha, and then take the collection of flowers and leaves dipped in the water, began to splash each other, you splash me, I splash you, a water flower! Bloom in the air, it symbolizes good luck, happiness, health, young people in the hands of bright crystal water droplets, but also symbolizes the sweet love. We splash each other, splash, everywhere is the baptism of water, water blessing, water song of joy. Duo Duohua string smile, water festival has become a sea of joy.
The content of the Water Festival, in addition to splashing water, there are also catching swing, dragon boat racing, bathing Buddha, chanting, jumping peacock dance, throwing bags, put the high, release the peacock lanterns and other customs.
During the Water Festival, there is also a dragon boat race. The race is held on the Lancang River. A group of red and green dragon boat in the "tang tang" gong and "hi hi hi" shouts and whistles, chopping waves, bravely forward, thousands of Chinese and foreign tourists attracted to the Lancang River, for the festival added a lot of tension and joyful atmosphere.
"Put Gao Sheng" and Kongming Lanterns are also activities unique to the Dai ethnic area. People set up a good high shooting frame before the festival, when the homemade earth rockets will be ignited, let it whistling flying into the blue sky. The higher and farther away from the walled village, the more people feel glorious and auspicious. The winners will also be awarded. At night, people in the square on the open space will be lighted candles, put into the homemade large "balloon", the use of hot air buoyancy, a "Kongming lamp" to fly into the sky, in honor of the ancient sages Kongming (Zhuge Liang).
The significance of the Songkran Festival
Songkran Festival is to show the Dai water culture, music and dance culture, food and drink culture, clothing culture and folk veneration and other traditional culture of the stage, is an important window to study the history of the Dai people, has a high academic value. The artistic performances such as Zhangha and White Elephant Dance displayed at the Water Splashing Festival can help to understand the national characteristics of the Dai people, such as their understanding of nature, love of water and respect for Buddha, and gentleness and serenity. At the same time, the Water Festival is also an important link to strengthen the unity of the people of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, Xishuangbanna and Southeast Asian countries friendly cooperation and exchanges, and to promote the development of the state's socio-economic culture has played a positive role.
The fundamental significance of the Water Splashing Festival lies in its cleansing and purifying process - clearing away all evils, misfortunes and sins and starting the new year with all goodness and purity. Water represents the process of purification and cleansing in this festival.
Thailand's Water Festival, also known as Songkran, is a three-day festival that marks the country's major holiday and New Year. Songkran is a Sanskrit word meaning "the sun's transit through Aries, the beginning of the new solar year", which is also the hottest time of the year. In this context, it represents the purging of all evils, misfortunes and sins and the beginning of a new year with all goodness and purity.
During the festival people throw water at each other for blessings, and there are a series of celebrations such as pooja puja, beauty contests, float parades, food exhibitions, cultural and artistic performances, and so on. These three days, no matter men and women, young and old, whether you splash, or be splashed, are wet into the soup chicken, face clothes on the white powder spots, we are still excited.
In this Thai Water Festival custom, it heralds the resignation of the old and welcome the new, blessed with good luck, happiness, always friendly, modest, courteous Thais in this festival to show their enthusiasm and madness.
Since ancient times, Songkran has been an important festival to celebrate the Thai New Year, symbolizing care, love and close bonding with family, society and religion. Families take this opportunity to gather together to honor the elders of the family, and the younger ones ask the elders to sprinkle water on their palms for blessings. Afterwards, they congratulate each other by accumulating virtues, contributing food to the monks, piling up sand stupas, and sprinkling water on each other. It is a way to feel social harmony, care for the public, and preserve the environment, which helps to clean homes, monasteries, and buildings.
1, blessing
In the "Mai Day", early in the morning, people have to pick flowers and green leaves to the Buddhist temple offerings, and bring fresh water to "bath Buddha" - for the statue of the Buddha to wash the dust. Bathing Buddha" finished, collective mutual water splashing began. A group of young men and women with a variety of containers of water, gushing out of the streets and alleys, chasing and playing, splashing everyone." Water flower release, Daijia crazy", "splash wet all over, happiness for life"! Symbol of good luck, happiness, health, a flower in the air bloom, people splash as much as they can sprinkle, laughing loudly, wet all over the body, the excitement is very high. The wetter the water is, the more water is poured, the more blessings you receive. A pot of water represents a pot of blessings, splash to everyone you want to bless.
2, love
The Water Festival is also a wonderful time for unmarried young men and women to find love and cultivate happiness. During the festival, the Dai unmarried young men and women like to do "throwing bags" game. The flower bag crafted with flower cloth in the girl's hand is a token of love. Throw package day, the girls dress up to the best of things, and then hit the flower umbrella, carrying a small flower package to the "package field", and the young men on both sides of the separation, thirty to forty paces apart, began to each other to throw the flower package. If the young man can not catch the girl threw the flower bag, you have to prepare the flowers in the girl's hair on the fly, the girl if you can not catch the young man threw the bag, you have to put the flowers into the chest of the young man ...... so gradually selected each other, a romantic love story began.