The origin of the Water Splashing Festival
The allusion told by the dervish: The prodigy Gu Meng made a bet with the Taoist priest Song Jiang, and Song Jiang committed suicide because he lost the bet. Wherever his head rolled, it caught fire. His seven daughters had to take turns holding their heads in their hands. Everyone poured water on his daughter in an attempt to put out the fire and save her. So the Water Splashing Festival was formed.
Nudan finished talking about the origin of the Water Splashing Festival that he had heard in one breath, which won a round of applause and cheers from the men, women, and children in the car. Everyone said: Regarding the formation of the Water Splashing Festival, although everyone has heard from their parents or elders, and the content may be different, no one can say it in such detail and vividly. Everyone praised Nudan for being a good eloquent. If he could go to university for further studies, he would definitely be a writer.
Wu Yonggang said: "I have lived with the Tai family for four or five years. I have celebrated four or five Water Splashing Festivals in the Tai family's village, but I didn't know the origin of the Water Splashing Festival. I just heard everyone The discussion is about the story of the Water Splashing Festival, and the content may be different for everyone. Who among you can tell you a different story? ”
At this time, sit down. An old beggar monk in a yellow robe in the side compartment spoke:
"If you are interested, if you don't mind that the old monk is unclear in his speech, and if you don't mind that the old monk is not good at eloquence, I will wait for the old monk to contribute something else." That’s one way of saying it.”
Most Chinese monks wear “缁衣”, that is, black monk robes, and occasionally some wear gray or brown ones. There are never any monks wearing yellow robes. This is because China has always regarded "yellow" as the supreme and noble color, which can only be consumed by the royal family. In the Qing Dynasty, only the emperor, empress, and prince could wear yellow clothes. Except for the yellow mantle, which was specially "gifted" by the emperor as a "grace" due to his meritorious service, even the emperor's brothers who were named princes in Jin Dynasty were not allowed to wear it. Those who have a rebellious heart and are guilty of unpardonable crimes can be executed. The etiquette is like this, let alone a monk.
For Thai monks, everyone must wear yellow robes and red cassocks, and most of them are made of silk. Red and yellow, very eye-catching. Chinese Buddhism is Mahayana Buddhism introduced from India. It emphasizes not killing. Not only are Buddhists not allowed to eat meat, because silk is made by boiling silkworm chrysalises to death and then reeling them. How many silkworm chrysalis must be killed to make a silk robe? , so wearing silk robes is too sinful and monks are not allowed to wear them. Thai Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism introduced from Ceylon (today's Sri Lanka) in the 13th century. Although it also emphasizes not killing, it also emphasizes "releasing animals". On certain festivals, every household will buy many live fish and release them by the river; But you can eat meat, even monks can eat meat, there is only one condition: you can eat any animal that you did not kill with your own hands. Therefore, Buddhists in Thailand can use chicken, duck and fish to "vegetarian". When they go to the vegetable market to buy chicken, they can only buy killed ones, and when buying fish, they can only buy dead ones. If the fish vendor only has live fish, he will ask you to wait and come back later. When you come back after walking around for three to five minutes, the fishmonger has smashed the live fish into dead ones, so you can buy them and eat them. Buddhism is the state religion of Thailand. Except for a few Muslims, almost everyone is a Buddhist, but they don't know whether those who fish and sell fish are Buddhists.
Thailand monks don’t make fires to cook. They get up early in the morning, hold a bowl in hand, and go to various villages to “change their food”. Because the locals believe that if they meet a monk early in the morning, they will bring good luck to themselves and their whole family. Therefore, believers, especially the rich, usually prepare fast meals at their doorsteps early in the morning, waiting for the monks to come. Come and ask for alms. Vegetarian meals are mainly rice, and there are also rice cakes. There can also be meat dishes such as pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, fish and shrimps, fruits and vegetables.
The only exception is gamblers. They thought that when they met the monk when they got up early in the morning, they would definitely lose like the monk's head: bare. Therefore, most gamblers do not go out in the morning to avoid meeting monks.
From August 16th to November 15th in the lunar calendar, these three months are the "Summer Festival". Monks are not allowed to go out and can only sit in meditation in the temple and wait for donors to come and give alms. . After the "Jie Xia Festival" on November 15th, you can go begging for alms along the door again.
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① Lunar Calendar - The Thai lunar calendar is different from the Chinese lunar calendar. The Chinese lunar calendar is about one month later than the Gregorian calendar, August 16th in the lunar calendar, which is about mid-to-late September in the Gregorian calendar; the Thai lunar calendar is about one month earlier than the Gregorian calendar, August 16th in the lunar calendar, which is about mid-July in the Gregorian calendar .
When a dervish goes out, he wears a yellow robe. There are six pieces of monk's robes including corset and waistband. The alms bowl for almsgiving is put in a bag, hung on the shoulders with a cloth belt, and hidden under the right armpit in the monk's robe; he carries a baggage with a piece of Bring a blanket in case you sit on the ground or throw it over when the weather suddenly turns cold in the morning or evening. Bring a red cloth umbrella. When it gets dark, no matter where you go, you only need an umbrella and you can spend the night on the ground. Some monks still retain the habit of eating betel nuts and carry a small bag, which is the betel nut bag. What is inside is not counting beads, but betel nuts.
Monks in Thailand only eat two meals a day: one at eight in the morning and one at 11:30 at noon. They do not eat after lunch, but they can drink water.
Buddhism is the state religion of Thailand. The central government has a Ministry of Religious Affairs, headed by a distinguished monk from the royal family, commonly known as the "Monk King". Everyone must become a monk in a monastery once after reaching the age of twenty, and even kings are no exception. Generally, before the Summer Festival, they are accompanied by their parents, relatives and friends, and enter the temple under the drumming ceremony to read scriptures and practice. They have to stay for at least three months before they can return to secular life and get married. Otherwise, they will not be able to marry a wife. A monk who has been a monk for several years can also return to lay life, marry a wife and start a family. Therefore, the elderly dervishes are especially respected.
With the acceleration of the pace of life, modern Thai people, especially those in big cities, are no longer particular about the rituals and time of "monasticism". Many people only go to the temple to stay for three days as a temporary reward. The story is that even if you become a monk, you can still find a wife.
There are monks but no nuns in Thailand, and women do not become monks. Not only can women not become monks, but they can also not touch any part of the monk's body. Otherwise, the woman will suffer ten years of misfortune and the monk will suffer eleven years of misfortune. Therefore, no matter where they go, monks can never sit side by side with women.
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Today, this old mendicant in his 50s and 60s is going to tell you another story about the Water Splashing Festival. First, everyone applauds warmly, and then everyone listens attentively. . The following is the story told by the old dervish.
The Water Splashing Festival is also called the "Songjiang Festival" and the "Songjiang Difficulty". The overseas Chinese from China all thought it was related to the hero Song Jiang in Liangshan, and even made up a story about the three heroes of the Ruan family from "Water Margin" who went to Vietnam to become kings. Actually, that is far-fetched. The Songjiang River in Thailand has nothing to do with the Songjiang River on Shuiboliang Mountain. It’s just that the names are similar in pronunciation. To be correct, it should be called Song Qian, not Song Jiang.
A long time ago, there was a middle-aged couple in Thailand. Their family was wealthy, they were philanthropic, they were fasting monks and worshiping Buddha, and they were diligent and pious. But I don’t know why. They are both over forty years old, but they don’t even have a son. They prayed to the God of the Sun and the Moon twice a day, morning and evening, morning and evening, for several years without making a single mistake, and it was still ineffective. The couple was so worried that they sighed, not knowing whether they had committed sins in the past life or if they had unintentionally committed some mistakes in this life.
One day, a dervish came to the door. The old couple ate the best food at home, then sat down and sighed again and again. The dervish asked them what was bothering them, and the old couple didn't hide anything. They told them about their troubles of being over forty and childless. The dervish closed his eyes and calculated, nodded, opened his eyes, and enlightened them:
"You two, because you disrespected the Buddha in your previous life and said blasphemous words about the Buddha, the Buddha will punish you in this life." You have no children. But I see that in this life you are a monk and worship the Buddha, and you are destined to have three sons in the next life. If you can continue to do good deeds, the old monk teaches you a way, and maybe the Buddha will be kind and give you three sons in the next life. It is possible to lend one to you."
The old couple were very happy when they heard that their son in the next life could lend it to you in this life. They immediately bowed to the old monk and asked him to teach him this wonderful method. The old monk said: "You two, first fast and bathe for three days and not have sex. Then take a basket of white rice and wash it in clean water seven times. After nightfall, offer it under the big banyan tree in the mountain. Continuously Seven nights, no interruption. After seven nights, you will have sex. If you are inspired by the tree god, you may get a man; if your prayers are unanswered, you may have no hope of having any children in this life."
The old beggar monk finished. After saying this, he recited "Amitabha" and continued to wander.
The old couple listened to the old monk's advice, and after taking a bath that night, they separated and fasted, chanting sutras behind closed doors. Three days later, they selected a basketful of good white rice, drank clear water from the well, and rinsed it carefully seven times until there was no more muddy water at all. , then they took it to the big banyan tree in the mountain and offered it with incense and candles. The couple prayed silently again, and then they went home and slept peacefully.
We stayed together for seven nights. On the eighth night, the husband and wife stayed together to pray for an heir, cheer up, and make the yin and yang harmonize. They stayed up almost all night. I miss you so much, but I just want to get a man.
The banyan tree god was worshiped by the old couple for seven nights. He was so moved that he paid tribute to the Buddha and sent his prodigy to the earth to be reincarnated as the old couple's son.
The old couple was overjoyed to have a son in their middle age. They invited guests and friends to the full moon three times and named their son "Gu Meng".
Xiaogu Meng is a prodigy descended from the banyan tree. He is naturally very smart and extraordinary. When he is seven years old, he is smarter than other seventeen-year-old children. You don’t need to go to school, and you can read, write, and calculate naturally, and you can pray to Buddha and repent, not to mention it. By the age of ten, he knew everything about the past and future in the world. When someone comes to ask about good or bad luck, he calculates it accurately without missing a beat. So it spread to ten people, and within a few years, everyone near and far knew about Gu Meng, and they all said that he was a living god. People respectfully call him "Pai Gu Meng", which means "Master Buddha". People thousands of miles away came to ask questions when they had difficult questions. The door in front of Gumeng is almost busier than the market. It is often crowded with people and it is difficult to squeeze in.
There is a Taoist priest named "Song Jiang" in the distance. He has studied Taoism with his teacher since he was a child, and he also has some magical power. Originally, when people had problems, they all went to him. But since the "Pai Gu Meng" came out and his calculations were much more accurate than him, people all went to Gu Meng. Gradually, no one went to him anymore, and the house became deserted. Business has slowed down.
Song Jiang did not say that he was incompetent, but instead blamed Gu Meng for taking away his business. One day, he came to visit Gu Meng and said maliciously: "Mr. Gu Meng, everyone says you are smart and can know the past and future, better than living gods. Today, I came here to ask for advice." I have a question here that I don’t quite understand. Please answer it: Where is the human spirit located in the body at three times every morning, noon and evening? Please give it a period of seven days. If you can answer it within seven days, I will kill myself to thank you; if you still can't answer after seven days, it means that your "Pai Gu Meng" is false, or at least it is deceiving the world and deceiving the public. Please kill yourself to thank me."
After saying that, regardless of whether Gu Meng listened or not, he swaggered away.
When Gu Meng found this problem, he immediately closed the door to thank the guests, locked himself in the room, and thought hard day and night. I thought about it for six days and nights, walking around the room and beating my head repeatedly, but I still couldn't find the correct answer.
"It seems that my intelligence has been exhausted. I am stupider than a stupid person. How can a fool like me live in the world? Rather than letting people come and take my head tomorrow , it would be better for me to find a quiet place and kill myself."
With this thought, he said goodbye to his parents, went into the mountains alone, closed his eyes and sat under a big banyan tree, using his brain. , continue to think hard and make a final effort.
After night falls, there is no moonlight in the sky, the woods are dark, and everything is silent except for the rustle of the treetops in the breeze. Gu Meng leaned against the trunk of the banyan tree and thought: If I still can't figure out the answer on this last night, I will kill myself at dawn tomorrow.
At this time, I suddenly heard two owls on the tree hooting twice and talking.
"Old woman, what shall we eat tomorrow?"
"Old man, didn't I tell you that we can eat Gumeng's meat early tomorrow morning." < /p>
"Isn't Gu Meng not dead yet?"
"Until now, he has not figured out the difficult problem Song Jiang gave him. Tomorrow is the seventh day, and he doesn't want to You have to die!"
"It's so pitiful. A smart kid like Gu Meng really shouldn't die like this!
Could it be that Song Jiang's problem? Is it really that difficult? "
"Hey, what's so difficult? Some people are so smart that they are confused for a while! Gu Meng thinks about it, but doesn't it get harder the more he thinks about it? , this question is the simplest.
"
"So, you know the answer? ”
“Such a simple question, you don’t even have to think about it, who doesn’t know it?” "
"You should tell me. "
"Think about it, when a person wakes up in the morning and washes his face first, he will feel better. Aren't the spirits on his face? ”
“Yes, yes, it’s on the face.” What about noon? ”
“It’s hot at noon, take a bath, your body will be cool and your mind will be calm, isn’t the spirit in your heart? ”
“Yes, that makes sense. What about at night? ”
“Everyone must wash their feet before going to bed at night. If you don’t wash your feet, you will feel irritated and unable to sleep. After washing your feet, you will feel relaxed all over. It can be seen that the elves are on your feet at night. Isn't this a clear thing?
"Hey, it's a pity that a smart kid like Gu Meng can't even answer such a simple question. He deserves to be breakfast for our old couple tomorrow." "
"Be gentle, don't let Gu Meng hear it, we will fly early tomorrow! ”
“Pa ta ta”, a dewdrop fell right on Gu Meng’s eyebrows, waking him up from his sleep. Ah, he was too tired after six days and six nights of hard thinking. I leaned against the big tree and fell asleep unconsciously. When I opened my eyes, it was already bright. Oh, it's my last moment. It's time for me to end my short life. Suddenly I remembered the conversation between the two owls in my dream. Was this something I was thinking about and dreaming about every night, or was the banyan tree mother asking me to save me in my dream when she saw me in trouble? But it's absolutely right. Okay, I don't have to die, I'm saved.
Gu Meng returned to his home and waited for Song Jiang to come to the door. He came to Gu Meng's house early to see who would win and who would lose.
Song Jiang arrived as scheduled before dark in the afternoon. As soon as he entered the door, he bowed his head and asked:
"Smart Gu Meng, can you answer the question I asked you?
Gu Meng clasped his hands in return and said calmly:
"In fact, you don't have to wait seven days for such a simple question. I can answer you on the same day." I just don’t know if what you said still counts? ”
“Once a man has said something, it is hard to follow him.” In front of so many fellow villagers, I still say the same thing: If you guessed it right, I will kill myself to thank you; if you didn’t guess it, just kill yourself to thank me. Now tell me your answer! "
Gu Meng said calmly and calmly:
"Human spirits, when you get up early and wash your face, the spirit is in your face; when you bathe at noon, the spirit is in your heart; when you wash your feet at night, the spirit is in your heart. The spirit is at your feet. Master Song Jiang, is it true or not? "
Every time Gu Meng answered, Song Jiang's face changed suddenly, first from yellow to white, then from white to green, and finally like dark clouds shrouding it, like a storm was about to come, with a stunned expression. Said:
“Gu Meng can be called a Pat Gu Meng, Song Jiang is not as stupid as you. What I say in front of others will never be broken. Now I will kill myself to thank you. "
After that, he drew his sword and swung it across his neck. Gu Meng was about to stop him, but it was too late.
As soon as Song Jiang's head fell to the ground, it caught fire wherever it rolled, and the house caught fire. It turned into ashes, and the fields turned into scorched earth; it rolled into the river, and the water boiled and dried up in a moment; when it rolled into the sky, there was an extra sun in the sky, and the red sun burned the earth, causing a severe drought immediately.
< p>The people are in an unprecedented disaster. The clever Gu Meng has no choice but to do anything.Song Jiang has seven daughters. Hearing that his father committed suicide and left his head to continue to cause harm, the eldest daughter rushed over. The tray held her father's head in her hands, and the flames immediately filled her body. In order to save her fellow villagers from suffering, she did not throw the tray down, but endured the pain and held it tightly. The sisters quickly fetched water from a copper basin and poured it on her body to reduce the elder sister's pain. After hearing the news, the villagers also fetched water and poured it on her body.
From then on, Song Jiang's head was ruined. , his seven daughters take turns holding it, changing it every year.
On the day of rotation, the sisters hold a banquet, and people from all walks of life come to participate, and everyone helps pour water. ——It has been passed down to this day, so it became a festival of the Tai people: the Water Splashing Festival.
The story of the Dervish also received applause and praise from everyone.
The Water Splashing Festival is also called the "Songkran Festival", and is misunderstood by Chinese as the "Songjiang Festival". This was originally the Thai New Year in the old calendar. Since Thailand switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1940, the Songkran Festival (April 13-16 in the Gregorian calendar) has been designated as a traditional festival in the country. It has two days off, even for diplomatic envoys abroad. This situation is very similar to China’s New Year in the old calendar being the Spring Festival.
In fact, the Water Splashing Festival is a traditional religious ceremony of Brahmanism in India: on one day every year, believers go to the river to bathe to wash away all the sins on their bodies. For people with limited mobility and the elderly, their relatives carry water home from the river to wash away their sins. This ceremony later spread to Myanmar and Thailand. In Myanmar, it is set on the last three days of the year, which is about early to mid-April in the Gregorian calendar; in Thailand, it is set on the New Year of the Thai calendar, which is April 13-16 in the Gregorian calendar. .
Thailand’s Water Splashing Festival has a variety of activities, not just limited to water splashing. In the capital Bangkok, there are song and dance performances, as well as traditional monkey shows and puppet shows in places such as Royal Field Square and Khao Nhan Park. The most lively place is the ancient city of Chiang Mai. Not only is this the first country established by the Thai people after they migrated south from China, but the Thai people believe that Chiang Mai is the original residence of Songkran, and therefore the birthplace of the Songkran Festival. After Thailand developed its tourism industry, Chiang Mai has also become a key tourist area. During the Songkran Festival every year, a large number of foreign tourists come to visit, which is as lively as Muslims making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Chiang Mai originally had a direct train connection with Bangkok. In order to develop tourism, an airport was also established.
The main activity of the Water Splashing Festival is of course splashing water. In addition to splashing water, there are also the following activities:
The most important activity is the pious "Buddha Bathing" ceremony: after fasting and bathing, the faithful men and women hold incense candles, flowers, and offerings in groups. I went to a nearby temple to pray and listen to the monks chanting sutras. The monks used peach branches to sprinkle perfume soaked with flower petals on people's heads. Then they invited the Buddha statue from the lotus throne to the courtyard and sprinkled it with turmeric water and perfume.
The second step is "piling sand". People go to the river to take out sand in silver bowls, bring it to the courtyard of the temple, gather the sand into a tower, put in various colorful flags and flowers, and finally scatter the sand in the entire courtyard. .
"Freeing lives" is the main form of practicing good deeds. During the Songkran Festival, people take the fish and birds they feed or buy to the river or into the wild to be released.
The climax of the festival is the celebration parade. Among them, the parade in Chiang Mai is the most exciting. The parade in Chiang Mai was organized by the government and was led by a national band. The musicians wore blue coarse shirts unique to northern Thailand and played beautiful Thai music as they walked. The parade includes floats, giant elephants, singing and dancing, and more. The most eye-catching one is the "Queen of Songkran Festival", who is dressed up and sitting on a float painted with rare birds and animals. Behind the float is a huge antique chariot carrying a giant Buddha. Behind the chariot is a team of "boxers" performing martial arts. Behind the martial arts team is a group of girls performing "nail dance". This is a Thai song and dance with rich national characteristics. Spectators waiting by the roadside had buckets of water ready, and when the parade arrived, they poured it on them with ladles. Residents living in buildings facing the street poured water on their balconies. The soaked marchers happily sang and thanked those who poured water on them. Because whoever gets splashed the most and wettest is the most popular and happiest person.
The Water Splashing Festival is not only popular in Myanmar and Thailand, but also in many countries in Southeast Asia.
However, the form of splashing water varies from place to place. In addition to symbolically sprinkling a little perfume on the elderly, Thai people among their peers chase each other unscrupulously with large and small basins of water; in India, people spray red water on each other, and in Cambodia, people spray red water on each other. , and even immerse the other person completely in the water.
As for the origin of the Water Splashing Festival, there are many different legends from various places, and of course they are all mythical.
Some places say: Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who was kidnapped by the devil. The princess cleverly killed the devil and escaped. But her body was covered with the devil's blood, so people poured water on her to wash her body. Following the tradition, the Water Splashing Festival has existed since then.
Some places say: When the universe was first formed, Emperor Shakti and Lord Brahma competed to calculate a calendar number and agreed to use their heads as bets. Master Gavarami ruled that Brahma's calculation was wrong, so Sakyamuni cut off his head.
Unexpectedly, his head was like a blazing fire. When he put it on the ground, the earth immediately withered; when he put it into the sea, the ocean immediately dried up. There was no choice but to keep pouring water on it. Following the tradition, the Water Splashing Festival was formed.
Some places say: In April of a certain year, the weather was extremely hot, and countless people died from heat stroke. It happened that Zheng He, the Sanbao eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, went to the West and passed through Burma. He sprinkled water on people suffering from heatstroke, and all the people with heatstroke were cured. That day is April 15th, so every year on this day, people splash water on each other to ward off disasters and bring good fortune. From then on, the Water Splashing Festival was formed.
Originally, a story like this could definitely continue to be told. Because there are too many different legends about the Water Splashing Festival from different places. But then the carriage stopped. Ahead was a large mudslide, with mountains on one side and abyss on the other. Rocks and mud blocked the road. More than a dozen workers were cleaning it with small vehicles. The carriages couldn't pull it through at all, so everyone had to get out of the car and put their luggage. He also moved it down, unloaded the horses, disassembled the specially made carriage, then used the horses to carry it all over, and then assembled it again.
Everyone on the bus participates in labor, including women. Only the dervish did not participate in any labor according to custom. After getting off the bus, he took a blanket to cushion him, sat cross-legged, twirled Buddha beads in his hands, closed his eyes and chanted sutras, as if praying to the Buddha to bless him through this dangerous journey.
By the time the carriage was reassembled on the other side of the mudslide, everyone was tired and it was already noon. The driver brought water from the river for the horses to drink, and took out fodder to feed the animals. Everyone also took advantage of this time to hit the ground running.
This lunch includes everything. Wu Yonggang ate canned food; most people ate cakes; there was also the "bamboo tube rice" unique to the Tai people. This is done by using a section of moso bamboo, opening a small opening on the section, pouring rice and water in, sealing the opening, and grilling it directly on the fire. After the rice is cooked, because it is sealed, it is like a can and will not rot after a while. It tastes like bamboo. When eating, use a knife to break the bamboo tube in half and eat with your hands, which is especially suitable for eating outside.
Everyone brings dry food, except the dervishes. He is a practitioner who eats from all directions. According to the custom of Thailand's "fasting monks", as long as there are others to eat, he will not worry about not having his own food.
Sure enough, before eating, everyone except Wu Yonggang took out things from their dry food bags and gave them to him. After a while, there was a pile in front of him.
Despite his age, he eats more than anyone else. This is because according to the Thai monk's rule of "not eating after noon", this is his last meal of the day. If he wants to eat again, he will have to wait until tomorrow morning.
After the men and horses had eaten and drank enough, they returned to their original positions and continued on their way.