The Water-pouring Festival in The Dai Nationality

About the origin of the Water-pouring Festival, there is a legendary story: long long ago, there was an evil monster that forcibly occupied the beautiful and abundant land, Xishuang Banna. He forced seven beautiful girls to be his wives. The girls hated the monster and discussed how to get rid of him. One night, the smallest girl got the monster drunk and inveigled him to tell that his fatal part is the neck. So the smart girl put one of his hairs around his neck, and tied the neck with all of her strength. The monster’s head was cut down and unexpectedly became a hot fireball. Where the fireball rolled over, there was noting alive. In order to extinguish the fireball, the smallest girl held it with her body, and the other six girls kept pouring water on it. Finally the seven beautiful and brave girls extinguished the fireball and all the people lived a happy life again. From then on, the Dai People had the water-pouring custom in memory of the seven girls.

When the festival is coming, the Dai People all are busy in preparing all kinds of festival things, such as killing pigs, making glutinous rice cakes, decorating dragon boats, and so on. The first day of the Water-pouring Festival means “death” The Dai People think this day is unauspicious. So they set off fireworks and have dragonboats race, instead of washing hair, cutting hair down, and working. By its custom,the second day symbolizes “bad smell”. So the Dai People will have baths, wash and cut hair, change clothes, and wash the figure images of Buddha. They wish to clean all the dirt, diseases, and disasters of the past year and prepare the New Year. The third day of the Festival is actually the New Year. The Dai People think it’s the most auspicious and fortunate day of the year. It’s the climax of the Water-pouring Festival. At this day, all the people will pour water, for good wishes, to each other, have peacock dance, change belongings, or take part in other activities. When water-pouring begins, the Dai girls dip the water with branches and leaves to others politely, saying good wishes at the same time. But when the climax comes, all the people begin to pour water with pots, basins, or even butts. Everyone is involved in pouring, running, singing and laughing, disregarding his or her nationality, age, sexual difference, or career. The whole town is immersed in a exciting festival atmosphere. www.1155815.com

Now, especially since the reforming and opening, the Water-pouring Festival has already been enriched and becomes a link with the other 55 nationalities and a bridge from the Dai nationality to the world. 

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