The Dai is an ethnic group recognized by the central government of China. According to the 2010 nationwide census, the total population of Dai in China is about 1.16 million. They speak their native language which belongs to the Sino-Tibetan Family of Languages. The Dai people love peacocks and elephants. They are valley-dwellers and they mainly inhabit the southwest part of Yunnan Province, for example, Xishuang-Banna Dai’s Autonomous Prefecture and Dehong Dai and Jingpo’s Autonomous Prefecture.
The History of Dai
Most historians hold that the Dai Ethnic group originated from the ancient tribes whose people lived in the Ailao Mountain. The mountain lies in the middle of Yunnan Province. The Ancient Ailao State was established by the Dai’s ancestors in the 5th century B.C.. It is known as the kingdom of elephant-riders. The Ancient Ailao paid tribute to the Han Empire and became a vassal state. In the following centuries, some migrants from the southern China were assimilated into the natives. In 1180s, the Mengle Kingdom was founded by the descendants of Ailao people. Since then, the Dai Ethnic Group has been formed. The Mengle Kingdom was destroyed by the Mongols in 1292.
The Dai’s Traditional Costume
Women usually wear a skirt and jacket with short sleeves, and coil their hair on top of their heads. The women like to wear gold or silver ornaments, such as earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Their favorite colors are pink, yellow and green. Both men and women often carry a bag over their shoulder which is embroidered with patterns of elephants and peacocks.
The Dai’s Food
The rice is the staple food of Dai people. They consume pork, beef, chicken, beef and vegetables. Spicy and sour dishes are the favorite of the Dai people. They prefer to drink strong flavored tea.
The Peacock Dance
The Dai Ethnic Group features the Peacock Dance which has a long history of over two thousand years. During the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220), dancers from the Ancient Ailao State performed the Peacock Dance at Luoyang, the capital of the Han Empire. Thousands of years have passed, the Peacock Dance is still popular among the Dai people.
The Splashing-Water Festival
The Dai people are followers of the Hinayana Buddhism. All the young men feel proud to be a monk who can practice Buddhism in a monastery before they get married. The Splashing-Water Festival is celebrated on the birthday of Sakyamuni, the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar year. People usually splash each other with cold water at the celebration. According to the Buddhist scripture, when Sakyamuni was born, nine dragons came and sprayed water. Then, he took a shower.
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Author: Tina Luo
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