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Dai
Minority - Xishuangbanna Travel |
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With
the population of over 1 million,
the Dai minority in Yunnan is
mainly engaged in agriculture;
especially do the planting of
paddy rice. In general, the Dai
ethnic group lived in Xishuangbanna,
believe in Hinayana (Theravada).
Dai minority in China has their
own language characters. Dai people
are good at singing and dancing,
also create their gorgeous cultures,
especially in the aspect of their
Dai calendar, Dai medicine, and
Dai poems. |
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General
customs and taboos of Dai minority:
It is avoid as harmful for foreigner
to ride a horse, herd the cows,
shoulder a load with a carrying
pole and enter the villages with
the messy hair. It is necessary
to take off your shoes before
you enter the Dai family and temples,
and be light of your steps. Never
enter the host’s bedrooms,
sit on the doorsill, or step the
fire by feet. It is also forbidden
to whistle and cut your nails
inside the house; sit on the pillows
or make use of the clothes as
a pillow. Finally, do not touch
the monk’s head, Buddhist
statues, flags and all kinds of
consecrated articles in anyway.
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Clothing
of Dai Minority:
The dressings of the Dai women
are always with the blazing color.
Dai girls in general have slim
and graceful figures, which make
people give them a laudatory title
as “Golden Peacock”.
Dai girls are good at the way
to dressed up. They wear tight-fitting
shirts with narrow sleeves and
matched with the same colored
maxi skirt, to show their slender
figures. Dai men wear collarless
shirts in usual, matched with
long pants, and sometimes, with
the white or green head cloth.
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For
the Dai minority people, no matter
boys or girls, they all like to
carry a simple, colorful brocade
bag for any outdoor events. These
kinds of bags featured with distinctive
national patterns like rare animals
and birds, trees and plants or
some geometric figures. Each of
the patterns has its own specific
meaning, for example, bags in
red or green colors represent
the commemoration of the ancestors;
patterns in peacocks has the meaning
of good fortune and happiness;
and patterns of elephants are
the symbol of a bumper grain harvest
and have a good life. |
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Festivals
of Dai Minority:
The Water-splashing Festival,
represent the new year of the
Dai calendar, is the most famous
celebration in Dai minority. It
holds in 13th – 15th of
April annually in Jinghong, Xishuangbanna.
During the festival, Dai people
go to the temples for worship
then splash waters everywhere
to everybody in order to present
their best, sincere wishes to
others. Dai people also hold some
activities like dragon-boat racing,
cock-fighting, do peacock dance,
throwing lotus-pouch and light
up lanterns etc. |
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