WorldToChina

Majority of Ethic Minorities Dai inhabit in the Xishuangbanna Autonomous Region,Qingpo Autonomous Region and Gengma and Menglian. Others live in small towns, such as Xinping and Yuanjiang. The population is 1.02 million(according to the population census in 1990.)

As a ethic minority with a long history, it had been recorded in the documents of the Han Dynasty. It was called “Dianyue”, “Dan” in Han Dynasty. It was named as “Jinchi”, “Heichi” and “Baichi” in Tang and Song Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, its name changed into “Baiyi”. After the establishment of People’s republic of China, it got its name “Dai”, according to their own wills. Some small groups of this ethic are “Daina”, “Daibeng” and “Daiya”.

Dai Ethic minority has its own language and characters. Dai people are all genius of singing and dancing. They created splendid culture, with Dai Calender, Dai medicine and epics as the representations.

The scale of product of rubber is increasing drastically nowadays. “Puer” tea gains the worldwide reputation. Some of the important industries are mining, mechanics, Electricity, Chemical, ceramics and paper making.

One of the most important festivals of Dai people is the Water-splashing Festival, the New year in Dai Calender, in the middle of August. Some interesting activities in this festival are splashing water, sailing dragon boats, appreciating fireworks, dancing and singing.

Another important festival of Dai minority is “Closing door festival”, which means that Buda enters in temple. It is a traditional festival f Dai people. It lasts for about 3 months. There is a myth that Buda would go to the Western heaven to talk with his mother about classical works in Buddhism and comes back to the world of common people after three months. Once he goes to the western heaven, his students preach in the countryside. But they tread the corps field of country people. The complaint of the farmers is heard by the Buda. He felt so upset that he decide confine his students when he was out to the western heaven and asks them pray for their crimes. Thus, people call these three months as “Closing door” festival.