Introduction

According to data of the sixth census of China in 2010, the total amount of the Dai people reached 1,261,311. This group is mainly distributed in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Dehong Dai & Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture and Lincang City in Yunnan, and the rest of them scatter in other nearby counties. The ancestors of the Dai people belonged to one group of the Baiyue, a term denoting various peoples who inhabited South China and northern Vietnam between the first millennium BC and the first millennium AD, who were ever called “Dian Yue” and “Shan” during the Han Dynasty.They were also dubbed as “Jinchi” and “Baiyi”. However, the Dai people preferably call themselves as “Dai” which means people who love freedom and peace. The Dai people consist of three groups: the Dai People whose residence is rich in water resource; the Dai People whose residence is poor in water resource addressed as the Huayao Dai People.Long in history, rich and renowned for the rich folk literature and arts, the Dai people have their own calendar and language. Their musics, dances, folk songs and folklore abound with ethnic characteristics and a far-reaching influence.

The Dai, usually, prefer to inhabit river basins in the tropics. Most of the Dai villages are built near streams.They live in the buildings made of bamboos with the Dai style.Surrounded by clusters of trees, bushes and groves of bamboos, their living condition is eco-friendly. The Dai people boast fertile fields and abundant water resources, so rice is their staple food, fish, shrimps and other river seafood are their favorite dishes. In addition,they like drinking alcohol and consuming foods that taste sour and spicy.

The vast majority of the Dai people believes in Theravada^[7] and retains their primitive worship for ghosts and various gods. There are a host of Buddhist temples in the Dai villages.Indeed, Buddhism brings a significant impact on the Dai People’s daily life and customs. To a large extent, the Dai People’s festivals are related to such religious activities as the Door-Opening Festival^[8], the Door-Closing Festival^[9] and the Water-Splashing Festival^[10].