Water Splashing Festival of Dai Nationality
The Water Splashing festival, held by the Dai Nationality in the sixth month of the Dai calendar (in the middle of April), is the most significant ceremonial occasion for the Dai. It is also known as the festival for bathing Buddha. The festival is related to a Buddhist legend wherein a dragon sprinkles fragrant showers on Lord Buddha at his birth. The Buddhist legend has gradually been mingled with the customs of the Dai people since their conversion to Buddhism.
 |
|
Water Splashing Festival |
Currently, the festival is a combination of the Flower Collecting Festival and the Water Splashing Fair. Other Dai legendary elements have been added to it, including the folklore of "seven beautiful Dai women getting rid of the fire fiend" and so on.
At present, The Water Splashing Festival is a traditional festival for the Dai people in Xishuangbanna and other places commemorating the Dai Calendar New Year, giving best wishes to friends and family. The festive activities include bathing Lord Buddha, sprinkling water onto each other for good fortune, dragon boat racing, launching rockets and Kongming Lanterns, going to the fair, etc. Young girls dance the Peacock Dance accompanied by the elephant leg drums. Young boys and girls throw finely embroidered purses to the persons with whom they are in love.
Third Month Fair in Dali of Bai Nationality
The Bai has an age-old history and flourish culture. Witness to the development of Bai history is the Three Towers in Dali, rock caves on the Shibaoshan Hill, the architectural complex of temples on the Jizushan mountain.
 |
|
Third Month Fair in Dali of Bai Nationality |
Bai people are diligent, simple and honest, admire the color of white ( Bai in Chinese means white ). The main festival is the large-scale " The 3rd Month Fair ".Originally, this festival was called Avalokitesvara's Festival. It was Avalokitesvara who opened up the Dali area, subdues Monster Luocha and brought prosperity to the people. Every year from the fifteenth to the twentieth of the third lunar month, people gather at the Triple-Pagodas Temple to pay homage and express thanks to Avalokitesvara. Along with the development of commodity economy, trade becomes brisk at the gathering, Finally it has become a yearly fair. In addition to the exchange of commodities, there are horse racing, performance of operas, folk singing and dancing.
 |
|
Torch Festival | Torch Festival of Yi Nationality
On the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, when the handle of the Big Dipper turns upward, The Torch Festival, the Yi people's New Year according to the Yi calendar begins. Torches are lit at night to expel evil and to aid in prayers for prosperity. Many activities are held, including wrestling, bull fighting and horse-racing.
The festival originated from a legend about a battle between an ancient Yi hero and a devilish fiend. The hero wrestled and beat him. He taught his people to eliminate evils other forms of pestilence by enlisting the help of torches. From this time on, Yi people have prospered. The festival is held to commemorate this hero.
Miao Festival of Treading Flowery Mountains
Most men wear Chinese-style jackets and trousers. Miao women's clothes are brightly-colored and beautiful. Miao women are particularly skilled at wax printing and embroidering. "The Festival of treading the flowery mountains" is the Miao's most magnificent holiday.
This festival is observed by Miao people in northeast and south Yunnan on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. Legend has it that, in ancient times, Miao people were distressed about their present lives and about the prospects for the future. Once on this date, their ancestors made an appearance and told them not to be too distressed. Then, they cheered up and danced around a tree. Suddenly a flower dropped to the tree from heaven. That made them happier and they danced all the more merrily. That year they had a bumper harvest an occurrence which seemed to confirm the auspicious events that preceded it. This is the origin of the festival.
The celebration includes singing, reed-pipe dancing, bull fights, dragon dance performances and the climbing of the flower pole contest, in which the champion is awarded a pig head.
 |
|
Jingpo peoples Celebrating Munao Festival | Jingpo peoples Celebrating Munao Festival
The Jingpo have a reputation for being good dancers and good singers as well as for being good musicians. They dance on all sorts of occasions, for example, to celebrate a good harvest, a newly-built home, weddings, and even to welcome guests. "The Munaozongge" (hence, Munao Festival), meaning "mass dance", is held on the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This is a festival aimed at commemorating and honoring ancestry. All Munao festival activities are conducted around the four erect Munao Poles. The patterns painted on the poles portray scenes from their history, pictures of the Himalayas, and the route their ancestors took in migrating to their current homeland. The most wonderful part of the festival is the scene of chaotic dancing, participated in by thousands of Jingpo people. The choreographic steps and sequence dramatize the route depicted on the Munao Poles. The purpose behind the event is to commit to the memories of the young people the rich history of their collective ancestry.
Sword Pole Festival
The Sword Pole Festival is observed on the eighth day of the second lunar month in commemoration of an ancient Han hero who taught the Lisu peple to make swords. To express their gratitude to the hero, they perform two ceremonies known as "ascending the pole of swords " and " diving into the sea of flames ". In kicking off this festival, a number of brave Lisu men perform a symbolic act known as "diving into the sea of flames" by stepping barefoot on a pile of burning charcoal. Then they climb up a ladder with 36 rungs made of sharpened swords of which the blades are turned upward. The people performing this act are usually injured but everyone seems to have fun. These men that climb these ladders are called "Nipas". At the top of the ladder, the "Nipa" performs some extremely difficult acrobatic feats and scatters "jiama" (paper talismans) all over everyone to expell evils.
Naxi Sanduo Festival
On February 8th of every lunar year, the Naxi people enjoy their "Honoring Sanduo Festival" at the Beiyue Temple Fair. "Sanduo" is a Naxi war god who acts to defend the Naxi people.
 |
|
Naxi Sanduo Festival |
Beiyue means "Northern Ranges". Of course, it was here, at the foot of Jade Dragon Mountain that Sandao Temple was built. It is recorded in their histories that in ancient times a hunter discovered a strange snow stone on Jade Dragon Mountain. He carried the stone home. On his way home, he had to put the stone down for a rest because the stone was extremely heavy. When he decided to continue his trip, he found he could no longer lift the stone. Many thought it was the embodiment of a god. Later, the local people decided to build a temple to honor this supposed god. Hence, people believe that they always see a heavenly being in a white coat and a white helmet, carrying a white spear and riding a white horse. It protected the local people and their land. Naxi people consider Sanduo to be the most powerful god in its mythology and they say Sanduo was born to the year of goat. Therefore, on every goat day (8th of February and August), a goat is sacrificed to honor this god.
The temple fair is held during the season of the blossoming camellia. The fair is crowded with people. Fireworks can frequently be heard. People are often seen traveling with their families with picnic baskets. This is the most significant celebration in Lijiang. |
