User:Li Linyao

Dai Water-Splashing Festival

The Dai Water-Splashing Festival, also known as the “Buddha Bathing Festival,” is the Dai people’s most important traditional celebration in China. In the Dai language, it is called Sangkan Bimai, meaning “New Year,” and is thus referred to as the Dai New Year. The festival is usually held in mid-April according to the Gregorian calendar. Similar New Year celebrations, known as Songkran in Thailand, Pi Mai in Laos, Chaul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, and Thingyan in Myanmar, are also observed across Southeast Asia. These names derive from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti, meaning “the sun’s movement,” symbolizing the sun’s entry into Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, and marking the start of the New Year. 

1.Origins and Legend

The festival traces its roots to ancient Brahmanic rituals in India, later integrated into Buddhism. By the late 12th to early 13th century, it spread to the Dai communities in Yunnan, China, via Myanmar (KONGCHAI VILAIHONG, 2021). Over time, it evolved into a unique cultural celebration blending Buddhist traditions with Dai customs.
A widely known legend explains the festival’s origins: A celestial deity responsible for seasons disrupted the natural order by altering the calendar, causing chaos—summer frost, winter droughts, and widespread suffering. His seven daughters (or wives) discovered his fatal weakness: a single strand of his hair could sever his neck. While he slept, they used the hair to behead him. His fallen head ignited a catastrophic fire. To extinguish the flames, the seven women took turns holding the head, each guarding it for a year. During their annual rotation, they cleansed themselves with water to wash away blood and burns (Yan Feng, 1988). To honor their bravery, the Dai people celebrate by splashing water, symbolizing purification from misfortune and welcoming prosperity.

2.Festive Activities

The Dai Water-Splashing Festival lasts three to four days. The first day is called Mai Day, similar to Chinese New Year's Eve, and is known in the Dai language as Wan Daoshanghan, meaning “Farewell to the Old Year.” The second day is Wan Nao, which belongs neither to the old year nor the new year—it is a transitional day. The third day is New Year’s Day, called Mai Payawanma, and the fourth day, Bawangma, marks the true beginning of the new year. This day is considered the most auspicious and joyful of all.

Almsgiving and Water Dedication

Before the festival, the Dai prepare food and offerings, which they take to Buddhist temples on the first morning for almsgiving. Elders lead the prayers, placing small Buddha statues, lighting incense and candles, chanting scriptures, and performing a ritual of water dedication (libation) to honor ancestors and pray for peace and blessings.

Water-Splashing

The main water-splashing activities begin on the first afternoon. Villagers mix clean water with flower petals and bay leaves, then splash it on one another using bowls, basins, or bamboo tubes. Gentle splashing (wen po) is used to express respect and good wishes to elders, while more playful splashing (wu po) is common among peers, who chase and splash each other joyfully (Yang Xinxin, 2011). The act of splashing water symbolizes washing away misfortune and welcoming happiness.

Sand Pagoda Building

On the first day, people build small pagodas with fine sand or plastic bottles, decorating them with bamboo branches and flowers. They then gather around the pagodas, listen to scriptures, and pour water as a gesture of making merit and performing good deeds (Zeng Xueying, 2022).

Love-Pouch Tossing

One of the festival’s unique traditions is the flower pouch tossing game, where unmarried young people seek love. Girls sew embroidered pouches representing affection, dress beautifully, and toss them at boys they fancy in designated areas. This event reflects traditional Dai courtship customs.

Dragon Boat Racing

During the festival, dragon boat races are held on rivers like the Lancang River and the Ruili River. People dress in traditional attire to watch the races. The boats are brightly decorated, and the festive scene is filled with the sounds of drums and cheering.

Folk Dance Performances

Folk dances such as the Elephant Foot Dance and Peacock Dance are important collective dances during the festival. The Elephant Foot Dance emphasizes rhythm and strength, while the Peacock Dance highlights graceful movements—both reflect the aesthetic sensibilities and dance traditions of the Dai people.

Gao Sheng (Fire Rockets) and Floating Water Lanterns

At night, people release gao sheng (lit.“high ascension”) and floating water lanterns to pray for blessings. Gao sheng are traditional homemade fire rockets made from bamboo tubes filled with gunpowder. When ignited, they launch into the sky with a loud explosion, symbolizing rising fortunes, career advancement, and success in the coming year. Floating water lanterns, crafted from banana leaves, flowers, and candles, are gently placed on rivers to honor river deities and convey wishes for peace and prosperity.

Bathing the Buddha

The Bathing the Buddha ritual usually takes place on the third day. People gather at water-splashing pavilions or temples, where elders bring out Buddha statues and place them on platforms or in dragon-head basins. Participants take turns pouring scented or clean water over the statues to purify body and mind and to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Water often flows from the mouths of dragon-head fountains, referencing a Buddhist legend in which the Dragon King bathed the infant Buddha with scented water—symbolizing peace and good fortune for the coming year.
In Dai culture, water is regarded as sacred and auspicious (Zhang Lilin, 2014). The festival’s water rituals reflect deep reverence for water and a longing for a better life (Xiong Rui, 2018).

3.Cultural and Social Significance

The Dai Water-Splashing Festival is not only a major occasion for bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, but also holds profound cultural and social significance. As the most representative traditional festival of the Dai people, it embodies their religious beliefs, folk arts, and dietary customs, serving as an important vehicle for preserving and transmitting ethnic culture.
In 2006, the Dai Water-Splashing Festival—nominated by Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province—was inscribed on the first batch of China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, affirming its importance in the Chinese cultural tradition.
During the festival, people from various ethnic groups join the celebrations, promoting interethnic communication and cultural identity. The festival showcases strong social cohesion and a spirit of unity. Moreover, it attracts large numbers of domestic and international tourists, boosting tourism and service industries in regions like Xishuangbanna and playing a positive role in local economic development. The Water-Splashing Festival is also widely celebrated in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, making it a vital cultural link between China and its neighboring nations and fostering mutual cultural understanding and exchange (Jin Lanlan, 2025).

Terms and Expressions Buddha Bathing Festival 浴佛节 Brahmanic rituals 婆罗门教仪式 zodiac 黄道十二宫 almsgiving 布施行善 Buddha statue 佛像 bay leaves 月桂叶 gentle splashing (wen po) 文泼 playful splashing (wu po) 武泼 flower pouch 花包 Lancang River 澜沧江 Ruili River 瑞丽江 Elephant Foot Dance 象脚舞 Peacock Dance 孔雀舞 Gao Sheng (Fire Rockets) 高升（土火箭） river deities 河神 water-splashing pavilions 泼水亭 scented water 香水 National Intangible Cultural Heritage List 国家级非物质文化遗产名录 Questions 1.What is the Dai Water-Splashing Festival called in the Dai language, and what does it mean? 2.How many days does the Water-Splashing Festival last, and what does each day represent? 3.What are some of the celebratory activities during the Dai Water-Splashing Festival? Please list at least three and explain their significance. 4.Why was the Dai Water-Splashing Festival listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in China? 5.What positive impact does the Water-Splashing Festival have on modern society and international cultural exchange? References [1]龚红（KONGCHAI VILAIHONG）.中国傣族泼水节与老挝泼水节节日文化比较研究[D].哈尔滨师范大学,2021.（Kongchai Vilaihong. A Comparative Study on the Festival Culture of the Dai Water-Splashing Festival in China and the Water-Splashing Festival in Laos [D]. Harbin Normal University, 2021.） [2]岩峰.傣族新年与农耕神话[A].云南省社会科学院民族文学研究所编.民族文学研究集刊第三辑[C].昆明:云南人民出版社,1988.（Yan Feng. "The Dai New Year and Agricultural Myths" [A]. In: Institute of Ethnic Literature, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences (Ed.). Collected Essays on Ethnic Literature, Volume III [C]. Kunming: Yunnan People's Publishing House, 1988.） [3]杨新新.中国与缅甸泼水节习俗比较研究[D].云南大学,2011.（ Yang Xinxin. A Comparative Study of the Customs of the Water-Splashing Festival in China and Myanmar [D]. Yunnan University, 2011.） [4]曾雪莹.云南傣族民族文化记忆研究 ——以西双版纳傣族泼水节为例[D].西南大学,2021.（Zeng Xueying. Research on Ethnic Cultural Memory of the Dai People in Yunnan — A Case Study of the Water-Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna [D]. Southwest University, 2021.） [5]张黎临.西双版纳傣族“泼水节”的三个关键词——新年、泼水、浴佛[J].大众文艺,2014（22）.（Zhang Lilin. “Three Keywords of the Water-Splashing Festival of the Dai People in Xishuangbanna: New Year, Water Splashing, and Bathing the Buddha”[J]. Popular Literature and Art, 2014(22).） [6]熊瑞.傣族泼水节的文化内涵探析[J].武术研究,2018,3（09）.（Xiong Rui. “An Analysis of the Cultural Connotation of the Dai Water-Splashing Festival” [J]. Martial Arts Research, 2018, 3(09).） [7]金斓斓.文化人类学视角下传统节日研究——以西双版纳傣族“泼水节”为例[J].边疆经济与文化,2025（02）.（Jin Lanlan. “Research on Traditional Festivals from the Perspective of Cultural Anthropology — A Case Study of the Water-Splashing Festival of the Dai People in Xishuangbanna”[J]. Border Economy and Culture, 2025(02).）

傣族泼水节

   泼水节，又称“浴佛节”，是中国傣族最盛大的传统节日，傣语称为“桑堪比迈”，意为“新年”，因此也被称为傣历新年。节日通常在公历四月中旬举行。在泰国、老挝、柬埔寨、老挝等国家，泼水节同样被视为新年庆典，分别被称为“宋干节”、“比迈节”、“高棉新年”和“达降节”。这些名称多源自梵语“saṃkrānti”，意为“太阳运行”，象征着太阳进入黄道十二宫的第一宫白羊宫，标志着新一年的开始。

一、傣族泼水节的起源和传说

   泼水节起源于古印度的婆罗门教仪式，后被佛教吸收，并在12世纪末至13世纪初经由缅甸传入中国云南傣族地区。（龚红，2021）随着佛教在傣族地区的传播，泼水节逐渐演变为具有民族特色的传统节日。
   关于泼水节的传说在傣族地区广为流传。很久以前，执掌季节的天神因私改历法，导致人间寒暑颠倒、灾害频发、百姓苦不堪言。他的七个女儿（一说妻子）巧妙套出他的致命弱点，趁其熟睡之际，拔下他的一根头发，将他脖子勒断。天神的头颅落地，血液漫流竟然引起熊熊大火。为了扑灭火焰，七女轮换怀抱头颅，每人坚守一年。每年交接时，她们以清水相互泼洒，洗净血污和灼痕。（岩峰，1988）为了纪念这七位勇敢的女子，傣族人民每年都会举行泼水节，相互泼水，象征洗去过去一年的晦气，迎接新年的幸福和吉祥。

二、傣族泼水节的节庆活动

 傣族泼水节为期三到四天。第一天为“麦日”，类似于农历除夕，傣语叫“宛多尚罕”，意思是送旧。第二天为空日，傣语叫“腕脑”，他不属于旧的一年，也不属于新的一年，而是旧年与新年之间的日子。第三天是元旦，叫“麦帕雅晚玛”；第四天是新年，叫“霸王马”，作为岁首，人们把这一天视为最美好，最吉祥的日子。

布施行善和滴水回向

   节前，傣族人民会准备食物和祭品，在泼水节第一天早上带至寺庙布施；长者取出小佛像、点香燃烛，带领众人诵经、滴水回向，以祭奠先人、祈福平安。

泼水

   泼水在节日第一天下午正式开始。村民将清水与花瓣、月桂叶混合后，用碗、盆或竹筒互相泼洒：对长辈以轻柔的“文泼”表达敬意与祝福，对同龄人用更为活跃的“武泼”方式嬉戏追逐。（杨新新，2011）泼水象征洗去晦气、迎接幸福。

堆佛塔

   堆佛塔活动一般在第一天举行。傣族人民会用细沙或塑料瓶堆建小佛塔，上面插竹枝和鲜花，然后围在小佛塔旁，一边听经文，一边滴水祈福，体现积德行善的愿望。(曾雪莹，2021)

丢包活动

   “丢包”是节日活动中的一大特色，是傣族未婚男女寻觅另一半的舞台。女子会缝制代表爱情的花包，打扮整齐，在指定场地向心仪对象投掷花包。丢包活动承载着傣族人民传统的婚恋习俗。

赛龙舟

   泼水节期间，澜沧江、瑞丽江等地常举行龙舟比赛。傣族人民盛装观赛，龙舟披彩装饰，现场鼓声喧天，氛围热烈。

民间舞蹈表演

   象脚舞与孔雀舞是节日期间的重要集体舞蹈。象脚舞注重节奏感与力量，孔雀舞则展现优雅姿态，反映傣族的审美特征与舞蹈传统。

放高升和水灯

   泼水节的夜晚，傣族人民会放高升和水灯来祈福。高升是一种由竹筒装填火药制成的“土火箭”，点燃后伴随着响声腾空直上，寓意着新的一年一飞冲天、步步高升。水灯则由芭蕉叶、鲜花、蜡烛制成，点燃后置于河中漂流，用以祭祀河神，寄托祝福。

浴佛

   浴佛通常在第三天举行，傣族人民聚集在村中泼水亭前或佛寺内，长者从寺庙中请出佛像，摆放于龙口或专用小台上。众人依次用香水或清水冲洗佛像，象征净化身心、辞旧迎新。水流常借助龙口喷出，寓意“龙王以香水沐浴太子”的佛教典故，祈求新年平安吉祥。
   在傣族文化中，水被视为圣洁、美好的象征（张黎临，2014），泼水节的庆祝活动体现了人们对水的崇敬和对美好生活的向往。（熊瑞，2018）

三、傣族泼水节的意义

   泼水节不仅是傣族人民辞旧迎新的重要节日，更蕴含着深远的文化与社会意义。作为傣族最具代表性的传统节日之一，泼水节集中体现了傣族的宗教信仰、民间艺术和饮食习俗，是民族文化传承的重要载体。2006年，由云南省西双版纳傣族自治州申报的傣族泼水节被列入第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录，进一步确认了其在中国传统文化中的重要地位。
   节日期间，各族人民共同参与庆祝活动，不仅弘扬了民族文化，也增进了民族之间的交流与认同，展现出强烈的社会凝聚力和团结精神。同时，泼水节吸引了大量国内外游客前来体验和参与，带动了西双版纳等地的旅游业和相关服务产业的发展，对促进地方经济起到了积极的推动作用。此外，泼水节在泰国、老挝、缅甸等东南亚国家也广泛流行，成为联系中国与周边国家的重要文化纽带，促进了国际间的文化交流与理解。（金斓斓，2025）

术语表达 Buddha Bathing Festival 浴佛节 Brahmanic rituals 婆罗门教仪式 zodiac 黄道十二宫 almsgiving 布施行善 Buddha statue 佛像 bay leaves 月桂叶 gentle splashing (wen po) 文泼 playful splashing (wu po) 武泼 flower pouch 花包 Lancang River 澜沧江 Ruili River 瑞丽江 Elephant Foot Dance 象脚舞 Peacock Dance 孔雀舞 Gao Sheng (Fire Rockets) 高升（土火箭） river deities 河神 water-splashing pavilions 泼水亭 scented water 香水 National Intangible Cultural Heritage List 国家级非物质文化遗产名录 问题 1.傣族泼水节在傣语中傣语中被称为什么？它的含义是什么？ 2.傣族泼水节总共持续几天？每一天分别代表什么？ 3.泼水节有哪些庆祝活动？请至少列举三项并说出其意义。 4.傣族泼水节为何被列入国家级非物质文化遗产？ 5.傣族泼水节对现代社会和国际交流有何积极作用？ 参考文献 [1]龚红（KONGCHAI VILAIHONG）.中国傣族泼水节与老挝泼水节节日文化比较研究[D].哈尔滨师范大学,2021. [2]岩峰.傣族新年与农耕神话[A].云南省社会科学院民族文学研究所编.民族文学研究集刊第三辑[C].昆明:云南人民出版社,1988. [3]杨新新.中国与缅甸泼水节习俗比较研究[D].云南大学,2011. [4]曾雪莹.云南傣族民族文化记忆研究 ——以西双版纳傣族泼水节为例[D].西南大学,2021. [5]张黎临.西双版纳傣族“泼水节”的三个关键词——新年、泼水、浴佛[J].大众文艺,2014（22）. [6]熊瑞.傣族泼水节的文化内涵探析[J].武术研究,2018,3（09）. [7]金斓斓.文化人类学视角下传统节日研究——以西双版纳傣族“泼水节”为例[J].边疆经济与文化,2025（02）.