The Dai people ( Burmese : ရှမ်းလူမျိုး; Tai Lü : ᨴᩱ/ᨴᩱ᩠ᨿ ; Lao : ໄຕ ; Thai : ไท ; Shan : တႆး , [tai˥˩] ; Tai Nüa : ᥖᥭᥰ , [tai˥] ; Chinese : 傣 族 ; pinyin : Dǎizú ) are several Tai -speaking ethnic groups living in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of China's Yunnan Province . The Dai people form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. By extension, the term can apply to groups in Laos , Vietnam , Thailand and Myanmar when Dai is used to mean specifically Tai Yai , Lue , Chinese Shan , Tai Dam , Tai Khao or even Tai in general. For other names, see the table below.
41-582: The Chiefdom of Mangshi , officially Mangshi Yuyi Zhangguansi and Mangshi Anfusi was a Dai autonomous Tusi chiefdom in the west of Yunnan , China from 1443 to 1955. In 1443, the Ming dynasty established Mangshi Yuyi Zhangguansi ( 芒市御夷长官司 ) because a Mangshi chief made a contribution in Luchuan–Pingmian campaigns , and then upgraded to Mangshi Anfusi ( 芒市安抚司 ) in 1640. Chiefdom of Mangshi has an absolute dictatorship in politics, military, economy at
82-609: A Lunar New Year celebration centered around the East Asian Lunar New Year however also focused on New Year customs in Laos as part of its "New Years All Year Round" exhibit. On April 2, 2024, The legislative assembly of New York State , adopted legislative bill of Commemorating the Asian American community's celebration of Songkran on April as an important cultural event on the state as Assembly Resolution No. 1059: - Songkran
123-669: A group of related languages that includes Thai, Lao and Zhuang and part of the Tai–Kadai language family . Various languages of the Tai-Kadai language family are spoken from Assam in India to Hainan and Guizhou in China. The Dai people follow their traditional religion as well as Theravada Buddhism and maintain similar customs and festivals (such as Songkran ) to the other Tai-speaking peoples and more broadly, in regards to some cultural aspects, to
164-622: A large minority in Myanmar . Originally, the Tai , or Dai, lived closely together in modern Yunnan Province until political chaos and wars in the north at the end of the Tang and Song dynasty and various nomadic peoples prompted some to move further south into modern Laos then Thailand. As with many other officially recognized ethnic groups in China (See Gaoshan and Yao ), the term Dai , at least within Chinese usage,
205-796: A unique Dai and Sino-Islamic culture. The present Parshi Dai have a material culture identical to their Buddhist counterparts. They speak the same language, wear similar dress, have similar customs, rituals, and diet. The Dai have historically had a rich array of astronomical and literary works. The Dai have their own calendar that begins in the year 638 and have many astronomical books on calculating solar and lunar eclipses (most written in Dai script). Historical documents, legends, stories, poetry, fables, and children's stories are also plentiful. Traditional Dai villages are mainly located in bamboo plains near rivers or streams. Dai homes are usually built on stilts and some are square in shape. A few houses are two-story with
246-653: A water fight, daily prayer, dance performances and food stalls which serve food of Thai, Bangladesh (CHT), Burmese, Cambodian, Laotian, Sri Lankan and Malaysian origin. In 2014, the celebration was attended by more than 2000 people. Similarly in the same suburb, the Mahamakut Buddhist Foundation organizes a Songkran celebration featuring chanting, blessing, a short sermon, a fund raising food fete and Southeast Asian traditional dances. Large scale Thai New Year (Songkran) celebrations are held in Thai Town, Sydney in
287-585: Is a loanword from Sanskrit saṅkrānti (or, more specifically, meṣha saṅkrānti ) or Pali Saṅkhāra . The original meaning of saṅkrānti , marked of the sun, transits the constellation of Aries , the first astrological sign in the Zodiac , as reckoned by sidereal astrology . It is related to the equivalent Hindu calendar -based New Year festivals in most parts of South Asia, which are collectively referred to as Mesha Sankranti . Oxford English Dictionary defines Songkran as "The festival of
328-467: Is an umbrella term and as such has no equivalent in Tai languages , who have only more general terms for 'Tai peoples in general' (e.g., Tai Lue: tai˥˩ . This term refers to all Dai people, not including Zhuang) and 'Tai people in China' (e.g., Thai: ชาวไทในจีน '), both of which include the Zhuang , for example, which is not the case in the Chinese and more specific terms, as shown in the table below. Therefore
369-457: Is considered the most delicious flavor in Dai cuisine, and all dishes and snacks are mainly sour, such as sour bamboo shoots, sour pork. In Thailand there are Tai Lue in many provinces of the upper regions of Northern Thailand ; these provinces are: The festivals of the Dai people are mostly related to religious activities. The main festivals include door closing festival, door opening festival and water splashing festival. The closing festival
410-565: Is fixed on September 15 in the Dai calendar (the middle of July in the Gregorian calendar). The opening door festival, the time fixed in the Dai calendar on December 15 (the middle of October in the Gregorian calendar). In the two festivals on the same day, all of people will go to the Buddhist temple to hold ritual activities. People will offer foods, flowers and coins to the Buddha. The three months between
451-568: The Cultural Revolution . Parents commonly sent their sons (from 7 to 18 years old) to the Buddhist monasteries to become novices and to receive monastic education. The boys stay in the monasteries for three years or more while learning how to write, read, and practice the faith. Afterwards, most boys or young men would return to secular society while a handful of them remained in the monasteries to become fully ordained monks . This education system has led to high literacy rates and knowledge of
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#1732855247572492-807: The Fairfield City Council . In the Melbourne suburb of Footscray, Victoria a Lunar New Year celebration initially focusing on the Vietnamese New Year has expanded into a celebration of the Songkran celebrations of the Thais, Cambodians, Laotians and other Asian Australian communities such as Chinese who celebrate the New Year in either January/February or April. Taronga Zoo in Sydney , New South Wales celebrated
533-513: The 1980s, tourism has become a source of revenue for the Dai in Xishuangbanna in consequence of airports being built in Jinghong and Mangshi. The increase of infrastructure and living standards in the region has led the Dai to assimilate into the mainstream Chinese economy better than other minorities. Historically, marriage was mainly between members of similar social or economic class and polygamy
574-599: The Dai people is rice. Dai people in the Dehong area mainly eat japonica rice. Bamboo rice is a famous snack of the Dai people. It is made by putting glutinous rice in a fragrant bamboo tube, soaking with water for 15 minutes, and baking with fire. Pineapple purple rice is also a well-known Dai dish. Raw, fresh, sour, and spicy are the characteristics of Dai cuisine. Dai people believe that eating sour foods can make their eyes bright, help digestion, and also help relieve heat. Sweet can remove fatigue. Spicy can increase appetite. Acid
615-399: The Dai script among Dai men that today exceed 80 percent. A small minority of Dai practice Islam . These specific Dai are often called " Parshi Dai" or " Dai Hui" . Hui (Chinese Muslim) merchants from Dali and other parts of Yunnan settled in Xishuangbanna in the early nineteenth century. These settlers assimilated and intermarried with the locals which eventually led to the creation of
656-562: The Ming dynasty, eight Dai tusi (chieftains) controlled the region with each having their own economic and political power. Although Buddhism has had a presence in Yunnan since at least the seventh century, the Dai converted to Theravada Buddhism during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Qing dynasty kept the Yuan and Ming system intact but with some differences. The Qing had more economic power in
697-628: The Songkran festival with a focus on the Sri Lankan New Year. The Brahma Vihara in Azusa, California also holds celebrations with a Burmese New Year focus. The International Lao New Year Festival is held annually in San Francisco and celebrates the Lao New Year with acknowledgment of other Asian communities, Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, Sri Lankan and the Dai people of southern China, who also celebrate
738-1232: The Tai Lue included both sides of the Mekong River in the Sipsongpanna . According to the Tai Lue, there were five city-states on the east bank and six on the west, which with Jinghong formed twelve rice field divisions with all twelve having another 32 small provinces. These were: On the west bank - Rung, Ha, Sae, Lu, Ong, Luang, Hun, Phan, Chiang Choeng, Hai, Chiang Lo and Mang; On the east bank - La, Bang, Hing, Pang, La, Wang, Phong, Yuan, Bang and Chiang Thong (present-day Luang Prabang ). (These names are transcribed according to their Thai pronunciations not their Tai Lue (Dai) pronunciations. If transcribed according to their Tai Lue pronunciations they would be as follows: Hung, Ha, Sae, Lu, Ong, Long, Hun, Pan, Cheng Choeng, Hai, Cheng Lo, Mang, La, Bang, Hing, Pang, La, Wang, Pong, Yon, Bang and Cheng Tong) Some portions of these Tai Lue either voluntarily moved or were forcibly herded from these city-states around one to two hundred years ago, arriving in countries of present-day Burma , Laos and Thailand . The staple food of
779-881: The Thai New Year in April 2016 with its Asian elephants and traditional Thai dancers. Songkran celebrations often occur in cities which host large Sri Lankan , Thai , Burmese , Laotian and Cambodian populations. The UW Khmer Student Association hosts a new year celebration at the University of Washington in Seattle . The White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival is held at the Golden House Bakery & Deli in Seattle. The Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara in Pasadena, California celebrates
820-703: The Thai New Year, characterized by various observances involving the pouring or splashing of water (1727–present.)". Term has also entered other languages, such as French : La fête du Songkran , Dutch : Sonkraen , Japanese : ソンクラーン , Chinese : 宋干节 and Korean : 송끄란 . The word Songkran written in different ethnic groups, languages or cultures as the following, Songkran written as Sankranti can be found in many Khmer inscriptions, namely at these locations; Songkran in Cambodia written as Maha Sankran in 1904 by Étienne Aymonier and Maha sankrant or Sankrant in 1909 by Adhémard Leclère which marked
861-518: The Thai, Cambodian, Lao, Burmese and Sri Lankan New Year festivals are well known and popular among the residents of the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, New South Wales which is home to large populations of Cambodians , Laotians and Thais . Temples and organisations hold celebrations across the suburb including a large Lao New Year celebration in the neighbouring suburb of Bonnyrigg organised in partnership with
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#1732855247572902-667: The Yizhou prefecture in the southwest of Yi (modern day parts of Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou). In the twelfth century, the Dai (called Dai-Lue or Tai-Lue at this period) established the Jinghong Golden Hall Kingdom in Sipsong Panna (modern Xishuangbanna). Jinghong was the capital of this kingdom. The population of the kingdom was over one million and recognized the Chinese as their sovereign according to local records. The king had political and economic power and controlled most of
943-710: The beginning of Cambodia New Year found in The Cambodian's Almanac and Its Calendar for 1907–1908 . Étienne Aymonier also distinguished the difference of the term Maha Sankran in Cambodia that only refers to the small official calendar which must appear for the new year, while in Siam (Thailand) which refers to the beginning of New year, Siamese called Sankranta , which pronounced as Songkran . Songkran in Sanskrit forms, written as Vishuva Sankranti in Khom script epigraphs, which marked
984-603: The beginning of the New Year in the Odisha calendar and referred to the sun on midday has equally orbited in the day and night, was found in Thailand at these locations; The word Songkran not only can be found those Thai archaeological evidences, but also being recorded by foreigners who ever lived in Thailand. Its meaning especially marked the beginning of Songkran festival, holidays, water-splashing and Siamese new year observances different
1025-579: The central government compromised with chiefdoms. After People's Republic of China controlled this area, the central government launched the Chinese Land Reform Movement . The last Chief of Mangshi, Fang Yulong lost his power and land, finally abolished in 1955. Dai people The Dai people are closely related to the Shan , Lao and Thai people who form a majority in Laos and Thailand , and
1066-526: The closing door festival and the opening door festival are the "close" time of the year, the most religious time of the year. The Water Splashing Festival is a traditional festival of the Dai people, meaning the New Year of June. The time is in the late June or early July of the Dai calendar (the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar). Held about 10 days after the Qingming festival, it symbolizes "the most beautiful day". The holiday usually lasts three days. In
1107-724: The early morning of the festival, the people of the Dai village went to the Buddhist temple to clean the figure of Buddha. After the ceremony of the Buddhist temple, the young men and women pour water on each other. Then groups of people marched around, sprinkling pedestrians as a blessing. These represent blessings. The Dai are predominately Theravada Buddhists . Dai Buddhism also tolerated many pre—Buddhist animistic beliefs and practices. The Dai were animists before Buddhism became popular and their belief in natural spirits continues. Until very recently, every Dai village had at least one Buddhist temple while larger villages had two to five temples. Many of their Buddhist temples were destroyed during
1148-676: The land and local water system. During the Yuan dynasty , the Dai became subordinate to Yunnan (itself recently conquered by the Mongols). Hereditary leaders were appointed by the authorities among the minorities of the region. This system continued under the Ming dynasty and the feudal systems during this period allowed manorial lords to establish political power along with its own army, prisons, and courts. However, some Dai communities had their own aspects of class, political structures, and land ownership that differed considerably from other groups. Also during
1189-493: The meaning of the Sanskrit word, saṅkrānti which can be found in these contemporary archives; Also found in these Thai contemporary archives; Songkran celebrations are held in many parts of the country. One of the most notable celebrations is at the Wat Pa Buddharangsee Buddhist Temple in the Sydney suburb of Leumeah, New South Wales . The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year and involves
1230-650: The past and some women (with access to education) have entered into professional careers like teaching or nursing. Works cited Songkran Theravāda New Year , also known as Songkran , is the water-splashing festival celebration in the traditional new year for the Theravada Buddhist calendar widely celebrated across South and Southeast Asia in Bangladesh , Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar , Sri Lanka , Thailand , parts of northeast India , parts of Vietnam , and Xishuangbanna , China begins on 13 April of
1271-528: The popular tourist suburb of Haymarket, New South Wales . In Melbourne , the Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) New Year festival is held annually in Dandenong, Victoria . In 2011, it attracted more than 5000 people and claims to be the largest Sinhalese New Year Festival in Melbourne. The Queen Victoria Market held a two-day Songkran event celebrating the Thai New Year in early April 2017. Songkran celebrations celebrating
Chiefdom of Mangshi - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-525: The region and routinely sent officials to the area for direct supervision and control. This well-established system was only fully replaced by the Chinese government in 1953. 1953 also marked the end of the ancient ruling family that was in place since the Jinghong Kingdom. The last king, Chao Hmoam Gham Le (Dao Shixun in Chinese), then became the deputy head of Xishuangbanna prefecture. The original areas of
1353-674: The same festival. In February 2015, the Freer and Sackler gallery in Washington D.C. held a Lunar New Year event celebrating the " Year of the Sheep " which also celebrated the Lunar New Year that occurs in mid-April for many other Asian countries. It included activities, information and food from China, Korea, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and other Asian countries that celebrated either of the two new year celebrations. Similarly in 2016, The Wing in Seattle held
1394-426: The same name, both meaning 'Northern Tai' ( lue and nüa are cognate). Although they are officially recognized as a single people by the Chinese state, these Tai people form several distinct cultural and linguistic groups. The two main languages of the Dai are Dai Lü (Sibsongbanna Dai) and Dai Nüa (Daihong Dai); two other written languages used by the Dai are Tày Pong and Tai Dam . They all are Tai languages ,
1435-551: The sinicized Tai people living in Yunnan. The term is derived from the Chinese term 傣族人; pinyin: Dǎizúrén which is translated in Shan as တႆးၸူး taj4 tsuu4 meaning "the Tai who are in association/united". Thailand Peoples classified as Dai in China speak the following Southwestern Tai languages . Yunnan (1998:150) lists 4 major Tai language varieties. In 109 BCE, the Han dynasty established
1476-531: The territory, and use the rule of primogeniture . In the Republic of China period, the central government used many methods try to abolish the Chiefdom of Mangshi, for example, established a direct control government "Luxi Administrate Bureau" ( 潞西设治局 ). But the Chiefdom of Mangshi allied with other chiefdoms to counteract the abolishment. At its worst, chiefdoms had a consideration for independence from China. Finally,
1517-481: The unrelated dominant ethnic groups of Myanmar , Cambodia and Sri Lanka . They are among the few native groups in China who nominally practice the Theravada school of Buddhism. The term Tai in China is also used sometimes to show that the majority of people subsumed under the "Dai" nationality are mainly speakers of Thai languages (i.e. Southwestern Tai languages). Some use the term Daizurian to refer specifically to
1558-436: The upper story being the living space and the bottom story as a storehouse. The bottom story can sometimes be wall-less. As an effect of living in a subtropical region, subsistence for many Dai include the use and growing of rice , coffee , rubber , tea , sugar , and many types of fruits . The Dai also have a highly developed handicraft industry which includes weaving , oil-pressing, winemaking , and bamboo work . Since
1599-461: The word Dai , like with the aforementioned Yao , is a Han Chinese cultural concept which has now been adopted by other languages such as English , French , and German (see respective Wikipedias). As a solution in the Thai language, however, as in English, the term Tai Lue can be used to mean Dai, despite referring to other groups as in the table below. This is because the two main groups actually bear
1640-661: The year. There are many names used to refer to the festival, such as Songkran in Thailand, Aluth Avurudda in Sri Lanka, Thingyan in Myanmar, Sangken in Northeast India, Sangrai in Bangladesh, Choul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, Pi Mai Lao in Laos, and Pōshuǐ jié in China and parts of northern Vietnam. In Thai , Songkran or Songkrant (outdated form) is a contractive form of Sangkran (sim kranti), which itself
1681-423: Was common among chieftains. Dai society has traditionally been patriarchal with women having low status and unable to inherit property. Girls (from age 7 or 8) were responsible for caring for younger children and domestic duties. When they became older, working in the rice fields to clear weeds, harvest, plant, etc. was included into their responsibilities. Today, Dai women and youth have more freedoms then they did in