Dai Ethnic Minority

Dai is one of 55 ethnic minorities officially listed in China. They live mainly in southwest China and have their own unique customs and language. Dai minority regards peacock and elephant as mascot, folk story of Dai is rich and colorful. Dai people like to live by water, love cleanly, bathe frequently, women love to wash hair, so Dai is known as “ethnic minority of water”. In the past, Dai people generally believed in southern Buddhism and primitive religions.
History of Dai Ethnic Minority
The ancestors of the present Dai minority first appeared as a political group in the Qin and Han dynasties, about 221 BC and AD 220. The first Dai prefecture was founded by emperor Wu in 109 BC during the western Han dynasty. This special region was located in southwest China, corresponding to the three provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. It provided a good climate for agriculture and encouraged the Dai people to develop new techniques, such as ploughing the land with oxen.
Distribution of Dai Ethnic Minority
Dai ethnic minority is distributed in China, India, Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries. They live mainly in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, as well as Gengma County and Menglian County in Yunnan province. The rest are scattered in more than 30 counties like Jingdong, Jinggu, Lancang, Xinping, Yuanjiang and Jinping.  
Dai Ethnic Towns

Yongxing Dai Ethnic Town
Gaoda Dai and Yi Ethnic Town
Wandian Dai Ethnic Town
Mangkuan Yi and Dai Ethnic Town
Longtan Yi and Dai Ethnic Town
Mengjiao Dai, Yi and Lahu Ethnic Town
Lishu Yi and Dai Ethnic Town
Pingcun Yi and Dai Ethnic Town
Dongpo Dai Ethnic Town
Wanbi Lisu and Dai Ethnic Town
Chuanfang Lisu and Dai Ethnic Town

Customs and Habits of Dai Ethnic Minority
Food and Drink
Like most people in southern China, the Dai people prefer rice as their staple food. They eat many kind of meat, including fish, chicken, duck, pork and beef, but they eat little or no mutton. Dai cuisine is spicy and sour flavors, such as pickled meat, fish, peas and bamboo shoots. Dai people are also famous for their roast chicken, which is cooked over a small heat until it becomes moist and goluptious. Dai people live mainly in moist and warm areas where the climate is conducive to the survival of large insects, which are also a favorite snack of the Dai people. They can be fried or roasted with spices. Dai people’s favorite drinks include homemade semi-fermented wine and large-leaf unscented tea.
Architecture
Dai Houses
Stilt style architecture is the feature of Dai house. Traditional Dai houses are square to rectangular and have two floors. The upper story serves as a living space for the family, while the lower story serves as a shelter for livestock and food storage. The family area usually has a room for eating, a room for work, reception area, bedrooms and a laundry balcony. The biggest advantage of this kind of house structure is to protect from flooding. As the Dai people live in a very humid climate, their homes are vulnerable to high water conditions, and living spaces on the ground floor can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. In addition, living on the second story, dampness and chill from the ground, insect invasion and other problems are easy to avoid.
Clothing
The historical Dai costume is made up of a short, narrow-sleeved dress worn with a sarong. Modern clothing has a wider range of styles, but there are some commonalities. Women’s underclothes are mostly in light colors like blue, spring green, pink or white. Many women wear a short-waisted shirt that exposes a portion of the lower back over these garments. The collar of a shirt is usually jewel-like. These are worn with a calf to floor-length narrow skirt and a bun hairstyle secured with a comb. The clothing of Dai male includes some similarities to female’s, such as the tight-sleeved and collarless jackets. These are worn with long, loose trousers. Headgear includes white, black and blue turbans. 
Music and Dance
Dai culture includes many songs and dances, among which the most popular are drum dance, peacock dance and lion dance. Among the various dances of the Dai minority, peacock dance is one of the dances that people love most and are most familiar with. The peacock dance is performed every year during buddhist festivals and welcoming the New Year. There are also some dances reflecting the production, life and customs, including hat dance, fan dance, garland dance, lotus dance, etc. They show some aspects of the daily life of Dai people through dance movements, and has a strong flavor of life. 
Most dances are accompanied by elephant foot drums, named for their shape. These drums were relatively long and made of hollow logs covered with the skins of sheep or pythons, then painted in bright colors and decorated with peacock feathers. The famous peacock dance is famous for its undulating arm and torso movements and steps that mimic the peacock’s behavior. These include walking, looking for water, looking around, bathing, drying the wings, spreading tail feathers, and flying away from the nest. These motions are usually interspersed with free-form dance movements determined by the performer.
Cultural Heritages of Dai Ethnic Minority

Dai Medicine
Zhaoshutun and Nanmunuona- Narrative Poem
Elephant-foot Drum Making Craft
Pattra-leaf Scriptures Making Craft
Brocade of Dai Ethnic Minority
Rituals of Life Cycle
Traditional Pottery-making Craft
White Elephant Dance and Deer Dance
Elephant-foot Drum Dance
Pineapple Rice

Inheritors

Bo Hanbing
Gen Dequan
Yu Xiangla
Yu La
Yu Meng
Ma Hazhuang
Ye Juan
Kang Langnuo
Wang Yuanzhou
Yang Yongfu
Dao Ganxiang
Han Gan
Yang Guizhen
Luo Meiying
Yin Nong
Yu Nannan
Yu Nan’en
Yanwen Hanzai
Yu Ershuai
Mi Me
Ruan Shilin
Bo Konglun
Bo Yinghan
Yi Xiang
Yu Latao
Jin Bao
Sai Bing
Zhan Mie
Nan Guangcai
Bo Wangdi
Qian Wenming
Dao Dewen
Yu Guang
Song Zirong
Mie Yezhang
Mi Zaijun
Feng Qinyin
Nan Zineng
Feng Zhonggui
Feng Jijin
Jing Jigui
Xiang Hen
Gong Si
Beng Deliang
Xianbo Hanliang
Jin Jiwen
Yin Mingzhen
Dao Yongguang
Dao La’ai
Bi Ya
Shao Meihan
Yan Handian
Bo Nanduan
Dao Shuming
Wan Xiaosan
Yan Wenyan
Feng Chuanshi
Kang Langtun
Yejuan
Yu Mengga
Jin Xingming
Dao Baoshun
Wang La
Yue Xiang
Si Huazhang

Festivals and Activities of Dai Ethnic Minority

Bag-throwing Festival For Three Countries
Sand Pile Activity of Mengwo Temple
Water Splashing Festival in Menglian
Siyueba (April 8th) Festival/Water Splashing Festival
Woba Festival
Shengmian Festival
Water Splashing Festival in Yuanyang
Loy Krathong Festival
Water Splashing Festival in Jinghong
Water Splashing Festival in Menghai
Ganbai Festival
Water Splashing Festival in Mengla
Caihua Festival or Flowers Picking Festival
Xuntianba Festival
Songlong (Dragon Worship) Festival
Huajie (Flower Street) Festival
Guanmen (Closing Door) Festival
Chuwa Festival and Ganduo Festival
Water Splashing Festival in Dehong
Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna
Water Splashing Festival in Jinping
Men’s Day of Dai Ethnic Minorities
Flower-collecting and Water Splashing Festival
Holy Fish Festival
Water Splashing Festival of Dai Ethnic Minority
Kaimen (Opening Door) Festival

Keep Reading

Ruili City- Hometown of Peacock Dance
Dabinglangyuan Village Dai (Huayao Dai) Ethnic Culture Protection Area in Gasa Town of Xinping County, Yuxi
Manting Dai Ethnic Culture Protection Area in Menghan Town, Jinghong City
Dadenghan Village Dai Ethnic Culture Protection Area in Ruili City, Dehong
Stupa, Temple and Young Buddhist Monks of Dai Ethnic Minority
Carpet-Wrapping Courting and Threading-Tying Marriage of Dai Ethnic Minority
Fragrant Couch-Grass Barbecue and Fragrant Bamboo Rice by Dai Ethnic Minority
Bamboo Houses in Green Trees of Dai Ethnic Minority
The Clean and Nice-looking Wells of Dai Ethnic Minority
Interesting Placenames of Dai Ethnic Minority
Dai Ethnic Minority: A water-loving Minority