Edward He
September 20th, 2004, 02:41 AM
The Dai Water-splashing Festival commemorates Sakyamuni (the Buddha).
This originates from the legend of "spraying fragrance and sprinkling
rain onto the Buddha at his birth." As both his birth and
enlightenment are related to water, Buddhist followers believe water
is no longer a common object, but a holy sweet dew and a symbol of
good luck. Goodwill and blessings are passed on in the water splashed
onto one another during the festival.
To enact the legend, the Dai people have built a dragon pavilion that
resembles the home of Syakyamuni's parents. To prepare for the
festival, the elders move the statue of Buddha to the pavilion, and
young people go to the local hills to pick flowers and mix them with
water from the clear spring wells. This fragrant mixture is poured
into the dragon channel. Glittering water sprays out of the dragon's
mouth, flows into the water umbrella and splashes onto the statue of
Buddha. At this sight, the crowd cheer and throng to the statue.
Wetting flowers and twigs in the holy water and sprinkling water onto
one another, they give their best wishes.
At the same time, Dai men set off firecrackers and beat an Elephant
Foot Drum, creating a vibrant and animated atmosphere. Spontaneously,
the crowd fetch water in buckets and splash to people around them.
For more details, please visit:
http://www.edward-adventures.com/Iti/WS.htm
This originates from the legend of "spraying fragrance and sprinkling
rain onto the Buddha at his birth." As both his birth and
enlightenment are related to water, Buddhist followers believe water
is no longer a common object, but a holy sweet dew and a symbol of
good luck. Goodwill and blessings are passed on in the water splashed
onto one another during the festival.
To enact the legend, the Dai people have built a dragon pavilion that
resembles the home of Syakyamuni's parents. To prepare for the
festival, the elders move the statue of Buddha to the pavilion, and
young people go to the local hills to pick flowers and mix them with
water from the clear spring wells. This fragrant mixture is poured
into the dragon channel. Glittering water sprays out of the dragon's
mouth, flows into the water umbrella and splashes onto the statue of
Buddha. At this sight, the crowd cheer and throng to the statue.
Wetting flowers and twigs in the holy water and sprinkling water onto
one another, they give their best wishes.
At the same time, Dai men set off firecrackers and beat an Elephant
Foot Drum, creating a vibrant and animated atmosphere. Spontaneously,
the crowd fetch water in buckets and splash to people around them.
For more details, please visit:
http://www.edward-adventures.com/Iti/WS.htm