Video

The Dai, living for thousands of years along the banks of the Mekong River, retain a culture distinct from their Han Chinese and other minority neighbors, but similar in many ways to ethnic "cousins" in nearby Burma, Thailand and Laos. Religion and tradition continue to influence daily lives and the Dai calendar of traditional festivals is getting increasing attention from Chinese and international tourists alike. This program, focusing on Dai customs and traditions, covers the raucous events that surround the Dai New Year (including the "Bathing Buddha" festival and dragon boat races) as well as Dai courtship and wedding rituals, traditional dances and the time-honored art of making Dai pottery, among other topics. The Dai, sometimes described as "animists in Buddhist robes", have been practicing Buddhists for more than a thousand years. They follow Hinayana, one of Buddhism's oldest surviving branches. As is the case in many cultures, strong threads of pre-Buddhist religious tradition are woven into Dai religious life. In addition to familiar Buddhist themes, the Dai religious tapestry includes also a dragon king who dwells beneath the Mekong and a pantheon of mischievous spirits and sprites.