THE DAI PEOPLE OF SOUTHWEST CHINA

Dai Girls at Akha Festival

The Dai  

    The Dai as many of the other minority groups have traditionally grown rice as their main crop developing a relatively intensive farming system using irrigation.  

     Other local products include rice, sugar cane, coffee, hemp, rubber, camphor and a wide variety of fruits.  And they love sour and hot flavors.  In addition to beef, chicken and duck, they enjoy fish and shrimp.  Cabbages, carrots, bamboo soots and beans are among the popular vegetables.  The Dai also love wine, liquor, and betel nuts.

     The dense forests produce large amounts of teak, sandalwood and medicinal plants, and are home to wild animals including elephants, wild tigers, leopards, golden-haired monkeys, and peacocks.

   

      I was fascinated to read accounts from Chinese documents of the ninth century, that the Dai had a well developed agriculture and used oxen and elephants to till the land, grew large quantities of rice and had built an extensive irrigation system.  They used kapok for weaving, panned salt and made weapons of metal.  They plated their teeth with gold and silver.

     These people continued to prosper during the Yuan  (1271-1368) and early Ming (1368-1644) dynasties but with the advent of the Kuomintang, national oppression and feudalistic rule forced many to flee their villages.

     Most Dai people are followers of Hinayana a sect of Buddhism, while retaining remnants of shamanism.  Formerly there were many Buddhist temples in the countryside and it was common practice to send young boys to the temples to learn to read and write and chant scriptures.  Some became monks but most returned to the secular life.  

  

A Sacred Village Water Well 

     During the Cultural Revolution, most temples were desecrated and destroyed.  Some were saved by serving as granaries, but many are now being rebuilt from scratch.  Temples are also regaining their role as village schools.

    The Dai live in spacious wooden houses (found near rivers or streams among clusters of bamboo) raised on stilts, to keep themselves off the damp earth  They keep livestock and storage below. 

Eating at Festival

Preserved Dai Village 

     The traditional clothing for men consisted of a collarless tight-sleeved short jacket, with the opening at the front or along the right side, and long baggy trousers.  They wore black or white turbans.  Tatooing was common.  When a boy reached 10 or 12, a tattoo artist was invited to tattoo his body and limbs with designs of animals, flowers, geometric patterns or the Dai written script. 

Lovely Dai Women in Contemporary Dress

     Women wore tight-sleeved short dresses and sarongs.  I wonder what changes have brought to these traditions?  

      In addition to studying the region, I have been trying to find  a local contact to help us with lodging and local exploration.  After one month of searching, I finally found someone who returned my email with helpful information.  Sara of Forest Cafe in Jinghong, the capital of Xishuangbanna.  We have arranged guest house lodging and village and market journeys with her.