Speak of the Buddha--A Study of Dai Ethnic Religion in Xishuangbanna

Author: Arisama Iwao (Editor-in-Chief), Sinna (Author)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The Dai people are a hardworking, kind, intelligent, and innovative ethnic group that loves learning and strives for progress. Throughout their long history, the Dai people have created a splendid and vibrant cultural heritage, and religious culture is one of its unique aspects. For a long time, many people's perception of Xishuangbanna has been limited to its beautiful scenery, lush forests, tranquil bamboo houses, and graceful Dai girls. In reality, however, much is often overlooked. Xishuangbanna is an area where indigenous and foreign religions have been perfectly blended. Before eating, Dai people will gently pour a little wine from their cups onto the edge of the table and recite prayers to show respect to the gods. Reciting scriptures is a daily requirement for young monks in temples. Many of them do not understand the content of the scriptures, as they contain many Pali words, but their devotion is the same. Such practices are often difficult for a passerby to observe. Sinna's monograph is the result of her long-term research and investigation, and many of the materials in it are now considered extremely valuable. Due to historical reasons, only a small portion of Dai historical records have been preserved intact to this day, with many relying on oral transmission from the elderly, especially many customs, which are beginning to fade among the younger generation. Personally, I sincerely hope that the preservation of this culture is not solely reliant on a few such monographs. This book studies the origins, development, and interrelationships of various cultural phenomena in the folk religious culture of the Dai people in Xishuangbanna. In the past, research on Dai folk religion was often constrained by various factors and considered a "forbidden zone," receiving insufficient attention and yielding very few academic achievements. To date, there have been some monographs on the topic, but most have only scratched the surface. The publication of this book will serve as a comprehensive and systematic monograph introducing and researching the folk religious culture of the Dai people. Readers will gain insights from this book beyond Theravada Buddhism. As a form of social consciousness and spiritual culture, religion holds an important position in the history of human thought development. The completion of this book provides rich anthropological materials for studying the origins and development of Dai thought and religion. It also offers new, more scientific evidence for understanding the origins, development, and decline of religion. At the same time, religious belief issues are significant social and ethnic problems in the Dai region. This book will contribute to addressing religious and ethnic issues in the Dai region, promoting material and spiritual civilization development in the area.