Embedded Files
Dai Drama
Dai Drama
Dai people have their own drama, in which performers perform the traditional stories of Dai people.
Earlier plays include "Gongsun Plowing the Field","Twelve Horses" and so on. At the beginning of the 20th century, Yingjiang established the first Dai theatre Company, which make Dai drama becoming known for more people.
Dai paper cut
Dai paper cut
The earliest form of Dai paper originated from the sacrifice rituals of the Dai people, where they cut paper into different objects to sacrifice. Later, it was gradually developed and enriched under the influence of Buddhist culture and Han culture.
Today, It is widely used in Dai sacrifice rituals, funeral, celebration and home decoration.
The subject of paper-cutting of Dai is mostly animals and plants. Most of the works depict white elephants, peacocks with opening screens, tigers, forests, golden roosters, white cranes, lotus, camellia, chrysanthemum and other flowers.
Under the influence of Buddhism, religion becomes a main subject of Dai paper cutting art.
Peacocks with opening screens are most common theme in Dai paper cutting art.
A Dai artist with one of her beautiful works.
Dai brocade
Dai brocade
There are two types of Dai style brocade: cotton brocade and silk brocade.
The cotton brocade is usually weaved with red or black weft. A combination of red, black, green, and green is commonly used in Dehong area. There are often patterns being waved on Dai brocade: lions, elephants, peacocks, trees and so on.
The silk brocade is mostly used as a quilt and also as a decorative fabric for arts and crafts.
A Dai woman is making brocade.
A Dai woman is making brocade.
Dai Music (Instrument)
Dai Music (Instrument)
The most famous folk music instruments of the Dai people include elephant foot drums and Hulusi .
- The Elephant foot drum is an important folk percussion instrument of the Dai. The drum gets its name because its shape looks like an elephant's foot.
2. The Hulusi is a free reed wind instrument, which held vertically and has three bamboo pipes that pass through a gourd wind chest; the center pipe has finger holes and the outer two are typically drone pipes.
The tone of the Hulusi is beautiful, soft, round and gentle. The famous composer Shi Guangnan once created the famous song "Phoenix Bamboo in the Moonlight", which made the Hulusi music popular all over the country.
A performer performs Hulusi
Dai men are playing the elephant foot drum.
Dai people performing elephant foot drum dance
This is how a Hulusi look like
Dai Dance
Dai Dance
There are many kinds of Dai dances, which mostly are characterized by their imitation of animals.
- One type of Dai dance called 凡光 (Fan Guang). It is the dance performed by Dai drummers. Some examples include elephant foot drums dance.
- 凡整 (FanZheng) is a martial arts dance, including boxing dance, stick dance, sword dance and so on. Percussion instruments such as drums, cymbals, and cymbals are often played during performances. The pace and rhythm of the performers should be coordinated with the drums.
- Among the various Dai dances, Peacock Dance is one of the most popular and familiar dances, and it is also one of the dances with the greatest change and development. The peacock dance is performed every year during Buddhist festivals and the Dai New Year. one of the most famous peacock dance performer is called Liping Yang.
peacock dance by Liping Yang
A Dai man performing the martial arts dance
Page updated
Report abuse