What is the origin of the Songkran Festival?

Analysis:

The origin of Songkran Festival

A story told by a dervish: Meng Gu, a prodigy, committed suicide by betting with Song Jiang, a Taoist priest. Where did his head roll and where did it catch fire? His seven daughters had to take turns holding their heads in their hands. Everyone threw water at his daughter, trying to put out the fire and save her. So the Songkran Festival was formed.

Nudan finished the story of the Songkran Festival in one breath and won applause and cheers from men, women and children on the bus. Everyone said: Although everyone has heard about the formation of the Water-splashing Festival from their parents or elders, and the content is likely to be different, no one can say it in such a detailed and vivid way. Everyone praises Nudan for his eloquence. He must be a writer if he can go to college for further study.

Wu Yonggang said, "I have lived with the Thai family for four or five years and spent four or five water-splashing festivals in the village of Taijia, but I don't know the origin of the water-splashing festival. Just now, I heard an anecdote about the Water-splashing Festival, but what we heard was probably different. Who here can tell you a different story? "

At that time, sitting on the side of a yellow robe old monk said:

"If you are interested, don't think the old monk is clumsy, and don't think the old monk's eloquence is not good. Wait for the old monk to contribute another statement. "

Most monks in China wear "clothes", that is, black robes, and sometimes gray or brown, but never a monk wears a yellow robe. This is because China has always regarded "yellow" as the supreme and noble color, and only the royal family can take it. In the Qing dynasty, only the empress dowager could wear yellow clothes. In addition to the yellow jacket given by the emperor as a "grace" and a special "royal gift", Lian Jin is not allowed to wear it by his own brothers, and if he wears it, he will be rebellious and guilty, so he can copy it from the same door. The ritual system is so, not to mention the monk.

Thai monks, but everyone must wear yellow robes and red robes, and most of them are silk. Red and yellow are very striking. Buddhism in China is Mahayana Buddhism, which was introduced from India. Buddhists are not allowed to eat meat, because silk is spun after silkworm chrysalis is boiled and used to make a silk robe. I wonder how many silkworm chrysalis will die. Therefore, it is a sin to wear silk robes, and monks are not allowed to wear them. Buddhism in Thailand is Hinayana Buddhism introduced from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the 3rd century. Although we also pay attention to not killing, we also pay attention to "letting go". On some festivals, every household will buy a lot of live fish and release them into the river. But you can eat meat, even monks can eat meat on one condition: you can eat animals that you didn't kill yourself. Therefore, Buddhists in Thailand can use chicken, duck and fish to "fast monks". When they go to the vegetable market to buy chickens, they can only buy dead ones, and they can only buy dead ones when they buy fish. If the only fish seller is live fish, he will ask you to come back later. You go to another place for three to five minutes and then come back. The fishmonger has smashed the live fish into dead fish, so you can buy it and eat it. Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand. Except for a few Christians, almost everyone is a Buddhist, but I don't know if those who fish and sell fish are Buddhists.

Thai monks can't make their own fires and cook. They got up early in the morning, with bowls in their hands, and went to the villages to "melt rice" first. Because local people think that if they meet a monk early in the morning, they can bring good luck to themselves and their whole family, so good men and women, especially the rich and expensive, mostly prepare fast food at home early in the morning, waiting for the monk to come to the door for alms. Vegetarian meals are mainly rice, rice cakes, and meat dishes such as pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, fish and shrimps, fruits and vegetables.

Only gamblers are exceptions. They think that when they meet a monk in the morning, they will lose like a monk's head: naked Therefore, most gamblers don't go out in the morning to avoid meeting monks.

From August 16th to November 15th of the lunar calendar, this three-month period is the "Summer Festival". Monks are not allowed to go out, so they can only meditate in the temple and wait for the benefactor to give alms. 1 1 month 15 After the "Thank Summer Festival", we can help others.

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(1) lunar calendar-The lunar calendar in Thailand is different from that in China. The Chinese lunar calendar is about one month later than the Gregorian calendar, and the August 16 of the lunar calendar is about the middle and late September of the Gregorian calendar; The lunar calendar in Thailand is about one month earlier than the Gregorian calendar. The lunar calendar is August 16, which is about the middle of July in the Gregorian calendar.

Dervishes wear yellow robes when they go out. The robe is equipped with six pieces of corset and waist, while the bowl of Huazhai is put in a cloth bag, hung on the shoulder with a cloth belt and hidden under the right armpit of the robe; Bring a bag with a blanket inside for sitting on the floor or when the weather suddenly turns cold in the morning and evening; Take a red cloth umbrella. It's getting dark. No matter where you go, you can spend the night on the floor with an umbrella. Some monks still keep the habit of eat areca, carrying a small bag with them, that is, a betel nut bag, which contains betel nuts instead of counting beads.

Thai monks only eat two meals a day: one at 8: 00 in the morning and one at 11: 30 at noon. They don't eat after noon, but they can drink water.

Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand, and the central government has a Ministry of Religious Affairs, with a Taoist priest in the royal family as the minister, commonly known as the "monk king". An adult man must become a monk in a temple once after he is twenty, even a king. Generally, parents and relatives will accompany them before the summer festival, go to the temple to recite scriptures and practice under the drum music ceremony. They can't get married until they live for at least three months, otherwise they can't even get married. Monks who have been monks for several years can also be secular, get married and start a family. So the old dervish is especially respected.

With the accelerated pace of life, modern Thais, especially those in big cities, are not very particular about the ceremony and time of becoming a monk. Many people only go to the temple for three days to tell a story, and even if they become monks, they can get a wife.

There are monks but no nuns in Thailand, and women don't become monks. Not only can a woman not become a monk, but she can't touch any part of the monk's body. Otherwise, women are unlucky for ten years and monks are unlucky for eleven years. Therefore, no matter where you go, monks can never sit side by side with women.

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Today, the 50-and 60-year-old monk tells you another story about the Water-splashing Festival. Let's clap warmly first, and then listen. The following is the story told by the old dervish.

The Songkran Festival is also called "Songjiang Festival" and "Song Jiangnan". Overseas Chinese from China believe that this is related to Song Jiang, the hero of the Water Margin, and they also fabricated the story that the Three Heroes of Ruan Jinyong went to Viet Nam to be the king. Actually, that's far-fetched. Song Jiang in Thailand has nothing to do with Song Jiang in Liangshan, Shui Bo, but the names are similar. Correctly speaking, it should be called Gan Song, not Song Jiang.

A long time ago, we had a middle-aged couple in Thailand, who were well-off, charitable, hardworking and devout. But I don't know why. Both husband and wife are in their forties, and they have not even given birth to a son. They offer sacrifices to the god of the sun and the moon twice a day, and they have never made a mistake for several years, which is still invalid. The husband and wife are so worried that they don't know if they did something evil in their last life or if they accidentally made something wrong in this life.

One day, a beggar came to the door. The old couple lent the best food at home to the monk, and then sat down and sighed again and again. The dervish asked them what was bothering them, but the old couple didn't hide it. They told the story that they were in their forties and had no children. The dervish closed his eyes, nodded, opened his eyes and enlightened them.

"You two, because of past disrespect for the Buddha, said blasphemy against the Buddha, and the Buddha punished you for having no children in this life. But I think you are respectful and pious in this life, and you are destined to have three sons in the next life. If you can continue to do good, the old monk will teach you a way. Maybe the Buddha will kindly lend one of your three sons in his next life. "

The old couple were very happy to hear that their son in the next life could be lent to this world. They immediately prayed to the old monk and asked him to teach this wonderful method. The old monk said:

"You two, fast and bathe for three days first, and don't have sex with each other. Then you take a basket of white rice and destroy it in clear water for seven times. After nightfall, it will be provided under the big banyan tree in the mountain. Seven nights in a row without interruption. Seven nights later, you share the same room. If you feel the tree god, you may win a person; If your prayers are not answered, your child will probably be hopeless in this life. "

After saying this, the old monk Tuobo read "Amitabha" and continued on his way. The old couple listened to the old monk. After bathing that night, the two men fasted separately and recited scriptures behind closed doors. Three days later, they selected a basket of good white rice, pumped clean water from the well and washed it carefully for seven times until there was no muddy water at all. Only then did they get incense sticks under the big banyan tree in the mountain, and the couple prayed silently again, and then went home to sleep.

For seven nights in a row, on the eighth night, the husband and wife stayed together. In order to have children, to cheer up, to fall in love with the phoenix, and to reconcile Yin and Yang, they almost didn't sleep for a night. I miss you, but I want a man.

The banyan god was worshipped by the old couple for seven nights and was very moved. He confessed to the Buddha and sent the prodigy to be reborn as the son of the old couple.

The old couple had a son in middle age and were very happy. At the full moon of the Three Dynasties, they invited guests from all over the world and named their son "Meng Gu".

Xiao is a banyan prodigy, and he is naturally clever. When you are seven years old, you are smarter than someone's seventeen-year-old child. You don't have to go to school, you are born to read, write and calculate, and you can worship Buddha, not to mention. At the age of ten, he knew the past and future of the world. Someone came to ask good or ill luck, and it was accurate. So one word spread to ten words, and ten words spread to a hundred words. In a few years, people from far and near didn't know how to dream, and they all said that he was a living fairy. People respectfully call him "Dingmeng", which means "Buddha". People thousands of miles away have difficult questions and come to ask. The entrance of Meng Gu is more lively than the market, and it is often crowded with people, so it can't be squeezed in.

There is a Taoist priest named "Song Jiang" in the distance. He has been a teacher since childhood and has some magical powers. Originally, people had questions and asked him. Ever since I had a dream, I have been much more accurate than him. People went to Meng Gu, and gradually no one went to look for him. I have to be excluded, and business is slow.

Song Jiang didn't say he was incompetent, but complained that Meng Gu had robbed his business. One day, he visited Meng Gu and said with malicious intent:

"Mr Solid dream, everyone says you are smart, can know the past and the future, and live to be a fairy. Come to my house for consultation today. I have a question here, which I don't quite understand. Please answer: where is the human spirit in the body at three o'clock every morning, noon and evening? Please give me seven days, within seven days, if you answer, I will thank myself; If you still can't answer after seven days, it means that your' dream-building' is false, at least it has deceived the world and deceived the masses. Please thank yourself. "

Say that finish, whether solid dream listen to or not, swaggering away.

When I got this question, I immediately closed the door and thanked the guests. I shut myself in my room and meditated day and night. I thought for six days and six nights in a row, turned round and round in the room, and beat my head frequently, but I still couldn't find the correct answer.

"It seems that my intelligence has dried up. I'm dumber than a fool. What face does a fool like me have to live in the world? I would rather find a quiet place to commit suicide than let others cut off my head tomorrow. "

Thinking of this, he bid farewell to his parents, went into the mountain alone, closed his eyes and meditated under a big banyan tree, used his brains, continued to think hard and made a final effort.

After nightfall, there was no moonlight in the sky, the Woods were dark, and the fields were silent except for the rustling of the breeze blowing through the treetops. Meng Gu leaned against the trunk of the banyan tree and thought: If I still can't figure out the answer this last night, I will commit suicide at dawn tomorrow.

At this moment, I suddenly heard two owls croak in the tree and began to talk.

"Old woman, what shall we eat tomorrow?"

"Old man, didn't I tell you that we can eat the meat we dream of early tomorrow morning?"

"Isn't Meng Gu still alive?"

"Until now, he hasn't figured out the problem that Song Jiang gave him. Tomorrow is the seventh day. He doesn't want to die! "

"Poor guy, a clever boy like Meng Gu really shouldn't die like this!

Maybe, sung river that problem, really so difficult? "

"Hey, is there any difficulty? Some people are stupid all their lives! He tried his best to think about the difficulty, but it became more and more difficult. In fact, this topic is the simplest. "

"So, you know the answer?"

"You don't even have to think about such a simple topic. Who doesn't know? "

"You'd better tell me."

"Do you think about it, a person in the morning, wash your face first, spirit. Isn't the elf on his face? "

"Yes, it is on the face. What about noon? "

"It's very hot at noon. After taking a bath, I feel cool and calm. Is the spirit not in my heart? "

"Yes, that makes sense. What about at night? "

"Before going to bed at night, everyone should wash their feet. If they don't wash their feet, they will be upset and can't sleep. After washing your feet, you feel relaxed, which means that the elves are on your feet at night. Isn't this obvious? "

"Hey, it's a pity that a clever boy like Meng Gu can't even answer such a simple question. He deserves to make breakfast for the old couple tomorrow. "

"You can be quiet, don't let Meng Gu hear, we will fly early tomorrow morning!"

"Snapping", a dewdrop just landed on Meng Gu's eyebrows, waking him from his sleep. Ah, after six days and six nights of meditation, he was so tired that he leaned against the tree and fell asleep unconsciously. When I opened my eyes, it was already dawn. Ah, this is my last moment. It's time to end my short life. Oh, no, he suddenly remembered the conversation between two owls in the dream. Is this because I think about it day and night, or is it because Banyan's mother saw that I had difficulty in saving me with my dreams? Whatever the reason, the owl is absolutely right. Well, I don't have to die. I'm saved.

Solid dream back to his home, waiting for sung river to visit. Anyone in the local area who knew that the two men were betting came to Gu's door early this morning to see who won and who lost.

Before dark in the afternoon, Sung River arrived as scheduled. When he came in, he bowed and asked:

"Smart dream, can you answer the question I asked you?"

Solid dream crossing their gifts, simply say:

"Such a simple question, in fact, you don't have to wait seven days. At that time, I can answer you. I just don't know what you said, is it still? "

"The man's words are spoken, and they are to be taken back. In front of so many folks, I still said: You guessed right, I thank you; If you can't guess, thank me. Now please tell your answer! "

Solid dream in no hurry, said slowly:

"People's elves, get up early to wash your face, and the elves are washing their faces; Take a bath at noon, and the elves are in their hearts; Wash your feet at night, and the elves are at your feet. Excuse me, Master Song Jiang, is it true or not? "

Solid dream every answer, sung river's face suddenly changed, first from yellow to white, and then from white to blue, and finally like dark clouds, the appearance of the storm is coming, look sad to say:

"Hard dream is hard dream, sung river is not as stupid as you. I will never break my word in front of people. Now I will kill myself to thank you. "

Say and draw out a sword to a horizontal neck, solid dream to stop, it is too late.

Song Jiang's head fell to the ground, where it rolled, and it caught fire, and the house was reduced to ashes, and the field became scorched earth; Rolling into the river, the river boiled and dried up instantly; Rolling into the sky, there was another sun in the sky. The sun was like fire, and the earth was burning, which immediately caused a great drought.

The people fell into an unprecedented disaster. Smart dreams are at their wit's end.

Song Jiang has seven daughters. I heard that my father committed suicide and left his head behind to continue the harm. I came in a hurry. The eldest daughter held her father's head in a tray and held it in her hand. The flame immediately filled her whole body. In order to prevent the villagers from being coated with charcoal, she did not throw the tray down, but endured the pain and held it tightly. The two sisters quickly drew water from a copper basin and poured it on her to ease her sister's pain. When the villagers heard the news, they all poured water on her.

Since then, Song Jiang's head has been held by his seven daughters in turn and changed once a year.

On the day of the rotation, the sisters had a big party, and all the Shintoists came to participate, and everyone helped splash water together. -it has been handed down to this day, so it has formed a festival for the Thai people: the Water-splashing Festival.

The story of the dervish has also been applauded by everyone.

Songkran Festival is also called Songkran Festival, and Chinese people mistakenly call it Songjiang Festival. This was originally the New Year in the old Thai calendar. Since Thailand changed to the Gregorian calendar in 1940, the Songkran Festival (Gregorian calendar, 13- 16 April) has been designated as a traditional festival in Thailand, with two days off, even the diplomatic envoys abroad are no exception. This situation is very similar to China's designation of the New Year as the Spring Festival in the old calendar.

In fact, the Songkran Festival is a traditional religious ceremony of Brahmanism in India: on one day every year, believers go to the river to take a bath to wash away all sins. The crime of people with mobility difficulties, old people and relatives carrying water from the river to go home for washing. This ceremony was later spread to Myanmar and Thailand, and the time was set on the last three days of the year in Myanmar, about the middle of April in the solar calendar; Thailand will celebrate the Thai New Year on April 13- 16 of the Gregorian calendar.

The Songkran Festival in Thailand is rich in activities, not limited to splashing water. There are song and dance performances in Royal Tian Square and Jiudi Park in the capital Bangkok, as well as traditional monkey and puppet shows. The most lively place is the ancient city of Chiang Mai, which is not only the first country established after the Thai people moved south from China, but also the original residence of Gan Song, so it is also the birthplace of Gan Song Festival. After the development of tourism in Thailand, Chiang Mai has also become a key tourist area. Every year, a large number of foreign tourists come to visit the Songkran Festival, which is as lively as Christians' pilgrimage to Mecca. There is a direct train service between Chiang Mai and Bangkok. In order to develop tourism, an airport was built.

Of course, the main activity of the Songkran Festival is splashing water. In addition to splashing water, there are some activities as follows:

The main activity is a pious "bathing Buddha" ceremony: after fasting and bathing, good men and women hold incense sticks, flowers and offerings, and go to nearby temples in groups to pray and listen to monks chanting. Monks used peach branches to sprinkle perfume soaked in petals on people's heads, and then invited the Buddha statue on the lotus throne to the yard and drenched it with turmeric water and perfume.

Secondly, "piling sand", people use silver bowls to get sand from the river, send it to the courtyard of the temple, gather the sand into towers, insert colorful flags and flowers, and finally scatter the sand all over the yard.

"Release" is the main form of practicing good deeds. During the Songkran Festival, people will send the fish and birds they feed or buy to the river or release them in the wild.

The most * * * holiday activity is to celebrate * * *. Among them, Chiang Mai's * * is the most wonderful. * * * in Chiang Mai is organized by * * * and led by a national band. The musicians wore thick blue shirts peculiar to northern Thailand and played beautiful Thai music while walking. There are floats, elephants and songs and dances in the team. One of the most striking is the "Queen of the Songkran Festival", who is beautifully dressed and sits on a float painted with rare birds and animals. Behind the float is an antique huge chariot carrying a giant Buddha. Behind the chariot is a group of "Boxers" performing martial arts. Behind the Wushu team is a group of girls who perform the nail dance. This is a Thai song and dance with national characteristics. The audience waiting by the roadside has prepared buckets of water, and when the team arrives, pour another spoonful. Residents living in buildings facing the street poured water on the balcony. Those who got drenched happily sang a song of thanks to those who splashed water. Because whoever is splashed the most and wettest is the most popular and happiest person.

The Songkran Festival is popular not only in Myanmar and Thailand, but also in many countries in Southeast Asia.

But the forms of splashing water vary from place to place. In addition to symbolically sprinkling a little perfume on the elderly, Thais will chase each other among their peers and splash each other with large pots of clear water. In India, people spray red water on each other. In Cambodia, they have to immerse each other in the water.

There are many different legends about the origin of the Songkran Festival, all of which are myths.

Some places say: Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who was taken away by the devil. The princess killed the devil tactfully and fled back. But she was covered with the blood of the devil, so people poured water on her to clean her body. Since then, there has been a water-splashing festival.

Some places say: when the universe was just formed, Indra and Brahma competed to count the number of calendars and agreed to gamble. Master gavalomi ruled that Brahma's calculation was wrong, so Indra cut off his head. Unexpectedly, his head was put on the ground like a fire, and the earth withered immediately; Put it in the sea, and the ocean will dry up immediately. No way, people have to keep throwing water on it. Inherited, formed the Songkran Festival.

Some places say that in April of a certain year, the weather was extremely hot, and countless people died of heatstroke. It happened that Zheng He, the eunuch of Sambo in the Ming Dynasty, went to the Western Ocean and passed through Myanmar to sprinkle water on people suffering from heatstroke, and all the people suffering from heatstroke were cured. That day is April 15, so on this day every year, people will splash water on each other in order to eliminate disasters and gain happiness. Since then, the Songkran Festival has been formed.

Stories like this can of course continue. Because of the allusions about the water-splashing festival, there are too many different legends all over the country. But then the carriage stopped. There is a landslide ahead, with mountains on one side and abyss on the other. Rock and mud blocked the road. A dozen workers are cleaning with carts, and the carriage can't be pulled at all. They have to let everyone off, take the luggage down, unload the horse, take this special carriage apart, and then carry it on the horse and reassemble it.

Everyone on the bus took part in the work, including women. Only the dervish does not take part in any labor according to the custom, but after getting off the bus, he uses the blanket as a cushion, meditates cross-legged, twists beads with his hands, closes his eyes and recites scriptures, as if praying for the Buddha's blessing to pass this dangerous road smoothly.

By the time the carriage was reassembled on the other side of the mudslide, everyone was tired and it was already noon. The coachman brought clean water from the river for the horses to drink, and took out forage to feed the animals. Everyone also takes this opportunity to poke.

This lunch has everything. Wu Yonggang ate canned food; Most people eat cakes; There is also the unique "bamboo rice" of the Thai people. This is to use a section of bamboo, make a small opening in the section, pour in rice and water, then seal the small opening and put it on the fire for direct barbecue. After the rice is cooked, because it is sealed, it is equal to canned food. It will not rot after being put for a long time, and it tastes like bamboo. When eating, break the bamboo tube in half with a knife and grab it with your hands, which is especially suitable for eating outside.

Everyone brings dry food except the dervish. He is a man of practice who eats all directions. According to the custom of "fasting monks" in Thailand, as long as others have food to eat, they will not worry about not having food without him.

Sure enough, before dinner, except Wu Yonggang, everyone took something out of their dry food bags and gave it to him. In a short time, there was a pile in front of him.

Although he is not young, he eats more than anyone else. This is because according to the Thai monk's "no food in the afternoon" rule, this is his last meal today. If you want to eat again, you have to wait until tomorrow morning.

After eating and drinking enough, these people returned to their original positions and continued on their way.