| Water Sprinkling Day | |
On April 12 each year, people of the Dai minority in South China celebrate the beginning
of their New Year in a unique way. They sprinkle barrels of water at each other freely
to convey their best wishes.
To commemorate the seven brave and kindhearted girls, April 12 was set as
Water Sprinkling Day by their clansmen. The festival has been celebrated by
generations of people and is now becoming more popular than ever.
Written by our column writer Ye Qinfa.
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This custom originates from a sentimental legendary story. Long long ago, there
lived a devil near where Dai people lived. The devil committed all kinds of evil
deeds to the residents. Every year he would come to the villages and force a girl
to be his woman. All people were angry with him. Yet, no one could do anything to him,
for the devil was very well self-protected. One year, however, the girl who had
been taken as the devil's seventh woman, was so clever that she had an idea to
prevent the evils. One night, she managed to please the devil and make him over
drink. Then she succeeded in discovering his weakness when he was in a drowsy
condition. She found out that the devil could only be subdued by twining his long
hair round his neck. She called in the other six girls. They stealthily cut down
some hair from the devil's head and bound his neck tightly with it. In a rush,
the head fell onto the ground. But unexpectedly, the head began to emit fire so
wildly that it seemed that the fire would soon become uncontrollable. The girls
tried to put out the fire by sprinkling water at the head but it was useless.
Then a girl accidentally touched the head. To their surprise, the fire was out.
But when it was released, it started to burn again.
To stop the devil from doing any harm, the girls had to hold the head in turn
all the time. The holder was changed once a year on April 12.
They all felt the devil's head was filthy.
So when one girl was holding it, the others sprinkled water at her body,
trying to wash away the filth.