What is the origin of the Songkran Festival?

analysis:

the origin of the water-splashing festival

the story told by the dervish: a child prodigy Gu Meng bet with Taoist Song Jiang, who committed suicide because of losing the bet. 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 in an attempt to put out the fire and save her. So the Songkran Festival was formed.

Nudan told the story of the Water-splashing Festival in one breath, which 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 parents or elders, and the content is likely to be different, no one can say it in such detail and vividly. Everyone praises Nudan as a good eloquence. If he can go to college for further study, he must be a writer.

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

At this moment, an old monk with a yellow robe and a bowl sitting in the side room spoke:

"If you are interested, you don't think that the old monk is inarticulate and eloquent. Wait for the old monk to contribute another version."

Most monks in China wear "clothes", that is, black robes, and sometimes they wear gray or brown, but never any monks wear yellow robes. 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. Except for the yellow jacket which was given by the Emperor as a "grace" and a special "royal gift", Lian Jin was not allowed to wear it by his own brothers, and if he wore it, he would be rebellious and guilty, so he could be copied with his 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 eye-catching. Buddhism in China is Mahayana Buddhism, which was introduced from India. Buddhists are not allowed to eat meat, because silk is silk spun after silkworm chrysalis is boiled to death to make a silk robe. I don't know how many silkworm chrysalis will die. Therefore, it is too sinful to wear silk robes, and monks are not allowed to wear them. Buddhism in Thailand is a Hinayana Buddhism introduced from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) in the 13th century. Although it also pays attention to not killing animals, it also pays attention to "releasing them". On certain festivals, every household has to buy a lot of live fish and release them to 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 the killed ones, and they can only buy the dead ones when they buy fish. If the fish vendor only has live fish, he will ask you to come back later. You go to another place for three or five minutes and come back. The fishmonger has already 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 don't make a fire to cook by themselves. They get up early in the morning, holding a bowl in their hands, and go to the villages to "make a fast" 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 rich, mostly prepare fast food at their doorstep early in the morning, waiting for the monks to come to the door and ask for alms. The vegetarian meal is mainly rice, and there are also rice cakes, as well as meat dishes such as pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, fish and shrimp, 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 in the lunar calendar, the three months are the "Summer Festival", and monks are not allowed to go out, so they can only meditate in the temple and wait for the benefactor to come to give alms. After the "Xiexia Festival" on November 15th, we can help others.

-

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

dervishes wear yellow robes when they go out. Monk robe with a corset and a waist * * * six pieces, and the bowl of Hua Zhai is put in a bag, hung on the shoulder with a cloth belt and hidden under the right armpit in the monk robe; Carry 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 dark, no matter where you go, just take an umbrella and you can spend the night on the floor. Some monks still keep the habit of eat areca, carrying a small bag, that is, a betel nut bag, which contains betel nuts instead of counting beads.

monks in Thailand only eat two meals a day: one at eight in the morning and one at eleven thirty at noon. They don't eat after noon, but they can drink water.

Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand, and there is a Ministry of Religious Affairs in the central government, with a Taoist monk 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 the king is no exception. Generally, parents and relatives will accompany them before the Summer Festival, and they will enter the temple to read the scriptures and practice under the drum music ceremony. They will have to stay for at least three months before they can get married, or even their wives will not be married. Monks who have been monks for several years can also be secular and marry and start a family. Therefore, the old dervish is particularly 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, so they can pretend to tell stories, and even if they become a monk, 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, a woman will be unlucky for ten years and a monk will be unlucky for eleven years. Therefore, no matter where you go, monks can never sit side by side with women.

1

Today, this 5-and 6-year-old dervish is going to tell you another story about the Water-splashing Festival. Everyone will give warm applause first, and then everyone will listen. The following is the story told by the old dervish.

The Songkran Festival is also called "Songjiang Festival" and "Songjiangnan". Overseas Chinese from China thought that it was related to Song Jiang, a hero in the water margin, and they also made up a story that the three heroes of Nguyen Tan Dung went to Vietnam to be king. Actually, that's far-fetched. Sung River in Thailand has nothing to do with Sung River in Liangshan, Shui Bo, but its name is similar. Correctly speaking, it should be called Song Gan, not Song Jiang.

long, long ago, there was a middle-aged couple in Thailand, who were well-off, charitable, diligent and devout. But I don't know why. Both husband and wife are over forty, and even a son has not been born. They make offerings to the God of the Sun and the Moon twice a day, and they have never made a mistake once for several years, and it is still ineffective. The husband and wife are so worried that they don't know if they have done evil in their previous lives, or if they have unintentionally committed any mistakes in this life.

one day, a dervish came in front of the door. The old couple lent the monk the best food in their home, 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 of their childlessness over forty. The dervish closed his eyes, nodded, opened his eyes, and enlightened them, saying,

"You two have blasphemed the Buddha because you didn't respect him in your previous life. The Buddha punished you for being childless in this life. However, I see that 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 deeds, the old monk will teach you a way. Perhaps the Buddha will be kind enough to lend you one of your three sons in the next life. "

The old couple were very happy when they heard that their son in the next life could be lent out in this life. They immediately prayed to the old monk and asked him to teach this wonderful method. The old monk said,

"You two should fast and bathe for three days first, and don't share the same room. Then you should take a basket of white rice, eliminate it for seven times in clean water, and offer it under the big banyan tree in the mountain at night. For seven nights without interruption. After seven nights, you share the same room. If you feel the tree god, you may win a man; If there is no answer to your prayers, your children will probably be hopeless in this life. "

After saying this, the old monk Tuobo recited "Amitabha" and went on his journey. The old couple listened to the old monk's words. After bathing that night, they separated and fasted, chanting behind closed doors. Three days later, they selected a basket of good white rice, drew 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, then went home and went to sleep.

For seven nights in a row, on the eighth night, the husband and wife stayed together. In order to have children, they refreshed themselves, and the yin and yang were in harmony, and they almost didn't sleep for a night. I miss you, but I want a man.

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

The old couple were so happy to have a son in middle age that they invited guests and friends all over the world to name their son "Gu Meng".

Xiao Gu Meng is a banyan prodigy, naturally clever and extraordinary. When you are seven years old, you are smarter than someone's seventeen-year-old child. If you don't have to go to school, you will be born to read, write and calculate, and you will pay homage to the Buddha, not to mention. By the age of ten, he knew everything about the past and future of the world. When someone comes to ask about good fortune and bad fortune, he is accurate and accurate. So word spread from one word to ten, from ten to a hundred, and in a few years, everyone near and far did not know about fixing dreams, saying that he was a living fairy. People respectfully call him "fixing dreams", which means "Buddha's son". People thousands of miles away have difficult questions and come to inquire. The door of Gu Meng is more lively than the market, and it is often crowded with people, and it can't be squeezed in.

In the distance, there is a Taoist named "Song Jiang", who has been a teacher since childhood and has some magic power. Originally, when people had problems, they all went to ask him; Since I had a "dream-taking", it was much more accurate than him. People went to Gu Meng, and gradually no one went to him. I couldn't help being left out and business was light.

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

"Mr. Gu Meng, everyone says that you are smart and can know the past and the future, and you are better than a living fairy. Today, I came to my house for advice. I have a question here, which I don't quite understand. Please answer it: Where are human spirits in their bodies at three o'clock every morning, noon and evening? Please take seven days, within seven days, if you answer it, I will thank myself; If you still can't answer after seven days, it means that your' dream-fixing' is false, at least to deceive the world and deceive the masses, and please thank yourself. "

after that, he swaggered away, regardless of whether he listened or not.

I got this difficult problem in my dream, so I immediately closed the door and thanked the guests, locked myself in my room and thought hard day and night. I thought for six days and six nights in a row, turned round and round in the room, and pounded my head frequently, but I still couldn't find the correct answer.

"It seems that my intelligence has dried up. I am more stupid than a fool. What face does a fool like me have to live in the world? I'd rather find a quiet place to kill myself than let someone else take my head off tomorrow. "

With this in mind, he said goodbye to his parents, went into the mountains 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 all the fields were silent, except for the rustling of the treetops by the breeze. Gu Meng 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 dream-fixing meat early tomorrow morning?"

"Isn't Gu Meng still alive?"

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

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

Is it really that difficult for Song Jiang to solve that problem? "

" Hey, what's the difficulty? Some people are stupid all their lives! He tried his best to think about that 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?"

"Tell me."

"You think, when a person gets up in the morning, he will be refreshed by washing his face first. Isn't the elf on his face?"

"Yes, yes, it's on the face. What about noon? "

"It's hot at noon. Take a bath and feel cool and calm. Isn't the spirit in your heart?"

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

"Before going to sleep 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 all over, showing that the elves are on your feet at night. Isn't this a clear thing? "

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

"Be gentle, don't let Gu Meng hear you. We will fly early tomorrow!"

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

Gumeng returned to his home and waited for Sung River to come to his door. Anyone in the local area who knew that the two men were betting came to the door of Gu Mengjia early on this day to see the result of who won and who lost.

Before dark in the afternoon, Song Jiang arrived as scheduled. As soon as he entered the door, he made a curt apology and asked,

"Smart Gu Meng, can you answer the question I asked you?"

To return the gift by crossing one's hands, he simply said,

"In fact, you don't have to wait seven days for such a simple question. I can answer you that day and then. I just don't know what you said, but it still counts? "

"when a man says what he says, it's hard to recall what he said. In front of so many folks, I still say the same sentence: You guessed it right, and I thank you for it; If you can't guess, just thank me. Now please say your answer! "

solid