Around 1180 AD, the Dai people in present-day Xishuangbanna area, under the leadership of Bazhen, unified the various tribes of the Dai people and established the Jinglong Jindian Kingdom.

The establishment of the Mengli regime marked the formal formation of the Dai people, the main body of the Dai people in Xishuangbanna.

During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the economic and cultural exchanges between the Han and Dai people became closer. In particular, a large number of Han people moved to the frontiers, and the advanced production technology, culture and science from the interior were widely spread in the Dai areas, rapidly promoting the social and economic development of the Dai people.

In order to defend the territory of their motherland, the Dai people and the Han, Jingpo, Wa and other ethnic groups launched multiple armed struggles against the aggression of British and French imperialism at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

During the Anti-Japanese War, the Dai people, together with the people of the whole country, participated in the armed struggle against Japanese fascism and contributed to the defense of the sacred frontier territory of the motherland.

Extended information: Dai customs 1. Close-Door Festival, Open-Door Festival. Close-Door Festival is fixed on September 15th in Dai calendar (mid-July in Gregorian calendar); Open-Door Festival is fixed in December 15th in Dai calendar (mid-October in Gregorian calendar).

.

On these two festival days, men, women, and children from all villages will go to Buddhist temples to hold grand Buddha worship activities. They will present delicacies, flowers and coins to the Buddha statues, chant sutras and drip water in front of the Buddha statues, in order to pray for the blessings of the Buddha on people.

2. Water Splashing Festival is a traditional festival of the Dai people.

In Dai language, it is called "Sangkan Bimai" or "Lenghe Sangkan", which means New Year in June.

The time is in late June or early July in the Dai calendar (mid-April in the Gregorian calendar).

3. Flower Street Festival. The most solemn festival in Huayao Dai is the "Huajie Festival" on the 13th day of the first lunar month.

On this day, thousands of young men and women from surrounding villages gathered in Flower Street.