Dai Folk Pottery Technology Subsisting Changes

Handicraft is an important part of minority traditional culture. It occupies a very important position in the minority production and daily life. Dai people are clever and deft, particular good at pottery, knitting bamboo, making paper, extracting sugar and so on. Dai people create a long history of pottery, originated in the Neolithic Age, 3000 years ago, and still maintained a slow round and mud-built technology.In the wave of global economic integration, the traditional culture has been damaged, the pottery handicraft of other nationalities has changed into quick round of large-scale production or has disappeared, pottery has been replaced by the industrial products. In such circumstances, pottery handicraft of Dai people is still inherited, and also showing a new trend of development. This paper attempts to discuss Dai culture, social psychology, character and impact of the mainstream culture on the pottery handicraft of Dai people, by investigation and analysis of Dai pottery handicraft process, find the deep-seated causes of pottery handicraft, which is in condition of existence and change. It can deep our understanding of the traditional culture and psychology of the nation. It has typical significance on the protection of non-material culture heritage of ethnic minorities and plays the role of reference to other minorities.This study selected two villages named Mandou and Mange as field work point. On the basis of predecessors' research, use anthropology theory and method, literature research and first-hand information of field survey, starting from the process and current situation, analysis the reason of this situation. I believe that pottery as a kind of culture things, which is a reflection of Dai culture of system, behavior, and mentality. Nationality and tradition of Dai culture maintain the viability of pottery, and modernization and variability lead to the change of it.The first chapter discusses the origin of topics, the background of investigate, the theory and research, the situation of field work point.The second chapter introduces the current situation of Dai pottery handicraft. Including history, circulation areas, pottery artists and heritance, process, pottery types and usefulness.The third chapter analyses the reason of the viability. Dai people are in the good deeds formed on the religious belief, national psychology of respecting social norms, relying on the authority, tea culture and nostalgia trend emerging.The fourth chapter analyses the reason of the change. Including changes in production methods, lifestyle and mentality, the tendency of religion secularization, and social structure.Finally is the conclusion and thinking. The paper is reviewed. Usefulness of pottery linked to culture. The religious pottery inherits best, which linked to the universal belief of Hinayana Buddhism. The religion occupies an important position in the daily life of Dai people. On the other hand, along with the production, lifestyle, mentality changes and modern alternative, the market of daily life pottery is gradually shrinking, and the new usefulness of pottery such as containers of tea and craft decorations are adapted to the needs of current nostalgia, and tourism market in Xishuangbanna, showing a growing trend.