All Dai society adheres to Hinayana Buddhism, perhaps influenced by the changes throughout their history and their special geographical environment. Hinayana Buddhism originated in ancient India and was introduced into Xishuangbanna via Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar in the third century AD. Its history goes back well over a thousand years.

When Hinayana Buddhism was just introduced into the Dai area, the Dai people resisted it at first because they already had a local, primitive religion. But once Hinayana Buddhism won the support of those with power, a large number of temples were established and the faith gradually came to dominate the political, economic and cultural life of the Dai people.

Historically, Dai culture is concentrated in Buddhist temples. Over 84,000 volumes of ancient pattra-leaf sutras are kept in Xishuangbanna's temples. Many monks are expert in Dai-language scriptures, astronomy and calendars, medicines and healthcare, and are respected as the most learned persons. When local people have problems they will usually consult a monk. Buddha is revered by Dai people everywhere. Buddhist monasteries also appeal to the Dai because of their easy-going religious discipline: monks are allowed simply to shave their heads without being branded with burning incense as a sign of leaving behind the world and they can marry if they resume secular life. To the traditional Dai way of thinking, unless a man lives a secluded religious life away from family for some part of his life and becomes a culti-vated person, he is not qualified to get married. This custom is very different from Buddhist belief in other regions.

According to Dai religious tradition, at the age of seven or eight boys shave their heads and become monks and begin to live a religious life. Girls are not obliged to become nuns, but they are still very pious. Sending off children to monasteries to become monks is a big thing, involving a grand ritual. Once the child becomes a monk, he lives and eats in the monastery, reading scriptures and studying various subjects every day. He does not have to do manual labor outside the monastery but lives on donations from local people. After finishing his daily assignment, he can go out to visit friends and relatives, but may not spend the night outside the monastery. If he wishes, he can stay in the monastery for one, two, even 10 or more years. It is "illegal" for Dai people to hold a wedding, funeral, or build a house without a monk there to chant Buddhist scriptures. The elderly make daily visits to the temple to present flowers and worship Buddha, to burn incense and pray, hoping to form a better bond with Heaven in their next life.

The Dai people themselves live very simply but are generous in what they give to the temples and monasteries as devotional offerings from followers of Buddha. Twice daily, when the bell rings, households take turns to send their best dishes to the temples. The food of the whole monastery is provided by the entire hamlet. It is no exaggeration to say that every Dai hamlet has a Buddhist temple; Encircled by shady green forest, every hamlet has a majestic and resplendent palace at its center occupying the best and most spacious spot, presenting a scene unique to Dai hamlets. The architectural style of these temples is similar to the Bamboo stilt houses, bright and colorful, tier upon tier, they seem about to fly.

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