[VOD & Article] Yi Peng : The Traditional Culture of Lanna Thai.

Yi Peng : The Traditional Culture of Lanna Thai.
Roytavan@Writer

Loi Krathong is celebrated in different ways in Northern provinces of Thailand. Although the belief behind the festival is the same, thousands of Lanna-style hot-air lanterns are launched into the sky instead of floating a raft in the river. It is called Yi Peng. And Chiang Mai hosts the largest and most popular Yi Peng event in the country. Once launched, lanterns in the sky resemble large flocks of flying giant fluorescent jellyfish, making the scene unforgettably beautiful and exotic.

In addition, it is the great festival of Lanna duly succeeded from ancient age. "Yi-Peng" or full-moon day of second lunar month of Lanna villagers is corresponding to the full-moon day of 12th month of central region during the end of raining season and beginning of cold season when the climate is very nice and fair. One tradition of Lanna other than Loi Kra Thong on the river is to light up the lantern and float up in the sky based on their belief that to pay worship to Phra Ket Kaew Julamanee in the heaven or to relief one' bad luck for more auspicious life.



Yi Peng : The Old Traditional Culture of Lanna

Lanna (northern Thai) people use sky lanterns all year round, for celebrations and other special occasions. One very important festival in which sky lanterns are used is the Lanna festival known as "Yi Peng" (Thai: ยี่เป็ง) which is held on a full moon of the 2nd month of the Lanna calendar ("Yi" meaning "2nd" and "Peng" meaning "month" in the Lanna language).

Due to a difference between the old Lanna calendar and the traditional central Thai calendar it coincides with Loi Krathong which is held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. During the Yi Peng festival, a multitude of khom loi (Thai: โคมลอย, literally: "floating lanterns") are launched into the air where they resemble large flocks of giant fluorescent jellyfish gracefully floating by through the sky.

The most elaborate Yi Peng celebrations can be seen in Chiang Mai,[3] the ancient capital of the former Lanna kingdom. The festival is meant as a time for tham bun (Thai: ทำบุญ), to make merit. People usually make khom loi from a thin fabric, such as rice paper, to which a candle or fuel cell is attached. When the fuel cell is lit, the resulting hot air which is trapped inside the lantern creates enough lift for the khom loi to float up in to the sky. In addition, people will also decorate their houses, gardens and temples with khom fai (Thai: โคมไฟ): intricately shaped paper lanterns which take on different forms.

It is considered good luck to release a sky lantern, and many Thais believe they are symbolic of problems and worries floating away. In recent times, khom loi have become so popular with all Thai people that it has become an integrated in to the Loi Krathong festival in the rest of country.



Yi Peng Floating Lantern Ceremony : Lanna Meditation Retreat Centre, Mae-Jo, Chiangmai, Thailand :

The illumination of thousands of floating lit lanterns that glorifies the peaceful winter night sky is about to take place again in the coming week. This is so special to all since it has specific connection with the unique once-a-year merit-making tradition named Kathina Ceremony. Combined with the release of heavenly lanterns, onlookers always fail to count the number of the paper lanterns that are believed to connect this world with the realm beyond heavens.

Yi Peng Sansai Ceremony at the Lanna Meditation Retreat Centre was first organized in 1989 by the Dhammakaya Foundation in co-operation with the Sansai District Authority, local educational institutes, local temples and state & private sectors in chiangmai. The objectives of the event are to preserve the dainty culture of noble Lanna, as well as to light the ground candles & release the floating lanterns in highest reverence to the Lord Buddha on this Kathina season.



The Legend of 'Yi Peng' Lanna Krathina Ceremony :

The Lanna natives have won the reputation to Thais and foreigners as being so gentle, very humble and extremely friendly. Their peaceful lifestyle receives direct influences from Buddhism that deeply rooted in the northern region of Thailand for more than 700 years. The teachings of Lord Buddha have planted the virtuous sense of generosity and forgiveness in the northern people's mentality, enabling them to engender the splendid cultures of Lanna to the busier and more chaotic worlds

Yi Peng Floating Lantern Ceremony is not just a centuries-long merriment but does also take place in the City of chiangmai -- the exclusive venue in the world where devout Buddhists chose to express their profound reverence for the Lord Buddha through the lights of thousands of flying lanterns. The constellation of glittering lanterns in the sky at the certain night represents the magnificence in the crystal-clear mind of the Buddhists who do so as a tribute and in connection with the Heavens and the Nibbana (Nirvana) beyond.

The activities start right in the afternoon, when the mass of tourists and local folks participate in the meritorious Kathina Robe procession consisting of lay Buddhists in the gorgeous Northern traditional costumeswalking down in the Main Chapel of the Lanna Meditation Retreat Centre. The Kathina Robe will later be designated to a monk amid the monastic assembly.

The evening session is the astonishing highlight of the year when all the crowd at the Lanna Meditation Retreat Centre abound with numerous rows of the ground lanterns, while up high in the sky launching flying lanterns. Moreover, down the cannel waters within the vicinity of the Lanna Meditation Retreat Centre, there prevails the spectacular sight of the glittering water lanterns -- candles inside the exquisite lotus shape baskets -- the so called Krathong.

Yi-Peng : Loi Krathong Lanna Festival in Chiang Mai (Thailand)- Part 1.
Lanna Meditation Retreat Centre, Mae-Jo, Chiangmai, Thailand.





Yi-Peng : Loi Krathong Lanna Festival in Chiang Mai (Thailand)- Part 2.





Yi-Peng : Loi Krathong Lanna Festival in Chiang Mai (Thailand)- Part 3.