The Legend of the Lotus of Arrows
Related legend: In the tribal life a long time ago, there were two Dai tribes in Xishuangbanna. Due to the dispute over territory and rights, people from both tribes suffered many casualties. At this time, a child of two tribal leaders fell in love. The scuffle continues. One day, the chieftain of a tribe asked his son to accept the chieftain's orders, called his own men, and prepared to attack each other the next morning and launch a general attack.
The chief's son opposed the war and took the direction to see the daughter of another tribal chief, his lover. They met in the dense forest to discuss how to calm the war. However, they couldn't think of a good way until dawn. Desperate, they had to hold each other a lotus flower symbolizing beautiful peace, and they committed suicide together. When the heads of the families of both sides learned about this, they all deeply regretted their wrong and unwise behavior. So the two burned incense for each other and the two sides made up.
Soon after, on the grave where the young couple were buried together. Clusters of green plants like arrows grew up, and beautiful flowers like lotus bloomed on them. This is the peacock cactus that people see now, which is also the lotus of arrows.