EE00001973

Among the various types of Thai traditional puppet performances, “Hun Lakorn Lek” is one that stands out. This type of puppet is distinct from other typical Thai forms 0f puppetry, as normally the marionettes will only have moving heads and hands on an otherwise static body. In contrast, Hun Lakorn Lek is performed with figures that are completely moveable, allowing head, body, arms and legs to act independently. This results in a puppet that, if operated with masterly skill, can move like a real human. This impression is further strengthened by the well-measured proportions of the puppet, which also match those of real humans, albeit at a smaller scale. The puppets are used to perform a wide repertoire of stories that mostly draw on traditional Thai literature with some exceptions that instead depict contemporary tales. Since the ancient civilizations of Southeast Asia have long been influenced by Indian cultures there is a clear impact of Indic mythology in traditional Thai art and literature, which is also evident in the traditional puppet shows. One of the most well-known myths with Indian origins in Thai culture is the Ramayana. This epic follows the life of Rama, from the time when he was a prince of Ayodhya city in the kingdom of Kosala and got exiled in the forest for fourteen years by his father. The tale picks up in intensity when Rama’s wife Sita got kidnapped by Ravana, king of Lanka, one of Rama’s enemies over whom he manages to triumph in the end. After returning back to Ayodhya with his wife, the successful Rama is crowned as king. However, when Thai poets learned about this story they also adapted and rewrote it into a new version known in Thai as “Ramakien" in order to make the story fit better with the local background.

EE00001974

The Sacred blessing water in Wat Hongrattanaram has had a quasi-legendary reputation for many centuries as stories about this pond and Wat Hongrattanaram temple can be dated back since the Ayutthaya period. Reflecting the big role of water in this temple’s rituals, it still maintains the old temple layout that opens with its front gate to the canal side where the holy water pond is also situated. When the kingdom of Ayutthaya was overthrown as a result of the Siamese-Burmese war, the capital city of Thailand was moved by King Taksin to Thonburi on the west bank of the Chaophraya river. The king setup his new capital by imitating the strategic places and landmarks of Ayutthaya, also bringing over the belief in the sacred power of blessed water. Thanks to Wat Hongrattanaram’s proximity to the old Grand Palace, the King chose it as the place to ask for blessings for his military campaigns against the Burmese occupation of Siam. According to the myth, the temple’s most accomplished monks performed magic ceremonies that involved the pond’s four cornerstones of which each faces one of the cardinal directions. Going back to Thai customs, it has long been a belief that water becomes holy through the chanting of sacred chants by the Buddhist monks and other spiritual leaders. Being a devout practitioner of Buddhist vipassana meditation himself, King Taksin the Great attached deep beliefs to the importance of conducting such ceremonies before going to war. His decision to choose this particular temple for the holiness of its water continues to distinguish it from other temples and due to its long history, its sacred pond became well-known among the people of past and present, among locals and even among foreigners who have faith in the sanctity of water.

EE00001970

The murals in the Ubosot of Wat Thong Thammachat are works of art dating from the reign of King Rama III of the Chakri Dynasty. The paintings are executed in a style that was popular in the early Rattanakosin period, and they depict episodes of the Buddha's life. This particular mural stands out among others found in Bangkok for being one of the best preserved early Rattanakosin period wall paintings. The front wall is painted with the picture of a demon, while the back wall depicts the so-called Tribhum world shape, a representation of Buddhist cosmology. Another unique feature of this wall mural are the further depictions of large groups of buildings that are shown at the bottom of the Tribhum picture. This picture depicts not only architecture, but also the way of life of Thai society as it existed during the reign of Rama III. The overall color tone of this mural painting is quite dark, which is in line with the popular style of the early Rattanakosin art and sets it apart from the late Ayutthaya period where vivid colors were used. The other noteworthy elements of the picture are the use of golden decorations on the painting as well as the use of the color red as a background. Both of these are stylistic devices for accentuating important elements such as the Tribhum cosmology picture.

EE00001971

Mazuism is a form of belief that is centered on the veneration of Mazu, the Chinese seafarer’s goddess. At Lhong 1919 an long-established shrine dedicated to Mazu is testimony of the popularity that this form of belief enjoyed. The shrine houses three Mazu figurines that had been brought to Bangkok by overseas Chinese who came to the city about 167 years ago. This goddess was once only a local deity revered by Fujianese, before she became widely known and worshiped by oversea Chinese communities. The process of paying homage to the goddess is an intangible cultural heritage that represents the blend between Chinese and Thai cultures. The three main figurines of Mazu that form the material anchor of this practice of veneration have been passed down through six generations of Thai-Chinese families and have come to be widely known within Thai-Chinese society. A localization of this form of worship can be seen in the fact that the chanting done in honor of the goddess is nowadays delivered as a Thai Buddhist mantra while the statue arrangement remains the traditional way that goes back to Chinese roots. There are three Mazu figurines, representing the different stages of her manifestation, each protected by further guardian spirits. The first manifestation is symbolized by a girl who healed the sick and ensured safety during sea travel. The second manifestation is the goddess Mazu who brings good fortune to businesses. The last manifestation is as the empress in heaven, full of kindness and compassion.

EE00001972

Thai society in its way of life as well as in the commodities of its trade has been an agricultural one since in the ancient times. As a consequence of centuries of practice, farmers and orchardists have developed localized forms of wisdom and know-how on the cultivation of a variety of crops. A crucial element of this know-how lies in the mastery of irrigation methods used to maximize the productivity of the fields and orchards. The management of the water supplied by the Chaophraya river and the strong seasonal rainfalls was crucial to convert the plentiful sunlight provided by the tropical climate into rich harvests. Among the techniques that the farmers and orchardists developed, the most important way in which the flow of the Chaophraya’s nutrient-rich water to the fields was regulated was by the digging of irrigation ditches. The traditional ditch that was used most widely had its origin in southern China, from where significant numbers of Chinese immigrated to Siam during the Ayutthaya period. This technique can be used both as a way to prepare soil for cultivation and to sustainably regulate water supply to the plants. In the particular case of Bangkok, with its proximity to the sea, it is also a water management process through which the gardener can maintain the balance between fresh water, salt water and brackish water. The gardener will work to regulate the proportions of these three sources of water within their garden by purposefully designing the ditch channels without harming their crops. The wisdom behind the raised garden with a ditch and dike system consists of many small connecting canals dug by the farmers within the turf soil to fertilize the trees. The trees are planted in an elevated plot to prevent flooding during the rainy season. This knowledge of making high-ridge agricultural plots where the soil is dug in lanes is called “Oak Rong” and “Thong Rong”. Besides, the gardens’ water systems were connected to rivers and streams of the public water system.