Introduction

Within Asian and Hindu literature like the literature of other cultures, we often find the values, morality, and principles of proper or right human conduct values by such cultures. From the writings of Confucius to the Noh plays to the epic Ramayana, we see such principles illustrated as a means of helping human beings live a harmonious, peaceful, and moral life.

As a whole Asian literature is a compact of ideas wherein culture, belief,religion, and values collide. This can be reflected from the different writers or authors all over Asia who wants to share thier views, ides, emotion through different literary pieces.

However, this may not be enough to serve as your reference yet this could probabaly help you to get a hint on what to do and what to read.

Thailand Literature

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Festival in ThailandModule no. 5: Thailand Literature
Posted by: Beverly Abelon
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Thai literature was traditionally heavily influenced by Indian culture. Thailand's national epic is a version of the Ramayana called the Ramakien. A number of versions of the epic were lost in the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Three versions currently exist: one of these was prepared under the supervision (and partly written by) King Rama I. His son, Rama II, rewrote some parts for khon drama. The main differences from the original are an extended role for the monkey god Hanuman and the addition of a happy ending.

The most important poet in Thai literature was Sunthorn Phu, who is best known for his romantic adventure story Phra Aphai Mani and nine travel pieces called Nirats.
Kings Rama V and Rama VI were also writers, mainly of non-fiction works as part of their programme to combine Western knowledge with traditional Thai culture.

20th century Thai writers have tended to produce light fiction rather than literature, but the Isan region has produced two notably sociocritical writers in Khamsing Srinawk and Pira Sudham.
Thailand has had a wealth of expatriate writers in the 20th century as well. The Bangkok Writers Group is currently publishing fiction by Indian author G.Y. Gopinath, the fabulist A.D. Thompson, as well as non-fiction by Gary Dale Cearley.

The Giant Swing is one of Thailand’s most well known landmarks. What is 
less known about this historic landmark is its symbolic significance. It was 
Phra Phuttha Maha Mani Rattana Patimakon, (King Rama I) who installed 
the swing in the center of “Krung Rattanakosin In-Ayothaya” on April 21,  
1782 (Fig. 1.), the name that was given to the new capital after the fall of the 
400 year old capital city of Ayutthaya in 1767.

The city pillar (lak muang) was also an important installation linking the 
Indic linga cult associated with Lord Shiva. Both these installations (swing 
and pillar) were to establish the new city as the center of the universe similar 
to Lord Indra who occupied the center of the universe.  
From its origins in Ayutthaya, when the swing was presented as a gift by 
Brahamin priests to Phrachao Ramathibodi, eleventh King of Siam, (1491-
1529), it was used annually to honor the Hindu gods. In India the swing has 
been used for thousands of years with its early beginnings going back  to the aboriginal cultures which populated the Indian sub-continent long before the 
Hindu culture began. The swing has been used in fertility rites, religious 
rituals and as a symbol for the cosmological understanding of the universe 
and developed as a way to celebrate the beginnings of the New Year by 
cultures worldwide. 


Posted by vHeBz at 6:02 PM

 

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