Chulalongkorn University regularly carries on new initiatives and ongoing projects to record and preserve cultural heritage every year. These targeted cultures include folk and regional culture, national culture, and the culture of displaced communities in the country. Our undertakings during 2023-2024 are exemplified as follows:
Folk and Regional Cultural Heritage:
Daraphirom Palace Museum, Chulalongkorn Universrity, located in Chiangmai, in collaboration with Mae Rim District Cultural Council, Mae Rim District Office, and the local educational district, has initiated a program to preserve and continue traditional Lanna dance and other forms of art and culture under the title ‘The Seedings of Daraphirom’. This program provides training to over 200 young people in the performance Klong Sabad Chai (Thai Victory Drumming), Klong Poo Ja (also spelled Puja or Pu-Cha) drumming, Fon Daab (Sward dance) and Fon Jerng—dances adapted from sward fights and martial arts, and Fon Leb—a dance in which the dancers wear elongated and embellished nail dresses. These art forms are important traditional performing arts of the ancient Lanna Kingdom (present-day Chiangmai). The program is taught by local experts, and represents a significant effort to document, preserve, develop, and promote the sustainable authentic cultural heritage of Lanna,ensuring its sustainability for future generations.
National Cultural Heritage:
Thailand possesses a rich variety of valuable art and cultural heritage. In 2023-2024, Chulalongkorn University undertook several projects to document and disseminate the nation’s cultural legacy, as outlined below:
In the Field of Architecture, Arts and Culture, and Buddhist Art
(1) Commemorative Books for the Royal Kathin Ceremony. This project has been ongoing for over 18 years, producing two commemorative books each year. The smaller volume provides historical information about the temple, including its religious artifacts and Buddhist art, along with reprints of rare books to preserve these valuable historical works. The larger volume is notable for both its comprehensive content and aesthetic appeal in all dimensions.
In 2023, Chulalongkorn University produced a commemorative book on Wat Pathum Wanaram, a significant temple in Bangkok with a long-standing history. The temple is well-organized in terms of its layout and building structures, and it features exquisite Buddhist art, religious artifacts, and architecture. The meticulous craftsmanship involved in the production of this book earned it an award in the ‘Beautiful Books’ category from the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC)
(2) An Exhibition: Building Blocks of the University. This exhibition, held from March 26 to August 6, 2024, presents information drawn from archival records and newly compiled materials to narrate the history of the construction of the administration building, or “Maha Chulalongkorn Building,” which is the first historic structure of Chulalongkorn University. The exhibition showcases information about the architecture, Thai ornamental designs, stucco details, and the body of knowledge related to the restoration and preservation of this most important building. The displays are presented in the form of articles, photographs, videos, 3D object simulation technology (Augmented Reality), and 360-degree models.
The “Building Blocks of the University” exhibition is also held in commemoration of the 107th anniversary of the founding of Chulalongkorn University on March 26, 2024. The exhibition is organized by the Office of Art and Cultural Management in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, with additional support from faculty members of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Office of Physical Resources Management.
(3) Religious Tourism. This program offers guided tours of temples with significant and interesting historical, architectural, and Buddhist art. The tours are led by either knowledgeable monks or lay experts familiar with the history of each temple. Visitors are guided through key sites such as the ordination hall, the viharn, and important Buddha images, with explanations of their origins and significance provided to interested participants.
Since October 2023, six temples have been featured in the Spiritual Tourism program: Khaowong Temple in Saraburi, Wat Sothonwararam Worawihan in Chachoengsao, Wat Noi in Suphanburi, Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Wat Wachira Thammaram in Ayutthaya, and the Assumption Cathedral in Bang Rak.
Thai Traditional Music
Chulalongkorn University is fortunate enough to receive the royal guidance from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on preserving these cultures. Chula Inscription initiative, therefore, was initiated as a fruit of her royal guidance. The initiative is divided into four main projects, aiming to systemically continue the teaching of Thai traditional music masters to facilitate learning and passing on the skills and knowledge on the Thai traditional music through accessible means both online and offline. Information is collected in a form of database, true to each master, and archived in a digital database at Thai Music Library, Chulalongkorn University.
Tasks on Chula Inscription Initiatives:
(1) Revered Thai Traditional Musician Archive to Preserve Thai Musical Heritage, Phase 8, Fiscal Year 2023-2024, collects information for Thai traditional music masters and experts through interviews. The priority is given to the oldest living masters. Data and information collected are biography, teaching approaches, and their body of knowledge, and is recorded in digital forms. The masters’ musical performances are also recorded with cooperation of Thai music ensembles under the Department of Arts, Ministry of Culture, Thai traditional ensembles under the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Department, The Public Relations Department, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Independent Thai traditional musicians also volunteered. This is an ongoing project since 2018, and continues on into the future. Up until September 2024, information on 162 masters has been recorded and made available for retrieval at Thai Music Library under Office of Art and Culture, Chulalongkorn University.
(2) Chula Inscription: Miscellaneous Knowledge of Thai Traditional Music, Phase 3 records Thai traditional music instruments and their accessories building and maintenance methods, which are secret of the trade that differ from musical house to house and continued by mere oral tradition. The purpose of the project is to prevent the bodies of knowledge from disappearing. The methods are recorded in a form of videos and published online in a total of 15 episodes. The initiative is projected to continue every fiscal year.
3) Recording of Chulavatid performances taking place on the first Friday of every even month, totaling six performances a year. The purpose of Chulavatid program is to provide a venue for Thai music ensembles in the original tradition to perform, gain experience, and pass on their knowledge to the younger generations. Its formal performances take place at Music Hall. Art and Culture Building, Chulalongkorn University, and are broadcasted live on Facebook page and YouTube channel. The recordings from the first performance in 1988 have been archived. There are 234 performances as of August 2024, the time of writing this article.
(4) Recording of “Thai Liturgical and Royal Ceremonial Music”, Phase 2. Liturgical and royal ceremonial music is passed on from the ancestors through oral and aural tradition, therefore is important to record the music for continuation and preservation purposes. The recording includes information on instrumentation, types of ensembles, repertoire is different ceremonies, for instance, Coronation, Royal Ploughing Ceremony, Royal Kathin Ceremony, liturgical and other religious ceremonies. Chulavatid Ensemble performs the music in the recording, and is directed by Boonchuay Sowat, Thai Classical Music Expert, Chulalongkorn University.
Cultural Heritage of Displaced Communities
“Tom Tong Mien”: An Exhibition of the Yao Ceremonial Paintings
The Yao call themselves “Mien” or “Lw Mien”. The word, “Lw” means nation and “Mien” means humans. When combined, the two words mean a human nation.
The Yao are classified as belonging to the Mongoloid tribe and they speak the language of the Meow-Yao or the Hmong-Mien Family. They originated in the high mountains of Central China. In the past, many factors made the Yao migrate from China, for example, the land where they made their living and political violence. At present, their settlements are scattered in many places in the South of China and in the territories of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Some of them have moved to Western countries, for instance, the U.S.A., France, Canada and Switzerland.
In Thailand, the Yao’s migration started two hundred years ago and they chose to settle in remote mountainous areas, mostly located in the North, namely, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Payao, Nan, Lampang, Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai. Currently, the Yao population in Thailand numbers approximately 50,000 and most of them earn their living from farming.
Religion and Beliefs
The Yao’s religion and beliefs are a combination of a belief in and respect for deities, ancestors and spirits (ghosts) and they have been influenced by Taoism since the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in terms of respect for spirits and the concept of their acceptance of the spirits’ powers. They believe that human lives, nature and other entities are governed by guardian spirits (wen) in twelve places—the hair, head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, neck, legs, arms, chest, stomach and feet. After they die, the guardian spirits will change into spirits (mien) and they will exist in nature and in other entities.
The Yao believe that security and safety while being alive or after death depends on the power of deities because all human beings are protected by them. The Yao will not do anything to upset the deities or impose on them because that will cause suffering and damage. Communicating and creating a relationship with the deities can be done through ceremonies only. The spirits they respect are classified into three groups—deities, ancestral spirits and general spirits in nature.
Ceremonies
The Yao’s ceremonies focus on cleansing to make themselves pure. They consider that ordination is the only way of saving them from sin and creating great merit that will lead them to a better life after death. Therefore, ordination is a must for the Yao.
The Yao believe that men undergo initiation into adulthood so as to be fully accepted in Yao society, through what is known as the Hanging of Three Lamps Ceremony. This is the principal ceremony necessary for a man before he himself becomes a performer of the ceremony. The light from the lamps suggests knowledge, wisdom and insight into the soul and spirit that are transferred from teacher to student. This ceremony also confirms that this particular Yao man is a true heir of Pan Hu.
“Tom Tong Meun”: An Exhibition of the Yao Ceremonial Paintings presents information about deities of the Yao tribe, history, the art of cloth embroidery, customs and ceremonies which reflect the Yao people’s beliefs and their gratitude towards their ancestors.
The exhibition displays twenty-four paintings of deities which are approximately 196 years old and are owned by the Teng Fa Chien Family. They were painted by Chen Guei Li, a painter in the reign of Emperor Dao Guang of the Qing Dynasty. (Normally, these paintings will not be shown to the public because they are only used in ceremonies). The paintings of deities at this exhibition are those that have gained the highest respect among the Yao. These people lend importance to these deities because they believe that these beings are endowed with miraculous powers. These deities usually appear in paintings that are used in Yao ceremonies. The paintings of these sacred figures are religious paintings and are not used for a decorative purpose. Each painting will have a specific role in the ceremonies and will be presented at the appropriate moment only. It can be said that the most important deities are Yen Li (the Beginning of the Old Time), Leng Pu (the Sacred Jewel) and To Ta (the Virtue of Taoism), and these Three are known as Fam Ts’ing (the Triple Star Deities) because they are like three bright shiny stars. As the Yao often move their settlements, they will not create images of their deities out of materials that are not convenient for moving, for instance, wood or stone carvings. Paintings of the deities are thus revered images of the Yao tribe and, at the same time, they are beautiful in terms of art.
It is a common practice that the eldest son of the family will inherit the paintings from his parents. Other sons will have to hire someone, who is usually a Chinese painter, to paint a new set. The painter will use thick bamboo-fibre paper or Sa paper. Colours are natural colours mixed with glue that comes from boiled cow hides. The existing paintings will be used as the models for new paintings. The painter will start sketching a picture by placing a thin paper over the original painting and tracing along the lines and designs that are on it. Then, this thin paper will be attached to a frame to form an original pattern underneath and a transparent bamboo-fibre paper or Sa paper will be placed on top of the thin paper. After that, the artist will draw, in white paint, the outline of the deities on the bamboo-fibre or Sa paper. The Yao call this outline “a bone”. After all the bones have been drawn, the painter will add “the blood and flesh” as well as “the attire” in various colours. The final stage is to apply lacquering glue but usually only on to the areas painted in red in order to make the painting shiny and lively because the Chinese believe that red is the colour of life.
When painting a new set of paintings, the painter has to work in the grounds of the residence of the person who has hired him. An appropriate place has to be prepared for him to ensure that the painting is produced in an atmosphere of faith for the deities and in a place of flawless purity. Therefore, special arrangements for the venue are required, for example, a room separate from the house or a bamboo shack being built on the side of the house. The walls of the painting venue must be covered with white paper and overspread with new white cloth. Painting usually takes approximately one to two months, during which time, the residents of the house and the painter have to strictly adhere to virtue and refrain from behaving contrary to the rules of conduct or custom.
According to belief that has been handed down from the olden days, the deities will not dwell in a new picture painted by an unskilled painter or in a stained or flawed painting which is the result of the residents’ failure to behave according to the rules of behaviour and custom. All this will bring about ill-omen that is caused by a frightening magical spell. Therefore, the Yao will not accept any painting in which they do not feel the sacredness and the power of the soul and spirit. Lacking these will make the painting valueless and it will not be able to be used at their ceremonies. In addition, if any home has already had a set of paintings of the deities, they will not accept another set in their household because they believe that this will bring them ill luck.
This exhibition is organized because Chulalongkorn University was presented with the paintings of the deities of the Yao tribe by Khun Khanitha Suvabharp Roscoe, a Chulalongkorn University alumna of the 1968 Class. Following this, the Office of Art and Culture proceeded with their conservation with the cooperation of Khun Kwanjit Lersiri, a specialist in art conservation, and a team from KTC Conservation Company Limited. They went on fieldwork to collect information for this exhibition.
The Office of Art and Culture wishes to express its appreciation to Professor Theraphan Luangthongkam, Ph.D.; Ajarn Kaewen Srisombat, Chair of the Network of the Scholars of the Ew Mien Ethnicity in Thailand and the fifth generation of the tribe leader; Khun Fei Srisombat, former Leader of the Yao Women; Khun Sukkasem Choke-sup-anan, Chairman of the Cultural Learning Center of Ban Huai Chomphu (Ew Mien); Khun Pornchai Prasertsukkul, Khun Orapan Sirithanakorn, Khun Bian Pujing, Khun Tasanachai Srisombat, Khun Ongnai Triampana and the Yao people at Ban Huai Chomphu in Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province.
We sincerely hope that this exhibition, “Tom Tong Mien” will be useful and it will be a means of transferring folklore information, while displaying the aesthetics of art and publicizing some of the invaluable collected art items of Chulalongkorn University to the general public.
