HID thailand

Siamese (Thai) Art

• have been influenced by India and to a lesser extent China as well as by ancient civilization in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

• 2 greatest influences are Buddhism and The Ramakien (the Thai version of the Indian epic, the Ramayana). 

• Many elements from the Indian-Hindu tradition hold a high place in the Thai arts. 

• It has been said that Thai architecture is Thailand’s most developed art form.

Ramayana

Thai version of the Indian epic

1. The Dvaravati Mon Period 

• characterized by Burmese Buddhist forms

• the art was created predominantly to serve Theravada Buddhism.

• Remains include stupa bases, some of which have elephants supporting their bases, following a pattern that originated in Sri Lanka.

• The plinths of Buddhist assembly halls, which existed near the solid monumental structures, have also been discovered.

• It is likely that many other ancient monuments are encased in later stupas that are still being used for religious purposes, for it was probably customary not to destroy an old sacred monument but to encase it in a new shell, maybe several times over, and perhaps to construct a small external replica of the encased original alongside.

• Wat Kukut 

• houses one of the last surviving examples of Mon Dvaravati architecture in Thailand, the Mahabol chedi.

1. The Khmer Period

saw the rise of the Khmer-Angkor style of architecture, as well as the use of stone as opposed to the traditional use of brick.

• Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat 

• a large Royal temple in the center of Lopburi town. 

• The temple was founded when Lopburi was under control of the Khmer empire from Angkor, in present day Cambodia. 

• The main prang was built by the Khmer in the Bayon style in the late 12th or early 13th century.

• During most of its history, Thailand has been divided into two fairly distinct regions,

• capital of the north at Chiang Mai

• capital of the south at Ayutthaya.

• Sukhothai Style

• exercising harmonious eclecticism between Dravidian, Pagan, and Khmer motifs. 

• With the inclusion of Chinese wood building techniques, polychromatic schemes, and elegant lines from Japanese-influenced carvings, the wat, or temple -- with its murals, Buddha sculptures, and spacious design, the Sukhothai Style is defined as the first "pure" Thai Buddhist style.

• Chedi

consists of a dome or tumulus, constructed atop a round base (drum), and enveloped by a cubical chair, representing the seated Buddha, over which is the chatra (umbrella) in one or several (usually nine) tiers.

Prang

• which originated with the corncob tower of the Khmer temple, is a form of stupa that can be seen in many temples at Sukhothai and Ayutthaya.

• Phra Ubosot/ Bot 

• is the ordination hall and is where the primary Buddha image of the temple is normally housed. 

• does not have physical contact with the other buildings and is clearly marked off by eight Bai Sema (marker stones named after their similarity to Bodhi leaves). 

• Ubosot 

• where the ceremonies and rituals for the monks take place and is, 

• holiest part of the temple. 

• Viharn 

• is the assembly hall where the abbot conducts sermons. 

• The design is similar to that of the ubosot, and the hall is also used to house Buddha images, but it is generally a larger building.

Mondop

• The mondop is normally a square building that contains a shrine or performs some other important ritual function such as a scripture repository or reliquary. 

• They normally have a spired roof and vary in looks and function from temple to temple.

• HorRakang 

• is the bell tower of the temple. 

• It is used to signal the start of morning and evening prayer times and can be in any variety of shapes and styles.

• HoTrai 

is the scripture library. The structure is usually raised on brick pillars, often over a pond in order to protect the scriptures from humidity and termites.

Sala

• is a shaded rest pavilion. 

• Originally they were open for any travelers who needed to rest for the night.

• can be found all over the country in and out of wats. 

• They can be at the roadside or in town centers. 

• usually doesn’t have walls and a sala in temple grounds is normally called a salawat.

• Phra Rabieng 

• Some larger temples have a cloister around the inner sanctuary and many, especially in rural areas, have a school for the local children.

• Temples often have cremation facilities with a tall chimney on the grounds.

• The prasat (castle)

• direct stylistic descendant of the Khmer temple, with its round-topped spire and Greek-cross layout. 

• At the center is a square sanctuary with a domed sikhara (tower) and four porchlike antechambers that project from the main building, giving the whole temple a multileveled contour. 

• The prasat serves either as the royal throne hall or as a shrine for venerated objects.

• Ayutthaya Style

• saw a Khmer revival, when Ayutthayan kings built a number of neo-Khmer-style temples and edifices, such as bell-shaped reliquary stupas with a circular flanged base and onion finials, reminiscent of combined Sri Lankan and Burmese patterns;

•  a stupa raised upon a cylindrical shrine as its drum; 

• and a shrine with a plinth faced with images (usually later additions) above which rise one or more pyramidal towers reminiscent of the tower of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India.

• Bangkok (Rattanakosin) Style

Khmer, Chinese, northern Thai, and Western elements were fused to create temples and palaces of which the key features are height and lightness.

• Rattanakosin

• the historic center of Bangkok, is located along the banks of the Chao Phraya river.

Wats

• Thai temples

• very distinctive. 

• means school, but is used only to refer to temple complexes.

• The Phutthawat

• is the more familiar structure associated with the word temple. 

• It is where all of the main religious buildings are contained.

• The Sanghawat  

• living area for the monks.

• Roofs 

• ornamented multi-tier roofs are reserved for important buildings. 

• The tiers with multiple layers and height above the ground symbolize the prestige of the buildings, which extends from the paramount status of royalty, Buddhism and the Thai nation.

• Spires and Roof Ornaments

• The roof spires of royal structures and prangs symbolize Mount Meru, which is the residence of gods and the divine center of the universe. 

• Roof finials portray stylized figures to ward off evil, such as the Garuda, or the celestial goose, Hamsa.

• Pediments

• the most prominent exterior element of a Thai building and inevitably becomes the most decorated part. 

• Its degree of embellishment corresponds closely to the building’s status in terms of sponsorship and royal affiliation. 

• The pediments of temples under royal patronage often center on the figure of the god Narai sitting astride his vehicle Garuda. 

• Sometimes the emblem of the king is used on the pediments as well as other divinities such as Indra on his mount, the three-headed elephant Erawan; Brahma on his goose, Hamsa; or Siva on his bull, Nandi. 

• Guardian figures such as Rahu and Kala sometimes appear.

• Eave Brackets 

• are among the most inventively carved wooden elements in Thai temple architecture, enhancing the roof’s appearance of soaring lightness. 

• The figures on eave brackets usually embodied guardian figures such as naga, hamsa or deva intertwined with floral and cloud motifs. 

• Preferably carved on one piece of wood, they were often gilded, and sometimes decked with glass mosaic.

• Doors and Windows

• Traditionally considered as the passage between differing realms, doors and windows, especially in palaces and temples, are decorated with special motifs in order to ward off the entry of evil spirits. 

• Panels are carved or painted with images of guardian demons or other auspicious figures and designs. 

• Statues of guardian demons, warriors or beasts are also placed outside the buildings for additional protection.

• Columns and Bases

• Column decoration may come in a variety of lotus motifs --upturned, downturn, elongated or clustered, an Asian counterpart to the Corinthian Order.

• Column bases may also have lotus or lion’s throne moldings similar to the base of and shrines. 

• Signifying dignity and nobility, this molding is generally reserved for sacred or royal structures. 

• Some have concave bases that calls to mind a hull of a ship, a metaphor in Buddhism for a vessel of enlightenment.

• mudra

• The most prevalent in Thailand is the earth-touching mudra, which shows the Buddha seated in meditation with one hand touching the ground. 

• The mudra symbolizes his enlightenment under the bodhi tree when he summoned the earth goddess to bear witness to his enlightenment. 

• Another important mudra depicts the meditation posture, a figure seated cross-legged with hands on his lap. 

• The ‘dispelling fear’ mudra demonstrates a standing figure with the right hand raised to shoulder height, the arm bent and the palm facing outward. 

• Sukhothai sculptors created fluid statues of a walking Buddha.

• Lower-ranked princes 

• had entirely red houses, indicating their royal status. 

• Their homes are built of teak decorated with red earth, a plain painted (in red) pediment and roofed with terracotta tiles. 

• Their house gates also had no arch top.

• Senior royal family members 

• had brick houses decorated with red earth, a pediment that is painted red and adorned in a Mon style. 

• The pediment could not be gilded or decorated with colored glass, again, for the reason of hierarchy. 

• The Roofs were clad in terracotta tiles and the gate was made of hard wood and painted in red.

• Royal family members 

• had brick and cement walls and topped with leaf-form sheets. 

• The gate used the same materials like that of the wall. 

• The arch attached to the so-called elephant-ear gate was painted in red. 

• The main residence building was made of wood.

•  It was connected to the stairs. 

• The building had enclosed walls while the main hall's roof, made of earthenware tiles, was multi- tiered and low at both ends. 

• The pediment was decorated with brahma-faces without motifs. 

• The structure could not be gilded or decorated with colored glass. 

• The multi-tiered roof was used to demonstrate the status of the structure's owners.

• Royal siblings and heirs 

• had brick walls and leaf-shaped Sema sheets and while some without. 

• The gate and decorations came in two styles; one was a lintel with and the other had a shaped top with a royal crown (called ‘phra kiew’) and was made of red- painted wood. 

• The building had a two-tiered roof made of earthenware tiles. 

• The pediment could be crafted in various patterns but all must be painted in red without the use of gild or colored glass. 

• Roof decorations were also made of red-painted wood. 

• Only the palace's worshipping hall could be gilded or decorated with colored glasses.

• The Royal Palace’s brick wall 

• was decorated with sheets. 

• The inside wall featured barbicans where palace guards were deployed to look after the structure. 

• The gate, which was made of wood, had a decorative arch on top in the same style found in the royal structures in the Ayutthaya period. 

• The architecture in this style was regarded as a residence for highly respected persons, including the Lord Buddha, monks, kings and deities.

• The God Narai on Garuda, 

• a typical decorative image on some of the pediment’s, symbolized the structure as the residence of God Narai or Vishnu who is reincarnated as the king. 

• The decorative frames of the buildings include gilded or decorated walls with yellow-colored glasses.

Chaan

•  is an open air elevated platform that links parts of buildings together.

• Since the ground of the house is normally damp or inundated, chaan becomes

• the family’s main living area. 

• Another important function of chaan is to connect surrounding buildings including the ones that are built to accommodate extended families.

Ngao

• elegant roof gable, distinct in thai homes.

Kalae

• is a decorative part commonly found in traditional Lanna style houses. 

• It is V – or X-shaped wooden decoration extending from the gable end peaks (panlom), thought to represent the horns of water buffalo.

Chua

• is a triangular-shaped pediment made of wood with the objective to protect the building from wind, sun and rain.

• Sum Khong 

• the elaborately decorated arch over a doorway or gate.

• Hu Chang

•  “elephant ear” eave brackets

Sala

• or pavilion refers to a free-standing roofed structure. 

• There are several Thai names for different types of pavilions, depending on their utility and location. 

• A pavilion sited a short distance from the main residence or located on the banks of canals or rivers

• ho nang

• the one on a house’s terrace

Kuti

• is a small structure, built on stilts, designed to house a monk. 

• This tiny footprint is intended to aid the monk's spiritual journey by discouraging the accumulation of material goods.

1. Dvaravati Sculpture

• The Buddha stands with his right shoulder uncovered; while his garments are clearly visible, their smooth, understated treatment draws attention to his idealized physical form, which functions as a metaphor of enlightenment.

• The Buddha has large curls, a rather broad face, eyebrows joined in a sharp ridge that forms an arc with a triple curve. elongated eyes, a flat nose and thick lips.

• The leaning Buddhas has somewhat Indian facial features and no aureole. 

• The right hand is typically free, while the left is depicted grasping the Buddha's robe.

• A hallmark of the Dvaravati style in Thailand were Buddha figures holding both of their hands in a gesture of exposition or teaching (vitarka mudra).

1. Khmer Sculpture

• Buddha images often display a cranial protuberance in the form of three tiered lotus petals.

• A hair band is featured, and the hair of the Buddha can be straight like human hair.

• The head is often decorated with a diadem of face frame. 

• Thick lips, a smiling face, prominent earlobes are featured.

• A robe is draped diagonally with a straight edged mantle over the left shoulder, extending to the navel.

• Often the Buddha image is displayed on a lotus petal base. 

• Seated Naga protected Buddha images in the meditation posture are common. 

• Sometimes the Naga protected Buddha appears with Royal ornaments, and has a sterner facial expression.

1. Sukhothai Sculpture

• A flame appeared on top of the head of the Buddha.

• The head is covered with fine curled hair. The face is oval, with high curving eyebrows, a hooked nose, a downward gaze, and overall displays a gentle smiling expression.

• The body of the Buddha images displays broad shoulders and a small waist.

• Overall it can be said that the Buddha Images do not appear human, but display idealistic or superhuman characteristics.

• During the Sukhothai era, the four postures of the Buddha (sitting, standing, walking, reclining) were created.

1. Ayutthaiya Sculpture

• The face may be more square, and a band may be present between the hairline and the forehead. Later on the face became more oval, with a Sukhothai type of flame aureole. 

• Typical of some images are small lines carved above the upper lip and above the eyes.

• Later on also, the facial expression became more stern, sometimes without any smile at all. 

• In the later period, it became also common to show the Buddha wearing a lot of ornaments.

Singha

• The Lion is one of Buddhism's most potent symbols. 

• Traditionally, the lion is associated with regality, strength and power.

Naga

• a multi-headed snake used as temple guardian statues and decorations.

Garuda

• The national emblem of Thailand, and the authority of the King of Thailand, the Garuda is a part-bird, part-human creature that’s prominent in Buddhism and Hinduism, where he’s said to be the mount of the god Vishnu.

Yaksha

• benevolent creatures who strive to ensure goodness prevails over evil.

• have served as guardians to temples in Thailand since the 14th century

Hamsa

• the celestial goose, often used as figure heads of roof finials.

Bai Sema

marker stones named after their similarity to Bodhi leaves