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Monday, November 7, 2016

L'importance symbolique du nombre 9 dans la culture thaïlandaise.

Le récent décès du roi de Thaïlande Bhumibol Adulyadej, est à l'origine du récit analytique suivant. Le monarque portait en effet le titre de Rama IX.
Le nombre 9 a alors surgi dans sa transcription thaïe un peu partout dans le pays. Il est intéressant d'en connaître la raison profonde. C'est donc ce que cet article se propose d'étudier.
Deux causes majeures expliquent tout d'abord ce phénomène : l'une, purement symbolique, possède une valeur universelle ; la seconde, plus spécifique, est liée à la culture thaïlandaise.

La symbolique universelle du chiffre.

Certaines figures géométriques, bien connues des sociologues et des ethnologues, sont des constantes humaines à valeur universelle. Ainsi le carré (porteur du chiffre pair 4) représente la Terre. Le triangle (porteur du chiffre impair 3) est à l'origine le symbole de la montagne. On peut noter au passage, que l'on représente les niveaux des classes sociales par une « pyramide ». Le cercle, quant à
Stupa (chedi) de Sukhothaï
lui, est une image du cosmos. Il existe bien d'autres figures symboliques, mais le carré et le cercle sont deux éléments primordiaux dans la spiritualité religieuse, et par voie de conséquence, pour les concepts architecturaux. Le prang khmer ou la stupa cinghalaise ont une forme circulaire édifiée sur un socle carré. Par ailleurs, pour rester dans le domaine de la mathématique, on distingue les nombres pairs des nombres impairs. Or, il se trouve que les nombres impairs, moins palpables, plus mystérieux, sont les nombres du secret, et ainsi des nombres utilisés à des effets religieux. Le plus connu est le chiffre 3. C'est celui de la trinité hindoue (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) ou celui de la chrétienté (le Père, le Fils, et le Saint-Esprit). Le chiffre 5 appartient à la religion musulmane ('les Cinq Piliers de l'Islam'). Le 7, celui des 7 jours de la Création, a généré linguistiquement, toute une série d'expressions : les 7 Pêchés capitaux, les 7 Piliers de la Sagesse, les 7 Merveilles du Monde, le 7ème ciel, Blanche Neige et les 7 Nains, etc...
On peut donc relier maintenant ces symboles à une analyse plus spécifique du contexte social thaïlandais..

L'importance du chiffre 9 en Thaïlande.

*La numérologie asiatique.
En Extrême-Orient, la valeur symbolique du chiffre revêt une telle importance, qu'elle influe sur la vie des gens. La linguistique nous apprend d'ailleurs que cette importance s'exprime alors dans la langue. Les Chinois y attachent une très grande importance. Le chiffre 3 fait penser par exemple aux mains des 'Trois Singes de la Sagesse' (se couvrant les yeux, la bouche, et les oreilles). Au Japon, comme en Chine, on redoute le nombre 4, synonyme dans la langue du mot « mort ». A Singapour, ou en Malaisie, on offre même aux usagers de choisir leurs numéros de téléphone, ou celui des plaques d'immatriculation afin de ne pas avoir un 4. Une voiture dont l'immatriculation aurait un 4, évoquerait un accident de la route mortel ! Sur un plan plus humoristique, mais tout à fait actuel, en Thaïlande le chiffre 5 qui se prononce ha, a donné naissance à l'expression 555 pour rire d'un sujet (hahaha). Religieusement parlant, le 3 et ses multiples, détiennent une place importante dans le Bouddhisme. On peut à nouveau évoquer ici le '3ème œil' du front de Bouddha, appelé 'Urna' [Wikipedia]. C'est celui de la connaissance, de la sagesse menant au nirvana. On en vient alors au chiffre 9. C'est mathématiquement 3x3x3, porteur de plénitude et de sagesse extrême. A titre d'exemple, le 9 septembre 2009, fut un jour particulièrement faste et révéré en Thaïlande : le jour unique du trois fois neuf (09/09/09) !
*Le nombre 9 dans le contexte thaï.
Les évocations précédentes permettent peu à peu de mieux cerner l'impact que ce chiffre peut avoir dans le contexte funéraire actuel. On constate alors étrangement qu'il revêt pas moins de trois fonctions symboliques.
-Dans sa transcription thaïe, le signe du 9 est très proche de celui du 'troisième œil de Bouddha'.
Khao (9) en thaï.
Donc, il est en phase avec la religion thaïlandaise.[Buddha's third eye]. Ce symbole est particulièrement visible sur les temples népalais.
Troisième œil du Bouddha
Tête d'un Bouddha thaï
-La linguistique apporte un complément sociologique. 9 se prononce khao. Le thaï est une langue qui comporte 5 tons définissant des sens différents selon la tonalité employée. Or la racine khao signifie aussi la 'montagne' (un rappel au triangle ou au chiffre 3, cités auparavant) et aussi également le 'riz'. A ce propos, 'kin khao' en thaï veut dire manger (littéralement, 'manger son riz' ; un rappel linguistique à l'expression « notre pain quotidien »). Or, on sait que le riz est la nourriture de base du continent asiatique. Quand on dit d'ailleurs à quelqu'un 'kin khao mai ?', on lui demande si tout va bien. 'Comment ça va ?' se traduit donc littéralement par « avez-vous déjà mangé ? » A noter que le thaï ou le lao ne sont pas les seules langues asiatiques utilisant cette périphrase. En Bahasa Indonesia (malais indonésien), on dit également : 'suda makan ?', ce qui veut dire exactement la même chose. Toutefois, le mot thaï khao conserve un sens symbolique spécifique lié au contexte du pays.
-Après le Bouddhisme et la langue, il est maintenant intéressant d'aborder un contexte plus
historique, et donc plus culturellement en phase avec l'histoire de la Thaïlande. Le 9 est un nombre particulièrement favorable dans la dynastie royale où il a toujours joué un rôle de bon augure. Or, voilà que Bhumibol Adulyadej, le roi défunt, portait justement le titre de Rama IX. Car il était le 9ème de la dynastie des Chakris, celle qui depuis Rama I, fonda la ville royale de Rattanakosin (quartier historique de Bangkok, où se trouve le Grand Palais).

Quand on connaît l'extraordinaire vénération du peuple de Thaïlande pour son souverain, devenu le plus vieux monarque en exercice, et l'attachement religieux et culturel que cela implique, on comprend mieux alors l'impact symbolique que le chiffre 9 peut avoir sur toute une nation.

Christian Sorand

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Sukhothai [สุโขทัย] - 'The Rising of Happiness'

There are different ways to go to Sukhothai, in Central Thailand. But I chose the quickest and simplest way to get there by flying.
Bangkok Airways offers a daily service out of Suvarnabhumi Airport and it only costs THB1,200 OW. Some more, this 'boutique airline', as they call it, offers a lounge service to all passengers.

Bangkok [BKK] → Sukhothai [THS]
It takes exactly an hour for the ATR72 to fly to Sukhothai, serving a light meal on the way. Sukhothai
Arriving at Sukhothai Airport
Airport is a nice regional airport built in Thai style.
Once at the terminal, there is a door-to-door transfer service. It cost me THB300 to get to my hotel near the historical park after a ride of roughly 45min.

The New Sukhothai village.
Buddha's Foot Print
The nice, immaculate hotel I am staying in (Sukhothai Garden) offers free bikes to its guests. This is the best way to explore the area as it is particularly safe and appropriate to go cycling in the park or in the archaeological vicinity.
The historical park village is by far the most convenient place to stay. First, because there are many cafés, restaurants, or convenience stores nearby; then, because is is just outside the Historical Park and Ramkamhaeng National Museum. All the other surrounding historical sites are also easily accessible by bicycle or by car from here.

National Geographic introduces Sukhothai by saying:”Sukhothai is to Thailand what Angkor is to
Historical Park pond
Cambodia, Tikal to Mexico, and Giza to Egypt
”. I fully agree, but I would add “Pagan to Burma, and Borobudur to Java”. Sukhothai has two major assets. Firstly, it is set in a wonderful natural environment, which is extremely well tended within the protected zone. Secondly, because all the archaeological sites are well-preserved and marked with bilingual signs (Thai/English). It is one of the rare places in Thailand that has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ayutthaya (Siam's second capital) is also under the UNESCO patronage.

Sukhothai became the first capital of Siam in the 12th century A.D. It marks the beginning of a true national identity at a time when a few enlightened princes decided to get away from the Khmer grip. Consequently, it stresses some important cultural aspects. Sukhothai is a mix of past Khmer (Brahman) culture with a definite new trend of Sinhalese (Buddhist) culture. This is a clear indication from its founders to get away from their former faraway ruling masters. The beauty of it all is that the blend turned into a magnificent new art form, known today as
Sukhothai Buddha
the Sukhothai Art, the first purely Siamese artistic movement, so refined and so full of graceful beauty that it could easily be compared to the Greek artistic movement. Historically and culturally speaking, Sukhothai remains an important landmark. Politically, the ruling monarchs were close and accessible to the people, preferring to rule more democratically (than the Khmers), away from all military conflicts. King Ramkamhaeng (1278-1318) is known to be the person, who created a new Thai alphabet still in use today. Thailand belongs to the branch of Theravada Buddhism (originally from Ceylon). But Thai Buddhists are clearly a mix of the Brahman and Buddhist religions dating back from these days. Ganesha – the Elephant's god – is highly revered in the country; Thais also have a passion for elephants; the Giant Swing in Rattanakosin (Bangkok old city) or even the overall use of spirit houses, are all other testimonies from the Brahman period. From then on, Siam, now known as Thailand, became a fully independent nation never to be colonized or even occupied. (The short period when the Japanese army in WW II were in Thailand was not an invasion but rather an 'invitation' by a former Siamese King). Rama I (1782-1809), a past monarch of the current Chakri dynasty, realized that the roots of Thailand were to be found in the Sukhothai heritage. Consequently, he decided to rehabilitate the ruins in order to strengthen a national spirit for his kingdom. It is now under the protection of UNESCO.
The objective of this short consideration is meant to reveal the importance of Sukhothai for today's Thailand, stressing the underlying national and cultural impact it has sustained up till now. On the other hand, Sukhothai remains also one of the most pleasant and interesting landmarks in the country.
Evening light on one of the park ponds
Sukhothai Historical Park.

The layout is reminiscent in many ways of the ancient architectural heritage of the Khmers in Angkor Vat, or the ancestral Chinese classic city planning.

Wat Sa Si chedi
The old city is built within a square surrounded by a moat. There are four main gates in the middle of each side pointing to the four cardinal points. The square and number 4 are a universal, symbolic way to represent the Earth. Even numbers represent the norm of everyday's life whereas odd numbers hold a more mysterious identity and are therefore used religiously, like the circle instead of the square. The square is a representation of our world; the circle is the symbol of the cosmos and consequently, the place where the deities dwell. In Hinduism, the square-shaped mantras are meant to be blown away, when the Dharma wheel represents the eternal continuity of life. Ancient cities were built according to these basic principles. So, at Sukhothai, the holy constructions are
Wat Si Sawai prang
in a circular shape or use the following odd numbers: 1 (Sinhalese
chedis), 3 (Brahman prangs), 5 or 9 (other Buddhist religious figures). For instance, a typical construction could have a square wall with four side gates, having a small prang or stupa (chedi) at each of the four corners and a larger prang or chedi at the center of the square, representing Mount Meru, the holy mountain in the Himalayas.
After this brief introduction, it is now time to consider the layout of Sukhothai Historical Park.

Many sites from different periods are enclosed in the main area revealing the passage from the Brahmanic religion to the Buddhist period. It is a clear testimony of modern Thailand religious beliefs.
-Wat Mahathat [วัดมหาธาตุ 'temple of the great relic'] (13thc) is the largest
Wat Mahathat sitting Buddha
and most striking complex. It was both a palace and a monastery. Although its construction started under the rule of the first king, Si Intharathit (ca 1240-1270), it was expanded by subsequent monarchs. The mix of the Hindu & Sinhalese styles reveal the passage to another era. The largest bell-shaped chedi (stupa) stood on a 5-layer square base indicating the passage from the earthly habitat to the apex of the heavenly cone. Another Sukhothai particularity resides in the prangs. Instead of being rounded at the top, they end in a lotus-like shape.

-Wat Si Sawai [วัดศรีสวา] (12thc) remains a more Khmer-style construction. It is the oldest. Its
Buddha's image
three corncob prangs recall Angkor and bear a more massive look, lacking the grace of the newer Singhalese sanctuaries.

-Wat Traphang Ngoen ['silver lake temple'] (14thc), is one of the most striking constructions. It is built on an island in the middle of an artificial lake. Its huge chedi is crowned with a lotus-bud ending. In the month of November, this is where the festival of Loi Krathong [ลอยกระทง] is being held. Loi Krathong – the festival of the floating candles – originates in Sukhothai.
-Wat Sa Si [วัดสระศรี] (14thc) overlooks a lake and keeps a large sitting Buddha image and a smaller black Buddha image standing in the famous Sukhothai walking style. Its chedi, assembly hall (vihara) and ordination hall (ubosatha) reveal the prevalence of Singhalese Buddhism.
-A monumental statue of King Ramkamhaeng sitting with a Buddha-shaped head, dominates a large modern esplanade near the village side of the park (East entrance).
WARNING: You may not see them but the park is the home of many venomous snakes. If you come across the team of workers in charge of cutting the grass, you will notice how many snakes hurry to get out of the grass and jump into the nearby pools. So, avoid walking in the grass or trod with your feet as a warning. At night, the snakes go out and you can see them cross the roads in the park.
On Saturday nights, for a short period of time, the monuments are all lit up in the historical park.
Night view of Wat Mahathat
Other surrounding historical sites.

All the historical sites face the East according to tradition. This is where the new village of Sukhothai is located. All the other historical landmarks outside the royal city within the moated square are classified by the other cardinal points: north, south, and west.
**East side, around the new Sukhothai community: there are two main conspicuous sites.
-Ramkhamhaeng National Museum [พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติรามคำแหง] is really worth seeing as it is quite informative and nicely presented.
-Wat Traphang Thong Lang, near the museum is a temple built on an island, which has a Buddha's footprint. It is particularly nice to get there at the end of a day before sunset.


-Wat Chang Lom [วัดช้างล้อม] (14thc), further down the road, on the left side, near the Yum River is a bit out of the way but has a huge chedi adorned with elephants at the base (chang means elephant in Thai).


**North side, offers some of the other more important historical landmarks.
-Wat Sorasak [วัดสรศักดี์] (1416 A.D.) just outside of the royal city, and still within the city wall, is another interesting monument. The main bell-shaped chedi sits on a base of 24 elephant sculptures. This concept is based on a belief that the elephant regarded as a beast of burden for the emperor, is a suitable animal to firm;y uphold Buddhism throughout a period of 5,000 years.
-Wat Mae Chon, on the left side of the road after the city wall, has a sitting Buddha image on a base
Modern wat mural
of 7.50m x 11.45m.
-Wat Phra Phuttha Siri Manrawichai Hall is an interesting modern Thai temple built in the sukhothai architectural style. The pastel-colored murals inside the viharn are particularly interesting. The Naja ramp at the entrance is made of celadon.
-Wat Phra Pai Luang [วัดพระพายหลวง] is another massive temple, the oldest in Sukhothai, as it was founded by the Khmers in the 12th century. It is in the middle of a huge square shape surrounded by another moat in the Khmer style with typical corncob prangs.
-There is another new, modern monastery on the premises with a lying Buddha. There are some conventional Buddhist wisdom signs in the garden saying:”Next to God, the parents”/ ”Be quick to hear but slow to speak”/ ”Prevention is better than cure”.
-Wat Si Chum [วัดศรีชุม] (13thc) is another must see place in Sukhothai. Known as the 'temple of
Wat Si Chum giant Buddha
the Bodhi tree
', it has a giant sitting Buddha hidden behind a wall that became an iconic image of Thailand. This type of construction is called a mandapa [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandapa]. Inside, there is a huge sitting Buddha (11m wide x 15m high) called 'Phra Achana'.

-There is also a newer version of Wat Si Chum having its own curiosity. A side temple has niches with small statues. If you slide in through the tight opening, you will get into an inner chamber full of ancient religious images of all sizes where people come and pray.
Praying at the inner chamber of Wat Si Chum
**West side, back on the road to Tat, there are more sites to discover. A small road on the left follows a densely forested hillside. This area is less visited because it requires more physical efforts, particularly if you are on a bicycle. It eventually goes to a vast reservoir providing a lovely country view. Three historic sites are worth seeing. Two are on top of a hill, and one is next to the road, closer to the royal city enclosure.
-Wat Saphan Hin [วัดตะพานหิน] (13thc), has one of the nicest standing Buddhas in the park, and
Wat Saphan Hin standing Buddha
offers a magnificent panorama of the whole area. Its name means '
stone bridge' (saphan is a bridge, and hin means stone, in Thai). This is because there is a 300 meters long pathway made of slate stones to get up to the 200 meter-high hill crest. There, you will see a large statue of a Buddha (about 12.5 m high) in what used to be a viharn ('assembly hall').

-Wat Khao Phra Bat Noi [วัดเขาพระบาทน้อย] (14th to 18thc), is the 'Temple of the hill (khao) of the Lesser Buddha Footprint' and is as difficult to reach. Its main interest resides in its Sri-Lankan stone chedi.
-Wat Mangkorn [วัดมังกร] (late 14thc, early 15thc) is the 'Temple of the Dragon' inspired by the Singhalese architecture. It offers many visible specific ornaments. The site features the remnants of an interesting railing made of Sangkhalok pottery, the only temple exhibiting this technique in all of Sukhothai”(Oriental architecture). The roots of some trees have grasped some of the ruins, thus evoking the ruins of Angkor Vat in Cambodia.

Hopefully, the description of some of the most interesting historical landmarks of Sukhothai will prove to be a useful tool for a visit of this amazing site. What makes it even more fascinating is its natural environment as well as all the other aspects of Thai life visitors will encounter while being there. Sukhothai is one of the most interesting places to see in this country. It helps getting a better understanding of the Thai past and culture.

Christian Sorand

Sunset at Wat Mahathat

Bibliography & other references:
Map and list of temples : (Sawadee)
Thailand, National Geographic Traveler (Third Edition), Washington D.C., ISBN 978-1-4262-0408-1
Thailand, DK Eyewitness Travel, London, 1997, ISBN 978-0-7566-85621
Thaïlande, Lonely Planet, ISBN 2-84070-462-5