the preliminary course of training in thai theatrical art
DESCRIPTION
By Dhanit YuphoTRANSCRIPT
THAI CULTURE, NEW SERIES
No. tr3
THE PRELIMINARY COURSE OF TRAINING
IN THAI THEATRICAL ART
bt1
Dhanit Y,tpho
PUBLISHED BY
THD FINE ARTS DEPARTMENTBANGKOK, THAILAND
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f'1. Dhnnit Yupho, Director-General of the Fine ArtsDepart-EEnt from 1956 to 1968, was born in Nakorn-Sawan province,Thailand, in 1907, and came to learn Pali at Wat Mahadhatu,Bangkok, in 1918. He was a graduate of the ecclesiasticaldoctorate of Thailand. He entered the governrnent servicein 1934 and became Chief of the Research Section of theNational Library in 1943. From 1g46 to 1956, he wasDirector of the Division of Music and Drama in theFine Arts Department. Formerly Mr. yupho was also alecturer in the history of Thai literature at ChulalongkornUniversity. He is Editor of the Thai Culture, New Seriesand is, himself, the author of the following publications:
The Economic Conditions of India in the Buddha'sTime; The Khdn; The Classical Siamese Thearre; Artists ofthe Thai Dance-Dramas or Lakon Vol. I; The preliminarvCourse of Training in Thai Theatrical Art; Thai MusicalInstruments; The Khon and Lakon presented by the Depart_ment of Fine Arts. etc_
First Published LgSzRevised:,and Second Edition 1954Third Edition 1960Fourth Edition 196gFifth Ediiion . 1969Sixth Edition tg7l
Seventh Edition 1980
Pthted bt Ken Srsue press, 314-316 Brmrung MurnS Ro]L Bnlroh Tbttd.TcL ZXt3:t51, ZB{t548
" Nang" Fenale Charactet
Miss Nandini Deeprazuat
" Phra" Male Character
Mr. Thongchai Bodhayarom
Dancersa*-J-
THE PRELIMINARY CCURSEOF TRAINING IN
THAI THEATRICAL ART
Masked plays, dance-dramas and Thai ballets areconsidered to be the classical forms of histrionic art whichare peculiar to the Thai and are the symbols of their originaland highly developed civilization. The artists who canperform well have not cnly to be intelligent but must alsobe trained. Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy too has said " Itis the action, not the actor, which is essential to dramaticart. Under these conditions, of course, there is no roomfor any amateur upon the stage. hi fact the amateurdoes not exist in Oriental Art. " (Mirror of Gesture p. 3).The classical theatrical art of the Thai is typical of thecultivated art of the East and requires good training for itsskillful execution. It cannot be staged off-hand at the pleasureof the actors. Furthermore even skilled exponents of thisart who are out of practice begin to deteriorate.
For want of attention, Thai theatrical art fell intodecay for some time till in 1947, when the World Warwas drawing to an end. The Department of Fine Arts drewup a plan to revive the national arts of drama arrd musicand one of its important proposals was to establish aschool to teach the arts. Then, after peace was concluded,the department hastened to open .the school, prescribe anadvanced course of studies and take in students who hadcornpleted primary education. The students received ageneral education as well as training in theatrical art.The school, however, attaches more importance to the latterand in this article I shall therefore deal with only thatpart of their education. But it is difficult to describewithout the aid of ocular demonstration and the readers mavfind it difficult to follow.
Usually training is given in theatrical art every after-noon throughout the term. There are both boys and girlsamong the students. Boys who wish to learn the art ofacting in masked plays are sent to the teachers of that artfor selection. Then they are trained to play the part ofhero (Phra), heroine (Nang), demon or monkey according
to their fitness. Students who have been selected to act
demons or monkeys begin by learning the " Mae Thi "( rrilrir ). Mothers of Postures, which will be explaiilied lateron.* But the boys who have been selected to learn the parts
of heroes, namely, Phra Ram and Phra Lak - who are also
known respectively as the major hero and the minor hero-orthose of the heroines, namely, Sida and MontLo-who arealso known respectively as the major heroine and the minorheroine, 'oegin by learning oo
Ram Phleng " ( irrnnl ), Dancingto music, just like girls who learn to take pdrt in ballets.Girls who will learn to perform dance-dramas and balletsare placed in charge of the teachers of those forms of art andare divided into two groups, namely, those who will act theparts of male characters and those who will act the partsof female characters because, though executed to lthe samemusico the acting of each group is of a distinct kind.
When the students have been divided into groupsthey begin to learn on a Thursdayo the Teacher,s Day.At first they are asked to kneel down, keep the bodieserect, open their hands and lay them, palms down, on thethighs. Then they are taught to resume the postrire dis_tinguished by five feature)s, namely, keeping the head, the* cf- The Xt on t ltorpraTtoyl Wn ii ,nX ,u;o -
-
Fig, 1
shoulders, the trunk and the waist erect and the hands fullystretched. In other words, they are trained to sit erect withexpanded chests. ( See fig.. I and also rntice the d'ifferences
bef'ween the postu,re of tlrc male and the female characters. )
'I'hen they are taught to indicate the rhythm of theirown movements by singirtg together "cha-chong--cha-thing-chong-.thing " eitc. ( See musical eramples 1 and 5 )
Vocal Part(1)
cha chong cha thing chong thing
r.nlzo5in3 : -
-+- --5-
TuneVocal Part cha chong cha thing chong thing
cha chong cha thing chong thingcha chong cha thing chong thingcha chong cha thing chong thing
t7) PHLENG CHA (cr.ow tuxr)
vt- w
ru).
rh3 thr Ihr th3 lbr
These sounds which are sung to indicate the rhythm areunderstood to have been adopted from the notes of theTaphdn ( nylxu ), a kind ofdrum used in the "Piphat band"to indicate the rhythm o.f what is called, not very accurately,"Phleng Cha" (rwarfi ), Stau Tune. The stiokes on t[;Taph6n which accompany the Phleng Cha are indicated inmusical example No. 7.
(?) PHLENG CIIA
TuneTaphon
phring phring phring tup pa tup phring phring tupphring phring phring tup pa tup phring phring tupphring phring phring tup pa tup phring phring tup phring
Then the students learn to place their hands on the
upper parts of their thighs, raise their seats, start and sway
their waists slightly. Doing like this is called Krathop
Changwa ( n:tvtuo"lr:a), " Beating the Rhythm", and is
meant to train the students, from the very outset, to recognize
the rhythm.
When the students have leamt Krathop Chaugvta the
teacher claps. the hands, rattles or castanets and sings
CHA (guow rurr)
prg pr' tup pr tp
-6-
examples 1 and 7 to indicate the rhythm and teaches thestudents to dance. At this stages the students bend theirfingers back, raise the palms of their hands a little above theirthighs and sway their bodies, now to the right and now tothe left. This part of the dance is called ,, Klom,, ( na'ol ).(Seefig.2)
Fig. 2
Then the students are asked to manipulate the fingersof their right hands as shown in fig. 3. After that theyslowly raise their hands up to their breasts in salutation, 1S:ee
-fiq. 4 ) and then bow and raise their hands above their headslike a person slowly doing homage to a king. ( See fig. 5)
-8-
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
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.'.;
-lh*'x,*:*a;i
Afterwards they raise one of the knees and bring it
forward, stretch the arms and bend one of the hands towards
the head. This posture is called 'o Kt'ai Khiin 'fha
( n:ruiurir ). ( See fs.6 )
Subsequently they begin to stand up and move rhythmi-
cally, executing various figures of which there must be more
than ten. It has been noticed, however, that even students
who very well remember every one of the figures take about
one hour to execute all the figures. So it is surmised that
ti:ere must be a great manY of thern.
The students have to practise dancing and singing in
this way {or not less than one term before they can dance
all the figures executed to the Phleng Cha keeping to the
correct rhythm. It is said that some students have no sense
of rhythm and that even though they can dance in company
with others, they cften make mistakes in rhythm and move
out of harmonY with the rest'
When the students have learnt the rhythm to the
notes of the Taphon, they change to "Lai Noi " ( ldnilos )
that is to say, learning the rhythm of the oosroi Son"
( aiouau ) tune which is a variety of the Phleng Cha' ( See
eramPle No. 2 )
At this stage the students are trained to dance to-
gether and at the same time indicate the rhythm by singing; cha-chong-cha-thing-chong-thing " ( 6v-I d': - 6a' vr''r -ld l-n's )
and sometime the Lai Noi till the teacher finds the
students can dance readily and correctly to the rhythrn of the
Phleng Cha. Then the students are trained to dance to the
- 1l --
Fig. 5
''s
Fig. 6
(4) PHLENG REO (ourcx ruxe)(2) PIILENG CHA (SROI SON)
Vocal Partnoi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noinoi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noinoi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noinoi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi noi
"Phleng R* " ( ,nao,i. ), QuickTune,imitating, at the same
time, the notes of Taphdn which the mouth thus; tup thingthing ( fiu. n'1. i.r. ) etc. ( See erample 3, 4 and. 6 )
(3) PHLENG RTDo
Vocal Part tup thing thing tup thing thingtup thing thing tup thing thing
Sing - brp Ains th3 9 thg 6r tp thg 6g b ths thg
tup thiry dr3
rr).nt
TuneVocal Part
tup thing thing tup thing thing tuii thing thingtup thing thing tup thing thing tup thing thingtup thing thing tup thing thing tup thing thingtup thing thing tup thing thing tup, thing thing
ip rhr nhs
tup thing thingtup thing thingtup thing thingtup thing thing
(21 PHLENG CHA (suow ruNe) sROt SON
(6) PHLENG REO
PHLENG REO (Qurcx tute)
tup tbg tlg
tls-12-
. During this period in which the students are trainedfor many months to dance to Phleng Cha and Phleng Reo,
the teacher sometimes demonstrates the movements and
postures in order that the students may remember and imitatethem. 'The students do so sometimes correctly and sometimes
incorrectly. If their hands and feet do not lcrok graceful, the
teacher bends them to the required shape. Sometimes the
students are also asked to tap the knees, hnoch the waists withtheir elbows and move their necks in order to learn to move
rhythmically in the same way as in training for tlu Kh-on.
They are trained like this every day till the teacher considers
they can dance to Phleng Chd and Phleng Reo tunes confor-
ming correctly to the rhythm indicated by their singing'
Later on they practise dancing to the music of the xylophone'
One has to practise for about a year to be able to dance to
Phleng Cha and Phleng Reo readily and correctly, and even
longer to dance to them very well.
Movements of trained dancers have become such
criterions of beauty that even the movements of women who
have not learned to dance but walk rhythmically have been
praised as compa.rable to the former. For instance Sudeshna
7a king of gods/ in Madanabddlid. praised Madana /anymph) thus:
" Her hands are like the trunk of the heavenly
elephant ridden by the king of gods. Hermovements are like those in a dance."
But some persons who have been leaming to dance tillold age are unable to dance well. In fact a student who
learns to dance from the time he or she is eight to ten years
old is generally able to dance better than one who begins to
learn when older, say fifteen or sixteen years of agen unless
the latter really has a talent for dancing.
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Phleng Chd and Phleng Reo are known together as
"Phleng Na Phat" (rvralurirvrrvr,ll, tttut is to say' instru-
mental music. Formerly, rn'hile training boys and girls to
dance, vocal music was not used at the preliminary stage'
The method followed by teachers of old has been
merely to teach the basic figures of Thai dancing' For' as
a matter of fact, students who can dance well to Phleng Chd
and Phleng Reo can really acquit themselves with credit on
ih" 1.hui stage. But usually when one had gained proficiency
in dancing to Phleng Chd and Phleng Reo one was taught to
dance to other items of instrumental music of the elementary
grJ" fif.u "Choet'n ( rr'n ), "Smoe" ( ralo ), " Rua" ( r-l )
and "La" ( at ).
The above is only as much as I am able to relate' But
what I have learnt by actual observation is, I feel, more
difficult to describe and write about' In the case of some of
the items I do not know how to write intelligibly. So I write
briefly leaving out much of the information'
When the students are able to dance to items of instru-
mental music of the elementary grade, they are taught to
interpret histrionicallyo words, generally those in the com-
position known as "Mae Bot" (rniun), The Alphabet of
Dancing, which is sung to the tune of " Phleng Chom Talet"
( rnarttrrato ), The Song describing the Market'* There
are two versions of the alphabet. The first which is a short
list of the evolution used in Thai dancing, is found
* Formcrly the " PhraThong" tune taas used for this purpose.
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the episode of "Tlrc Destruction of Nonthuh futNdrai"* inthe Rdmakien comped by King Rdma I.as follows**:- [ 1] Thep-Pranom' Pra-t\m'.Phrom Si-nE'
Sot Soi Mala (choet chin)'( thang) Kwdng Doen Dong' {on9
Bin'
Kinnarin LiaP Tham ( amphat )'
t 2l ( ik ) Cha Nang Non' Phamon Khlao'
Khaek Tao, Ph-a La Phiang Lai'
Mekhala Yon Kaeo (waeo wai)'MaYuret Fon ( nai amPhon )'
[ 3 ] Yot Tong Tong Lom'?hrom Nimit'( ik thang ) Phisamai Riang Mon'
Yai Tha, MaEhchd Chom Sekhon'
Phra Si-Kon Khwang Chak ( ritthirong )'
lsee scores 8 and 9)
The second is a comprehensive list of the evolutions
which H.R.H. the late P;1""; Damrong had taken the ttouble
to obtain and includJ-it-ttit book "Tamrd Fon Ram"
f ;"]f.";ij , Treatise on Dramnturgv' published bv the
'it^iit"na" LiLrury. It mentions the following:-
TH AI VERSES
The Salutation of the celestials'*
T h e PreliminarY rnm)errwnt'
The four-farcd Phrom'
Stringing a gafland'
Singing iltz Iad.Y to slee7'
The hilloch reaching onIY uP to
the shoulder.
PhraIt is
1. Thep-pranom Tlrc Sahutation of the celestials.
2. Pra-thom The preliminary movenrcnt.3. Plrrom Si-nd The four-faced phrorn.
4. Sot Soi Mala Stringing a garland.5. Kwdng Doen Dong The stag walhing in theforest.6. Hong Bin The swan inflight,7. Kinnarin Liap Tham The kinnonzpalks arou,ncl the cave.
8. Cha Ndng Non SinSinS thz lady to sleep.
9. Phamon Khlao Thc bee caresses the flower.10. Khaek-Tao 'fhe cockatoo.
11. Pha Ld Phiang Lai 7'hz hiltoch reaching only up tothe shoulder.
12. Mekhala Yon Kaeo Mekhald tosses her gem.
13. Mayuret Fon The pacoch dances.
14. Yot Tong Tong Lom The uind sways the rops ofplantain leaves.'
15. Pbrom Nimit Phrom's creation.16. Phisamai Riang Mon Wedded lwe.17. Yia tha Changing the posture.
18. MaEhchd Chom Sakhon The fish plays in the ocean.
19. Phra Si-kon Khwang Chak Phra N-arai hurls the discus.
* This Episode was filmed by the Fine Arts Departrnent, entitled .TheDiamond. Finger,"
** Many of these ezpression have been borcawed from the translationof, H.LI. Prince Dhanini-.-at Krornamiln Bidyald,bh Bridhyakorn.
* Many of these erpression hatte been bo'raued' from the translation of
H.,Fi. Prlnce Dhanini'nat Kromamiin Bidyatabh Bridhyahorn'
1. Thep-Pranom
2. Pra-thom
3. Phrom Si-nd
4. Sot Soi Male5. cha Nang Non
6. Pha In Phiang Lai
-16--
tl -
Andul.
Itt
I
CI{OM TALAT
- PRl NOU. pilion' si.
arHANc) -- - rwirroooeu ooro, or - -\
rixl - - - - cri - riNcron. 0r
- YoN KEo 0l
tOT - - - - TONG.TONQ toi.0r--:-- PEROM NI
YAI---- TF^.UACR
TO RITONNELLO
TO RITORNELLO
TO RITORNELLO
TO RTTORNELLO
TO NITONNELLO
IO RITORNELLO
["tzl
|-,"
It"r3l
Io,
GHOM TALAT ( Rtronxeuuo)
LIAP rHAn-0a--:---(AM
ua---t0nET:--FON
TBAtfo)- PRtgA M^l- - 0f - - -- - RtrlO
7. Phisamai Riang Mon Wedded laue.8. Kang-han Ron Tlu blades of the zairulmill in
motirm.9. Klraektao Khao Rang The cockatoo retires into its nest.
10. Kratai Chom Chan The hare adnzires the moon.11. Chan Song KIot The maonis investedwiththeha|oL2. Phra Rot Yon SEin Phra Rot thrqps an epistle.*13. IMdn KIap Lang T'lB Ez,;t One tarns his back.14. Yuang Krai Walhing gracefutgt,15. Chui Chai Khao Wuog Sutaggering into the palace.16. Mangkon Riak Kaeo The dragon demands rhe gem
MuEhalin from Muilatin.17. Kinnon Ram The Kinnan dances.
18. Chdng Prasdn Ngd Elephants lock their tushs(infislx).
19. Phra REm Kong Sin phra RErn bend.s thc bout.20. Phamon Khlao The bee caresses (.the flouter).21. MaEhchii Chom Warin The fish enjtrys itsetf in the ocean.22.Ibng Lai Dai Sin Complaely infatuated.23. Hong Linld24. To Len FIEng
The suan atalks gracefully.Tlu lion plays with its tail.
25. Ndng Klom Tua The lady su,ays from side to side,26. Ram Yua Lasciztious dancing.n. Chak Paeng Phat Nd Crushing talc (cosmetics).28. Lom Phat Yot Tong The wind xpays the top of
plantain leaaes.
* Phra Rot: Prince Rothasen, see story ;" fiEno ora6,Dhanit l'upho, pp. 8S-9O.
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by
31. BuaChuFak
29. Bang Phra Suriyd Keeping otrt the sun.
30. Hera Len Nam The Hera (a kind of dragon)sports in tlu water.
Thc lotas plant raiws its Pod.
40. Khat aChng Ndng
41. Tha Nai Sdrathi
42. Imven Vehd
43. Khi Ma Ti Khli
44. TiThon Yon ThaP
45. Ngfi Khwang Khon
46. Ram Krabi Si The
47. ChinSao Sai
48. Chani Rai Mai
32. Nakha Muan Fldng 'fhe serpent coils its tail.
33. Kwdng Doen Dong 'f he stag ual.ks in tlrc forest.
34. Phra Narai Kwang Chak Phra Nd.rai hurls his discus.
35. Chdng Wan Ya Tlw elephant scatters tlrc grass.
36. Hanumdn Phldn Yak Hamttndn kills the ogre.
37. Phra Lak Phlaeng Rit Phra Lah* displays his prousess.
38. Kinnon Fon FEng The Kinnon dances i'n a group.
39. Yfrng Fon lldng T'lv peacock dances spread'ingits niL'flv c-ross.
T'lu posture of tlrc chnrioteer.
Patrolling the sky.
Playing polo.
Beating thc drums,
The sna.ke throus its bodY
fuzoard ( as if it anere thrwinga hamrrcr).
Four postures of tlu raPia-dance.
The Chinese disemboutels n;mietfi.
Tlu gibbon msings fram treeto tree.
* Phra Lah : I'akshman in Ramayatu, an Indian Epic.
_2t_
49. Mekhali Lo Kaeo
50. Kinnon Liap Tham
51: Nang Nd Fai
52. Sua Thamlai FIEng
53. Chdng Thamlai Rong
54. Chong Kraben Ti Lek
55. Thaeng Visai
56. Klot Phra Sumen
57. Khrua-wan Phan Mai
58. Pralai-Wdt
59. Yang Khit Prakit Tham Inaenting.
60. Krawat Klao
61. Khi Ma Liap Khai
62. Kratai Tong RamKhlaeo Tham
63. ChakSoSdmSai
64. Yai Lam Nam
MeklnlE tosses her gent.
The Ktnnon walks around. theccvae.
The shadout play character anho
is alanys.blamed for trouble,
Tlu tiger destroys the hunter'scottage.
The elephant destroys the stable,
Tuching up the loose ends of theloin-cloth and hamnrcring iron.
Guardian deities fight atithsfuars.
Reaching out to Meru mauntain.
The creeper tuists itself aroundthe tree.
Tlw storm of uniaersal destruc-tion.
Doing up the h,air.
Riding thc horse and inspectingthc camp.
Tlw lure caught in tlu trapescapes into tlu caae,
Playing on the three shingedviolin.
Changing tlw sutg.
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Dancing to the " alphabet" of either version is a model
of Thai theatrical art which our ancestors have been able to
preserve for us by handing it down from generation to
generation, at least from the time rvhen Ayudhya was the
Lpiof of Thailand, and is learnt from the verses of King
Rima IV wlfiih give its history thus:-
"The story of Phra Narai destroying Nonthuk''
At the beginning of Treta Age'
Was one that had come down from ancient times
When it reached AYudhYd."
In fact the greater part of the " Alphatet of Dancing"
has been adopted from the evolutions which accompany
Phleng Chd and Phleng Reo to which the students learn to
dance at the beginiig. But while interpreting words
histrionically **" -* postures and gestures were found
necessary tomake the spectators understand the words better'
So they were either invented'outright or adapted from those
alreadv erecuted to Phleng Cha, Phleng Reo and other items
of instrumental music of the elementary grade. Thus the
introduction of the histrionic interpretation of words amounts
to fixing their meaningsby the mov€ments and gestures' and'
,""ipJly, the first occation in which the hitherto nameless
movements and gestures were made to conform to the names
giuen to them now in the same manner as the evolutions of
lndi"r, dancing which are provided with names in the
Jiiy"-tu*1' of the sage Bharata' I understand that
formerly the names were used for giving of the students a
-21 -
general idea of the evolutions. For instance, the teaeJrerwould tell thern that " ^Sot Soi MAla,, referred to the move_ments of stringing a garland and how the students shouldo(ecrrte them to make them appear beautiful, or, again, howto q(ecute the figure " Tlw stag zpalks in the forest,, beauti_fully. Then the students would be able to use theirimagination and understand what was required of them.Thus in the case of the latter figure they have to rememberthat by nature rhe stage is timid and cautions and walkslooking to the left and to the right. A poet has comparedthis to the shy behaviour of maidens saying;
" Saw a stag walks gracefully glancingsidelong like young women who wait upona king with his sword and articles of toiler.',
If the studenrs learn guiding facts like this and usetheir imagination, they can form a mental picture of a stagwalking in the forest and represent it with their movementsand gestures which need not be alike providd they arebeautiful. For instance, Thai arristes formerly representedthe stag walking in the forest by spreading both the handsand bringing the palms to the front. But now they stretchthe forefingers and middle fingers out, clench the others,stretch the arms down till the palms are level with theseats, invert the hands so as to bring the palms below, raisethe first and second fingers up till they are level with thewaists and move them from side to side and up and downalternately. But the afiistes of India clench the first,
-2+-
second and third fingers, and stretch the thumbs and little
fingers out. That is their "way o[" representing the stag
walking in tiie forest. We cannot say whose representation of
the 6gure, ours or theirs, is more correct since technique
depends upon personal taste, suided by the artistic tradition,
customsn manners and beliefs of one's nation, So, in spite of
such mannerisrns of the dancers all representations of afigure
according to its narne are satisfactoryo provided that the
spectators can recognizi their purport and their beauty from
the point of view of art. So I understand that the names of
thesefgures were formerly used by theteachers merelytohelp
the students in inventing the appropriate movements and
gestures by themselves, according to the injunction " Dance
with your head." But some well-informed persons have
objected to this. They say the evolutions which have names
from the alphabet of dancing are correct only when ihey are
performed according to rules. But the objection can be
correct only for the time subsequent to that in which the
rules become stereotyped. When their names have come to
be interpreted in a stereotyped manner, to execute them
differently has, of course, been considered incorrect. Thus
teaching the theatrical art has come to mean training the
students to rernember the evolutions, that is to say, training
their memory more than their imagination- But the practice
is beneficial too, since without it the old way of executing the
figures named in the lists would have been changed beyond
recognitiono if not forgotten altogether, and would not have
come down to us in the forms in which they were prevalent
during the Ayudhya period.
-25-
1. Thep-pranom2. Pra-thom3. Phrom Si-nd \4. Sot SoirMdld5. Cha Ndng Non6. Phe In Phiang Lai
7. Phisamai Riang Mon8. Kang-han Ron
9. Khaektao Khao Rang
10. Kratai Chom Chan
11. Phra Chan Song KlotL2. Phra Rot Yon Sdn
13. Cho Ploeng Kan
14. Mdn Klap Lang
15. Phrom Nimit16. Yuang Krai
The salutation of tlu celestials.The prelim.inary mwen ent.The four-faced Phrun.Stringing a garland.Singing thc lady to sleep.
The hilloch reaching only up toThe shoulder.Wedded lone.7'he blades of the windmill inmotiat.The cockatoo retires into its nest.The hare admires the moon.T Iu m om i s imte ste d with thc halo.Phra Rot thrmps on epistle.Ughting the fire of universaldestruction.TIu Evil One turns his back.
Phron's creation.Walhing gracefully.
32. hngPhra SuriYa
33. Herd Len Nam
34. Bua Ch[ Fak
35. Nakhe Muan Hdng
36. Kwang Doen Dong
37. Narai Kwang Chak
38. Chang Sabat Ya
43. Khat Chdng Nang44. Sdrathi Chak Rot45. Traven Vehd
45. Khi Me Ti Khli47. Ti Thon Yon ThaP
48. Ng! Khwing Khon
17. ChuiChaiKhao Wang Susaggerring irxo tlu palace.18. Mangkon Len Nam Thc dragon sports in the water.19. Kinnon Ram Tlrc Kintnn dances.
20. Chdng Prasdn Ngd Elephants lock their tushs (infisht).
21. Phra Ram Kong Son Phra Ram bend.s the bout.22, Phamon Khlao The bee caresses the flonrcr.* Pleasc cec tlv Pictur*s of the eoolution in this bnk.
-26-
A COMPBEIIENSIVE LIST'
OF FIGURES WHICH FORM
THE ALPIIABET OF THE DANCING
23. Yai The Changing the posture.
24. Ma6hchdChomsdkhon Thefish disports in the ocean.
25. Long Lai Dai Sin Cornpletely infatuated.
26. Hong Linla T he sanan ualks grarcfullY.
27. Sing-to kn Flang The lion plays anith its tail.28. Nang Klom Tua The lady sasays from side to side'
29. Ram Yua Lascivious dancing-
30. Chak Paeng Phat Na Crushing talc ( cosmetics )-31. Lom Phat Yot Tong The wind svuctys the tops of
plantain leaaes.
Keeping otrt the sun.
The Hera ( a hind' of dragon )sports in uater .
The Lotus plant raises its Pod.The serpent coils its tail.The stag walhs in the forest,God Narai hurls His discus.'flrc elephant stri.kes its legs witha bunch of grass (tofree the latterfrorn. earth etc.).
39. tlanuman Phlan Yak Hanum-an destroys the demon.
40. Phra Lak Phlaeng Rit Phra Lah displays his prouess.
41. Kinnon Fon O The Kinrnn dances gracefully.
42. Nok Y6ng Fon ITAng The peacoch daruesits tail.The cross.
Thc charioteer drhtes the chariot.Patrolling the sky.
Playing poln.
Beating the drurns.The snakc throu.ts its body
forutard (as if it uere thrqpinga hatnnrcr).
-n-
49. Chak Krbbi Si The
50. Chin Sao Sai51. Chani Rai I\[ai
62. Yuang Phai Kathin
63. Pralai-wdt
T he fwr posture s for unsheathinga rapier.The Chiruse disembauels himself .Thz gibbon swings from treelo tree.
52. Khon Thing Ok Ktton beats his breast.*53. Mekhala Yon Kaeo Mekhatd tosses her gem.54. Kinnon Liap Tham The Kinnon walks around tlte
cave.55. Nang Nd Fai The shadou play character who
is alusays blamed for trouble.56. Sua Thamlai Fldng Ttu tiger destroys the huner,s
cottage.57. Chdng Thamlai Rong Ttu elephant destrosts tlrc stable.58. ihong Kraben Ti Lek Turhiag up the loose and of the
lnin-cloth and hammcring iion.59. Visai Thaeng Tti The guardian deiries fight with
60. dharot phra sumen "##;, the sumerumauntoin.
61. Grua-wan Phan Mai The creeper tanists itself aroundthe tree-
The .oar-sateep of a boat in aRattun procession.
Tlu storm of uniaersal deitruc-tion.
64. Yang Khit Pradit Ram Still immting a dance.65. Krawat Klao Doing up the hair.66. KhiI!{6LiapKhai .Ridngin" n*n and. inspecting
6r. Kratairong Raeo '*";ff:; r, caugttt in the tap.68. Chak So Sam Sai ,H:: * the three_striiged
* Khan is nmne of a Demon prince.
-28-
TIIE ACCOMPANYING
ILLUSIBATIONS O}' POSTUBES
riIli
r3It,
Tzuo danctrs in the 1>osture of"7'lu: coc/:atoo retires into its ttcst',
T[,cp-pra.omIhe:alulalion ol the celesti€ls
&rfu
, i
IIt
\
a"
',1 ,t '4.t\:''';4'''-'\# ,r..
tto ,'i,tVlg','i.:,, ,* ,,,
'rl ,
.tN,.t'' - l.i*.
f,t <';a ,'t-C.\14 L :1' {v' fnv f,.
,d 'Y". . -)'1",, :t . .
'i'., 'r' . .-4' '{
i.:{.4-4.iJ
Pra - thontIhe preliminary moveme'rl
nrumturir Phrom Si-naThe lour-leced phrom
dogtdr'ouu1a1 Sot Soi MalaSl.tnging e gorlond
trlul{,ttou Cha Nang Non
Sinorng tha Ledy to slcco
Pha La Phiana LaiThc hlllock reaching only uplo rhc shorlde,
nmrrilurlnd
s orlv{dilurru0lltJou
n{flurou
Phisamai Riang MonWedded love
Kang-han Ronlhc bladcs ol the windmill in molion
i Joru1lRr911t1lt0
n:esirurur'uni
Khaektao Khao RangThc cockaloo.cltrca Into i,3 nesl
Kratai Chom dhanThe harc edmires thc moo.
r^lrsd"ufl5m:iflao Phra ehon Song KlotThe moon 13 Invesled with lhe halo
Phra Rot Yon SanPhra Rol lhrows an epislle
l0r}|{ntnlnvCho Ploeng Kan
Lighting lhe lire ol universal deslruclion
Men Klap LnnqThe Evil Onc tr,ns hi: bn.t
:Jtrnaufla{wrs:nIuild'rt
yrt?ruuufl\
Phrom Ni-itPhrom's crealion
yoiluQlUrlr'llil
Cbrri Chai Khao WangSwagger;ng into the palaco
Manglon Len Namlhe dragon sporls in the waler
{tUO\:nflU Yuang Krai
Walking grace[ullyutt
tJ{n:rauut
fiuu:ir ( r) Kinnon Rarn ,4
The Kinnon danccs
Kin.ron Ram Bfhe Kinnqn dances
dnil:sarurr Cha"g Prasin NgaElephants lock their tusks (in licr,.
Phrn llam Ku,rgl'hra Rirn bendr the bow
iirnr:ir ( c, )l^trsrluIr;{fl:
tRU1fln1 Phamon Khlao
Ihe bec caresses lhc flowe,illAlSUdlRt Maihcha Chom Sakhon
The lish di3portr in the ocean
Long Lai Dai SinCompletely inlatueted
Yai ThaChonglng tire gosr,
c rr{fla0lflatndu
fi{daun'l Hong LinlaThe swan welks gracefully
Sing.to Len Hang' Thqlion playr with ll3 tlil
frrlnrdunn cJrluf
rnndotn-rNang Klom T.talady sways from side lo side
Ram YuoLasclvlous dancing
tllu',TnttunHo?tu1 ChaL Poeng Phat Na
Crushiog lalc ( cosmeltca I
Lom Phat Yot TongIhe wlnd sways lhe lops of plantatn lcavcr
lJ{y{:gd:91I
Band Phrq SuriydKeeping oul lhe sun
Her-a Len NamThe Here (a kind of dragon) sporls in wslcr
rttfifltauulnUilOU09l9lO.t
rirqf,n (n ) Bua Chr Fak ,4The Lolus planl raises ils pod
Bua Chn Fak IThe Lolus plonl rolscs lls pod
til1n1il?Ull'l,l Nakha Muan Heng
The serpenl coils ils loll
KwEng Doen Dong u{Thc Slag walks In thc foreil
u1qiln ( t )
ntrufruol (n)
Jwtildcunilful
oJ?rluru}{a1quflr
Chang Sabat YEThe elcphanl slrikca ils lcg wtlh r bunch ol grus
( lo lrec lhc laller from carlh clc,)
Hanumdn Phlan YakHenumdn dcslroys the &mon
n?l{r9ruoi (") Kwdng Doen Dong BThe stag walks in lhe loresf
Ndrai Kwane Chal(God N6rai hurls His discus
rtrtuoltrtnr'nt
wrcn-nurduiluoqnf Phra Lak Phlaeng Ritrh,o Lrk displays his prowess
unu,:ilou?n{ NoL Ynng Fon HengThe peakock d€nces sp.eading lls l€il
Khat Cheng NangThe croscfiuurrilould
flo0't0u'tit
rrrir'nrn Sarathi ChaL RotThe chariotecr d.ivca the chsriol
Traven VehaPetrolhng thc aly
ir{ {l|lJlflRA Khi Ma Ti Khli
Playlng polo
Ti Thon Yon ThapBclting thc drums
tt:&t?ul2Hl fiIvruluuvr-u
rrrirn'ou ( n )NgD Khwang l(hon I
The snakc throws its body {omard( as i[ it were lhrowing a hammer I
Ng[ Khw6nc Khon B.he s.nakc throws itj body lorward( €i il il wcre lhrowing a hammer 1
- {{ ruflt'tt&udyt'l Chak Krabi Si Tha
{he four postures lor unshealhinO a rapier
Chin Sao Satihe Chincse .lrrcmbowcls himscll
mrrorlnoou ( t ) louarrl#
rciiruli Chani Rai Mailhe gibbon swlngs lrom lrcc lo lree
Khon Thing OkKhon bcots hii brciel
rilrntluuuri? Mekhala Yon KaeoMekhala tossc: hcr gem
q'1 tnuuttauunl
flouyl{onKinnon Liop Tham
Thc Ktnnon walks around lhs cave
nulnrirh,lNang Na Fai
The shadow play characler who is atwaysblomed lor lrouble
-. S"q Thamlai H6nglhc liger Ceslroys lhe hunlc.'s collage
#r.:rirarul:r
Iornrcruuilrfldn
Cha"g Thamlai RongThe clephanl destroys lhc slablc
iho.,g Kraben Ti Le[Tucking up the loose end of the loin-clott,
aod hammc.ing l.on
raiofirorunl.r
56
ilauuymsrl Visai Thaens TriThc Auardian dcirics ligli with triden,s
eharot Phro SumenRcachihg thc sumoru mount6:n
{ g d s ut,ln:02auilu lu Grua-wan Phan Mai
lhe creeper lwisl3.itgcll around lhc rrec
Yuang Phai KathinThe ocr-sweep ol a boot In r Kalhio proccssion
s{lu0.t?{tuRnu
uniltcdtuttt
il:ca-urrsr Pralai-wdt'lhe slorm ol universal deslruciion
Yang Khit Phradit Ra*Slill inve"lin! a dancc
oln'nrrJrao'uff r{y< t{illrauunlu klding the horse and lnspecilng lne comp
'&.-
vttn:cil29lfln1 Krawat Klao
Doing rp the hatr
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TFtAt CULTURE, NEW SERTESALREADY PUBLISHED
!.. INTRODUOINO OULTUFAL TEAILAND IN OUTLTNE67 Phya Anuman Rajadhon
T. TEf,! ROYAL }IONASTEFIES AND IHEIB SIONITICANOE&y Luang Bortbal Burrbhand & A.B. Grtswold
9. SEADOW PLAY (tne Naq)by H.H. Prtnce Dhcntnrva-f Kromemijn Bldyalabh BrldhyEkorn
4, THAI BUDDEIST AET (ABCEITECTUBE)Ay Professor Sllpa Bhlrasrl
t. TIIAI LAOQUEB WOFKS 6y Prolessor Stlpa Bhtrasrl0. THII KEON Cy H.H. Prtnce Dhenlnlvat Kromamljn Btdvalabh
BrtdhyEkorn & Dhanlt Yupho?. KIION MAAKS iy Dhanlf yuphoE. CONTEMPORABT ANT IN TEAILAND
6y Pro{essor Stlpa Bhlrasrl9. TEAI LITEBATURE IN BALATION I'O TEf,i DIFFUSTON
OF EER CULTUBES by Phya Anuman RajadhonIO. TE$ NATUBSI AIID Df,iVELOPIIENT OF THEi TEAI
LANGTIAG[i by Phya Anuman Rajadhon11. TIIBI O[lsTOM AND NTTS OF PAYING EOMAOII TO
TEAOEEBS OF EEON, I,AEOH AND PIPEAT6y Dhantl Yuoho
lt. TEAI WOOD OABVINCS iy prolessor Stlpa Bhtrasrl18. TEEI PBELIMTNAAY OOURSTi OF TEAININO IN IHAI
TEXIATBIOAL ABI 0y Dhanr yupho14, TSAI TBADITIONAL SALUTATION
I'. AN APPBEOIATION
Dy Phya Anuman Rajedhoniy Phra Chen Duriyanga
NOTATIONDy Phra Chen Durlyanga
OF gttKHOTEAI AnTcy pro{essor Stlpa Bhtrasrl
TEAI IMAOES OF EEA BUDDEAey Luang Bortbal Burtbhand & A.B. Grlswold
19. WHAT I8 A BUDDH.A TMAGE!? 6y A.B. Grtswold
16. THAI MUSIOI8. THAI }IUAIO IN WTiSTDBN
18.
20. TEAI TBADTTTONAL PAINIINO $y Eltzabeth Lyons21. TEET MAEfr, oE.iT t1 phya Anuman Ralajhon22. THn |IOSaOEAT IN THAI PAINTINC 6y Eltzabeth Lyonr2S. IflB BOYAL PALACNA
by H.H. Frtnce Dhanlnlvel Kromamiin Btdyalabh Brtdhya-korn24. TEE DEVELOPMENT Otr THXi HATIONAL MUSETTMS
IN AEAILAND ly Dhanll YuohoP6. IIBABMACAKEA (TEsWEI:DL oFTEELAw) 67 Dhantt yupho
OTHER SUEJECTS TN PREPARATION