• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

BOOK REVIEWS Sacred Rocks and Buddhist Caves in Thailand. Christophe Munier. Bangkok: White Lotus, 1998. xii + 266 pp.; illustrations (some in color); maps. Hardcover. Reviewed by RASMI SHOOCONGDEJ, Silpakorn University It is always a pleasure to read a com­ It also outlines the concept of sacred rocks prehensive book about Thailand. In Sacred and Buddhist caves found in Asia and Rocks and Buddhist Caves in Thailand, French raises several issues. Munier reviews the evi­ scholar Christophe Munier makes a won­ dence of sacred and worshipped rocks and derful effort to integrate archaeological data Buddhist caves that have been discovered with his knowledge of Thai Buddhist cul­ throughout Asia-from Sri Lanka, Burma, ture and his experiences traveling in Thai­ Cambodia, Thailand, India, China, Viet land between 1985 and 1994. Nam, and Malaysia-by comparing the sim­ The focus of this volume is a study of the ilarities and differences of the symbolic symbolic value of rocks and caves within meanings and the worship practices. Here, historical, cultural, and religious contexts. the subheadings are not well structured and The volume is illustrated with 300 plates, it would have been helpful to have a brief maps, and diagrams. Information on other explanation about the organization of this Asian countries is also included, providing section before launching into the history of useful information for both the interested Thailand right away. reader and the tourist. In the section that focuses on sacred Munier defines "sacred" rocks as those rocks in Thailand, Munier hypothesizes that are widely worshipped by the Thai, that the sacred rocks are linked to the Bud­ not exclusively from the Buddhist context, dha as a person and everyday utilitarian and he covers myths, animism, and other objects in the Buddha's life, as well as spe­ religious beliefs. "Buddhist caves" refers to cial Buddhist events. He classifies these into caves with cosmogonic elements of the ten parts: the introduction of Buddhism at Buddhist landscape that are not commonly the end of prehistory, rock umbrellas and found in the present-day context. canopies, the Buddha's shadows, the Bud­ The volume is divided into three parts: a dha's footprints, the Buddha's alms bowl, general introduction, followed by separate the Buddha's throne and bed, the divine sections devoted to sacred rocks and to balance, animals, a rock offered by the Buddhist caves in Thailand. Each section angels, and phallic rocks. The materials pre­ contains pictures, maps, and plans of sites, sented cover a wide time frame, from pre­ which provide the relevant supporting evi­ history to the present day. However, this dence for the temporal and spatial informa­ section seems to focus largely on the Dva­ tion mentioned in the text. ravati culture (the earliest Buddhist state The introduction gives a brief survey of founded in northeastern Thailand, c. A.D. historical development in Thailand prior to 6) and the Phu Phra Bat site, a Buddhist the Sukhothai period (Sukhothai is the first shelter in Udonthani Province in particular. kingdom of the "Thai" people) through Munier also mentions the sites in northern, the Chakri dynasty of the Bangkok period. southern, western, and eastern Thailand Asia1l Perspectives, Vol. 40, No.2 © 2002 by Univeniity of Hawai'i Press. 306 ASIAN PERSPECTIVES 40 (2) . FALL 2001 according to the above classification. At the worshiping sacred rocks and Buddhist caves end of each part, he provides a map and between Mahayana and Theravada Bud­ guide to the sites. dhism? The section on Thai Buddhist caves that Another problem is the structure of the follows is divided into five parts, including book. Although this volume attempts to an introduction to Thai Buddhist caves, provide an overview for readers unfamiliar caves used as ritual and religious places with Thailand and Buddhism, the book it­ from prehistoric time to the present, high self is not well structured and may lead to and low reliefs, painted caves, and text and confusion for some readers. h is difficult signatures. Under each of these topics, a to follow through to the end, due to the brief summary of the most interesting caves arrangement of parts in a discontinuous se­ around Thailand and guides on how to get quence. As a result, each part fails to deliver there are given. At this point, Munier in­ coherent and integrative content. Chapter cludes some material that does not entirely summaries of each part would have been relate to the concept of the Buddhist cave; useful. Although Munier provides great de­ for example, he includes the historical tail of historical information in each part, records (text and signatures) of King Rama he does not manage to smoothly link this V of the Chakri dynasty's visit to one cave. data with the concepts of sacred rocks and It seems that most of the descriptive infor­ the Buddhist caves that he sets out in the mation and interpretations contained in this general introduction. part are a summary of archaeological data While I commend Munier's efforts in on prehistoric rock paintings and historical reViewing numerous documents and ar­ caves that has been researched by Thai chaeological data, I also feel a bit uneasy archaeologists from the Royal Thai Fine with the author's interpretation of archae­ Arts Department over a number ofdecades. ological evidence. For instance, on pages 5 Unfortunately, apart from acknowledging and 6, he writes that the "Mon" people (an Srisuchat, Munier does not give any credit ethnic group in Thailand who speak an to the Fine Arts Department's work in his Austro-Asiatic language) were a population notes to sections 12-17 on pages 49-251. of the Dvaravati culture. This is a continu­ He does, however, include their studies in ing source of debate among scholars, and the bibliography. archaeologists still haven't come to an The strength of this book is the rich in­ agreement about the definite racial group formation about the sacred rocks and Bud­ of the Dvaravati culture. In this case, it dhist cave sites in Thailand. Muntier suc­ would have been better if Munier had pre­ cessfully brings together a large amount of sented the different hypotheses on this is­ data and a variety of interpretations in an sue, as he did on the issue of the origin of accessible way that may be particularly use­ Thai people on page 244. ful as an informative introductory guide for It should be noted that in such a book, people unfamiliar with the literature on this which deals with a range of topics and topic. covers a long period of time, it is easy for However, this book has certain weak­ the nonarchaeologist to misinterpret the nesses that could be improved in further archaeological records or to use the mate­ editions. I am disappointed that Munier rial without understanding the status of arts does not examine and explain the change in the fteld of archaeology. Munier is not or the continuity of sacred rocks or Bud­ alone in this regard. dhist caves through time. For instance, what Another minor observation is that the was the nature of worship in each period? rationale for selecting particular case studies When and how were animist and super­ is not always clear, and some examples natural beliefs harmoniously integrated with given do not accurately represent all the Buddhism? What are the similarities or dif­ topics and regions. Because of marketing, ferences of sacred rocks and Buddhist caves Munier also incorporates information that among the various regions of Thailand? Are does not relate to the concept of sacred there any differences in the practices of rocks and Buddhist caves at all. For in- BOOK REVIEWS stance, he includes information on sites that tant data are missing. For example, on page are curiosities of nature, such as Ko Tapu 235 in "Other Caves," information on the in Pangnga, southern Thailand, or famous, important features found in the caves and such as the rock filmed in the James Bond how to get there are omitted. I strongly feel movie. Personally, I feel this tends to dis­ that this part of the book is unnecessary. count the value of the book. Overall, there are several good sections Although the author intended to provide and it contains a wealth of information. more information on the sites to meet the The photographs are well printed on good needs ofthe tourist, some information seems quality paper. It is a worthy addition to any to be quite irrelevant while more impor- collection about Thailand. Bugis Navigation. Gene Ammarell. Yale Southeast Asia Studies, Monograph 48. New Haven, Connecticut, 1999. Reviewed by BEN FINNEY, University ofHawai 'i, Miinoa Those of us who have worked on issues of ships, these traders range over the Flores indigenous sailing and navigation in the and Banda seas, calling on ports in South Pacific Islands have long wondered to what Sulawesi, Maluku (the Moluccas), and Nusa extent Indonesian sailors still practice old Tenggara (the Lesser Sundas). Their wood­ ways of navigating and sailing, and how en, locally built vessels carry a wide variety these might relate to methods once em­ of goods, ranging from' timber, nails, bricks, ployed throughout the open Pacific. We and other construction materials to copra, had read the journalistic accounts of sailing cashew nuts, coffee, rice, flour, shallots, on romantic looking part-Malay and part­ fruits, and other products. To learn their European .craft, and poured over the few navigation system the author apprenticed papers that seemed to indicate that despite himself to master navigators, and sailed the presence of magnetic compasses on with ·them at various times of the year to board these vessels, their navigators still paid learn firsthand about wind and weather con­ attention to the stars, swells, and currents.

Load more

  13

Copy Link