Thais ( Thai. ไทย สยาม ) - the indigenous people of Thailand . Religion - Buddhism . The language is Thai . Otherwise they are called Siamese or Khonthai. The number is 90 million people, 64.2 million live in Thailand. The related peoples are Lao , Zhuang , Bui , Shan , Tho (Tai), and others. They are called the general term Tai . Their language is part of a larger family of Thai Kadai peoples . The etymology of the word "Thai (Thai)" - "free", that is the same as in Europe meant the word "franc."
Thais | |
---|---|
Modern self | ไทย สยาม |
Abundance and area | |
Total: 90 million people | |
Thailand - 64.2 million people | |
Tongue | Thai |
Religion | buddhism ( theravada ) |
Enters into | |
Related peoples | Lao , Zhuang , Bui , Shan , Tho (Tai) , etc. |
Content
Origins and Early History
The man in Thailand lives with the Paleolithic . At the beginning of the 1st millennium, the Mon-Khmer peoples lived here. In the VII century, there was the state of Dvaravati (later - Lopburi ). In the VII-IX centuries - the state of Haripunjaya with the capital Lampun . The Thais originally lived in the Yunnan Highland in China , from where the Mongols had driven out the last Thais in the 13th century. Then they gradually settled the valleys of Menam , Mekong , Salween and drove out the Mon-Khmers. In the XII-XIII centuries, they created the state of Sukhothai . The capital, Ayutthaya (Ayutthaya), was founded, the kingdom began to be called Ayutthaya or Siam. The first king of Sukhothai is Ramakhamhaeng the Great (1275–1318), the first king of Ayutthaya is Ramatibbodi I (1350–1369).
Throughout history, Siam (or Thailand) has been a kingdom. In the XVI — XIX centuries. Thailand repeatedly experienced attempts at colonization by a number of European powers: the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British and the French, but the Kingdom of Thailand invariably managed to defend its independence and remain the only state in Southeast Asia that has not become a colony.
Thais borrowed from the Khmer some cultural achievements, such as writing. Buddhism penetrated here in the thirteenth century.
Life and economic activity
Traditional activities - agriculture, the main culture - rice. Additionally grown cereals, mulberry, vegetables, tea. Horticulture and horticulture are developed, bananas , citrus fruits , rambutan , mangoes , apples , peaches , etc. are grown . Breeding cattle - buffaloes and horses (as labor), goats, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks.
Fishery in Thais is developed river and sea, but in technology one from the other is little different. There are purely fishing villages. The main commercial fish (and other seafood): trout , flounder , lamprey , carp, perch, catfish, burbot, shrimp, trepang , seaweed. In fishing, a heavy bot (snout pet) and bamboo traps are used.
Among the crafts is very honorable wood carving (used in construction). This is a difficult profession, usually it is inherited. In jewelry, only stone processing is developed. Gold and silver products are usually made by Burmese . The main women's crafts are weaving and pottery. Almost every home has a loom.
The main utensils in the house are made of pumpkin, coconuts, bamboo, but pottery is used for cooking food. There is porcelain, but it is made more often by local Chinese.
From transport very popular boats - sampan , lorch (transport boat heavy duty, sailing). The capital of Thailand, Bangkok (in Thai Krung-Thep, or "city of angels") is cut up by canals (klongami), sometimes whole families live right on the water, in boats. Therefore, Bangkok is called the " Venice of the East." In old Siam, the waterways were the main ones. In the XV — XVI centuries, Siam was famous for shipbuilding. River transport is still important, but motor transport and aviation have added to it.
The traditional dwelling is a pile house (typical for many countries of the East in general, it saves from floods), rectangular, frame, it has 2-3 rooms, usually 1 floor, a veranda. Bamboo floor, skate curved. In the north, not pile houses are built, but on the foundation. Cult architecture is developed. The main type of the temple is a pagoda in the form of a stupa (in Thai - Paschadi).
The main food: rice, fish and vegetables. Meat is rarely eaten (on holidays, ducks, chickens, pork). Milk do not drink. Boil rice, eat raw vegetables, boil or roast in vegetable oil, usually tomatoes, pumpkin, cucumbers, radishes, beans, peas, onions, etc. Fruits are important. Eat spicy sauces made from fish with pepper. Usually they eat with the whole family, on the veranda or in the kitchen. Sit on mats around a flat tray or low table.
Clothes - panung - unstitched pants (wound, usually for men, but women also wear them), shirts. Women also have unstitched skirts and jackets. Women use a wide scarf (groin). The headdress is a hat made of palm leaves. Shoes - sandals, but often go barefoot.
Culture
Until 1932 there was an absolute monarchy in Siam . King revered as a god. Mere mortals had no right to approach the king except on his knees. The king had the highest legislative and judicial power, was the commander in chief of all armed forces, the supreme patron of the dominant religion - Buddhism. In 1932 there was a coup, a constitution was adopted, in 1939 Siam was renamed Thailand, but the king still has quite a lot of power.
In Thai there are several varieties. Thus, the simple people say in one style, they say it in a completely different way at the royal court. There exists its own language.
Buddhism has a great influence on the life of Thais. In Bangkok, about 400 temples. The largest one is Bencham-obopit, built of white marble (in translation - the Marble Temple). As in neighboring countries, there are a large number of Buddhist monks who do not have the right to work, but can only live by begging.
There are several types of theater in Thailand: Kham-Phak, or Nangthalon (puppet), Khon (masked actors), Nan (screen-mounted), Yik (satirical). On S.-V. Thailand has long been common genre mor lamas (folk drama). In the south, the oldest is the Lakhon Nora or Manora (Malayan) genre. This is a dance or drama dance, where there are three characters: the prince (Buddha), the princess and the clown. Princess Manora - a mythical character, half-bird, half-woman. Later came the genre of lakhon nok, characterized by coarse humor. The court version of the drama is lakhon nay, where men play, also dance. The main plots were the plots from the Ramayana. In the south, the Likai folk theater developed, with elements of opera. It has a noticeable influence of Islam.
Thai national orchestra is called psitpat. It includes xylophones , cymbals , gongs , drums .
In the Khonthai literature, the first was the cult literature of the Buddha’s Lives, borrowed from India and Ceylon. Then came their chronicles. Local traditional cosmogonic myths - nitti. The local genre of love poetry and song is a clone of pet tone (stanza - two octaves). A frequent character is Kina Re - a half-woman, half-bird. In literature, the influence of Indonesia and China is noticeable.
The type of local martial art, Thai boxing (or muay-thai, translated as “free boxing”) is widely known. Being similar to karate , it also has differences, it is very typical for kicks, and the widespread use of kicks and elbows.
See also
- Kings of thailand
- Sanprapum
- Thais in the USA
Literature
- Peoples of Southeast Asia, ed. A. A. Guber, et al. M.-1966.
- A. Kondrashov. Handbook of required knowledge, m.-2001.
- Children's Encyclopedia, V. 9, m. 1962.
- Encyclopedia for children, gl.red. M. Aksenov, M.-1999.
- A. Kochetov. Looking for a white elephant. M.-1977.
- V. Cassis. East of Suez. M.-1970.
Links
- The Thai-Speaking Peoples
- CIA Factbook Thailand (inaccessible link - history )
- Ethnologue Thailand
- ETHNOLOGY & THAI HILL TRIBES (inaccessible link - history )
- Contemporary Thai music radio (Listen Free, Contemporary Thai Music, internet radio station)