สำนักราชบัณฑิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Vol. 31 No. 1 Jan.-Mar. 2006 The Influence of the Ramayana on Thai Culture: Kingship, Literature, Fine Arts and Performing Arts 272 blood. All the folk tales above prove the popularity of the Ra- makien as well as the imaginative mind of the local people who try to explain the outstanding phe- nomena of their town or city by referring to the Ramakien. There are more than 10 ver- sions of the Ramakien existing in Thai literary forms, a few of which already referred to in the history of the Ramakien. Most of them are written in various verse forms, rich in imageries, similes and metaphors, a source of inspiration for poets and writers of every ge- neration. Thai customs, traditions, philosophy, belief and all kinds of knowledge are so much inter- woven into the Ramakien that it has become important not only in the field of literature but also in the fields of history, geography, sociology and anthropology. The Ramakien in regional dialects are Horaman and Brahmachakra in Northern Thailand (Lanna), Phalak Phalam and Phra Ram Jataka from Northeastern Thai- land and Laos. The study of these texts helps the understanding of Thai regional culture. There are similes, metaphors and expressions that derive from the Ramakien. For example, Ha- numan in the Ramakien served Rama faithfully and performed difficult tasks but Hanuman of- ten incurred Rama’s displeasure. Once Rama promised to reward Hanuman whatever he was wear- ing when Hanuman brought him the news of Sita. Hanuman happened to arrive with the news while Rama was bathing in the river, wearing just a loin cloth which he gave to Hanuman as promised. As Hanuman acted beyond Rama’s order, burning Lanka, Rama was displeased with him. So there is a simile “ill-fated like Hanuman.” An ungrateful son is called “Thoraphi” because the buffalo Thoraphi killed his own father. The expression “amorous demon” (Chao Chu Yak) conjures up the image of Thotsakan who tried to use force to obtain Sita’s love. Fine Art The Ramakien inspires pain- ters, sculptors and architects to express their artistic expressions. The Ramakien is one of the favorite themes because it challenges the skill and imagination with its various characters and scenes. Mural paintings or frescoes often depict the Ramakien, especially in temples and palaces. There are mural paintings of the whole story of Ramakien along the galleries of the Temple of the Emerald Bud- dha. In Wat Pho (Bodhi Temple) nearby, various scenes of the Ra- makien are depicted both in pain- tings and bas-reliefs. On old Tri- pitaka cabinets, Ramakien scenes are often depicted. In modern buil- dings such as big hotels and banks, depictions of the Ramakien can also be found in the galleries. There are numerous sculptures and woodcarvings of different characters in the Ramakien, the favorites are demons, monkeys, Nang Suphannamatcha (half- maiden, half fish character) and of course, Rama, Sita and Lakshman. Lintels and other architectural parts of the temples and palaces often made use of the Ramakien motifs. Supporting figures in stupa structures, pavilions and altars are quite often Ramakien characters such as demons or monkeys. Huge demon statues such as Ravana and his relatives and friends become part of the architectural designs, for they stand guard at the temple gates or doorways such as in the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Pho. Performing Arts Khon and Nang Yai in the Bangkok period perform the Ra- makien exclusively. Nang Talung performs the Ramakien and also other stories. Khon is considered the most artistic of the performing arts and the most difficult to learn. There are many kinds of Khon according to the forms of the stage and special effects used. Khon Klang Plaeng is his- torically the oldest kind. It is an open-air performance staged on the lawn or any open space. It is suitable for performing battle epi- sodes. Perhaps due to a big space, it requires 2 orchestras or more. There are only recitation or re- citative voice and dialogue but no