On behalf of the organizing committee, I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts of all the many people and organizations who have contributed to this event.

This conference is a part of the celebration of the auspicious 60th Birth Anniversary of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is one of the true lovers of flowers.

Deep gratitude and recognition must also be given to the Museum of Floral Culture, the Royal Traditional Thai Crafts School for Women, and the Jim Thompson Company for their generous support given to this event.

Finally, sincere appreciation is extended to all the scholars who have graciously accepted to share their wisdom in this venue. Their contribution is a genuine reflection of the success of this auspicious conference.

Suchitra Chongstitvatana, Ph.D

Director, Institute of Thai Studies

Chulalongkorn University

08.00-08.30

Registration

09.00-09.15

Arrival of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

OPENING CEREMONY
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     MC: Surapeepan Chatraporn

09.15-09.30

Presentation of a report to HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
     Pirom Kamolratanakul
     – President of Chulalongkorn University

Opening address by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     Moderator: Surapeepan Chatraporn

09.30-10.00

Edible Flower Culture in Asia
     Fumihiro Konta
     – National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan

10.00-10.30

Plant Species Diversity Supports Southeast Asian Culture
     Nobuyuki Tanaka
     – Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden

10.30-11.00

Refreshments

11.00-11.30

Evolution of Thai Floral Art
     Sakul Intakul
     – The Museum of Floral Culture, Thailand

11.30-11.50

Visit by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to the flower exhibition

11.50-14.00

Lunch break

FLOWER CULTURE ACROSS ASIA
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     Chairperson: Sakul Intakul

14.00-16.45

Floral Tradition of South India
     Vijayalakshmi Rudrappan
     – Ennar Engineering and Marketing

Flowers in Ritual Traditions of Bali
     Odeck Ariawan 
     – Observer in Balinese Tradition 

Aesthetic Symbolism of Sacred Flowers in Newār Culture of Kathmandu Valley
     Milan Ratna Shakya
     – Tribhuwan University 

The Representation of Flowers in Bhutanese Culture
     Dorji Gyeltshen
     – The Centre for Bhutan Studies

Flower Culture in Laos
     Phonesvan Bilavarn
     – Puangchampa Cultural House

15.30-15.45

Refreshments

08.00-08.30

Registration

FLOWER CULTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     Chairperson: Carina Chotirawe

08.30-09.30

Flowers in Sixteenth-Century Philippine Life
     Ma. Mercedes G. Planta
     – University of the Philippines, Diliman

The History and Development of Philippine Floral Terms
     Maria Kristina S. Gallego
     – University of the Philippines, Diliman

09.30-10.00

Mandala Paintings and the Flour Dough Offering
     Venerable Lopen Namgay Dorji
     – The Centre Monk Body of Bhutan

     Translator: Dendup Chophel

10.00-10.15

Refreshments
 

WONDEROUS BLOSSOMS: 
FLOWERS IN BUDDHIST NARRATIVE, ART, AND RITUAL
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     Chairperson: Peter Skilling

10.15-12.15

Miraculous Lotuses in Buddhist Literature and Art
     Peter Skilling
     – French School of Asian Studies, Bangkok

Gradations of Human Capacity as Expressed by the Color of Flowers
     Unebe Toshiya
     – Nagoya University

So-called “Jewel Tree” in Gandharan Art
     Eiko Uehara
     – Otani University

Listening to the “Lotus Flower Offering”: Echoes of Buddhist Liturgies in Two Inscriptions from Angkor Wat
     Trent Walker
     – PhD Candidate, University of California, Berkeley

12.15-13.15

Lunch Break

 
EXPRESSIONS OF FLOWERS IN 
SOUTHEAST ASIAN LANGUAGES
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     Chairperson: Siriporn Phakdeephasook

13.15-15.00

Panel Discussions

     Montira Rato
     Klairung Amratisha
     Nureeda Hayiyakoh
     Chairat Polmuk
     Moodjalin Sudcharoen 
     – Chulalongkorn University

15.00-15.15

Refreshments
 

LIVING IN STYLE, INSPIRE BY FLOWERS: 
THAI FLOWER CULTURE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     Chairperson: Pram Sounsamut

15.15-16.30

Flowers in Thai Samrap: The Edible Culture of Thailand
     Niphatchanok Najpinij 
     – Suan Dusit Rajabhat University

Factors Affecting the Vase Life of Mixed Flower Bouquets
     Niramon Suntipabvivattana
     – Mae Fah Luang University

The Significance of Flower Offerings in Thai Buddhist Tradition
     Teerawee Suphapichchayapong
     – Student, Chulalongkorn University

CLOSING CEREMONY
     Room: Queen’s Park 1
     MC: Pram Sounsamut

16.30-16.50

Awards and presentation of tokens of appreciation

Closing speech by the organizing committee

Fumihiro Konta

National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan

Flower-Eating Culture is a field of Ethnobotany. The aim of this study is to recognize the cultural implications in the flower eating customs in traditional societies in Asia.

Flowers of Malay bushbeech are boiled with sticky rice to make special cakes which are eaten on New Year’s Day by people of the Dai Tribe in Yunnan, China. People are very delighted and happy to add one age in their life by eating such cakes. This custom has important cultural implications.

Rice crackers decorated with flowers of the Korean azalea were eaten by empresses and court ladies as pleasure food at the spring celebration in the palace of Korea in the past. Yellow-colored cakes made with the pollen of red pine have been used for celebration of marriage in South Korea from the past to present. These two examples also have cultural implications.

Two kinds of edible chrysanthemum flowers have been used in Japan. One is a true edible flower of which the petals are detached from the head (involucre) and boiled before being eaten. Flower cooking is done on New Year’s Day and festival days. The cultural implications are recognized in these examples. Another is a false edible flower of small size. In the past, this flower has been eaten to avoid food poisoning by sashimi (raw fish). However, at present, these false edible flowers are used as symbolic decoration served with sashimi. This symbolic meaning recognized in Japanese society is interesting from the viewpoint of Flower-Eating Culture.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)
 

Nobuyuki Tanaka

Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden

Southeast Asia is one of the richest floristic regions of the world, and is divided into two main areas: Malesia and Indo-China.  There is a very strong relationship between people and plants in much of SE Asia, with most behavioral aspects of life, such as eating, drinking, clothing, healing, and praying, dependant on plant diversity. 

Myanmar is one of the most botanically fascinating countries, not just in floristically rich SE Asia, but also the world. No comprehensive floristic surveys have been conducted, and much remains to be learnt of its flora, as well as of its floristic relations with neighboring regions. 

Since the horticultural industry has not been well developed in Myanmar, compared to neighboring countries such as Thailand, people tend to utilize various wild plants, such as gingers and orchids, as ornamentals.  In addition to ornamentals, people utilize the various wild species of plants from the natural habitat for various purposes: Bulbophyllum are used as hair ornaments; stem fibers from Dendrobium are used for making ethnic costumes; Acacia and Grewia are mixed and used as shampoo; Elaeocarpus stones are used as medicine for acne.  Plant diversity supports their relationship with plants.

Plant species diversity in SE Asia has not been well elucidated, however, and it is thought that many plants that we do not yet know grow in the region. Despite this, there is serious destruction of the natural environment through human activity. Plant inventory research, in terms of both taxonomy and economic botany, is urgently needed to help people conserve plant diversity and help promote symbiotic sustainable relations between human being and plants for the future.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Sakul Intakul

The Museum of Floral Culture, Thailand

In Thailand, flowers are a way of life. This paper explores the spirituality and philosophy that influences the Thai floral culture from the past to present. As Thailand is located in a tropical zone, the floral art of Thailand has evolved around tropical flowers and other plant materials, creating ranges of intricate forms of floral crafts unique to Thailand.

The presentation explores all basic forms and all basic techniques of Thai floral art, while explaining the interconnection of flowers and the Thai way of life. The evolution of Thai floral art with foreign influences will also be discussed. At present, the latest evolution of contemporary Thai floral art shows an interesting dialogue between Thailand and the world. The presentation also includes the use of traditional materials and techniques in a modern context.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Vijayalakshmi Rudrappan

Ennar Engineering and Marketing

From the lure of the Lotus that connects most of our South Asian cultures, to the many flowers that connect our daily lives, to divine experiences, the fragrance and artistry of floral traditions are woven into our lives and psyche. Flowers hold a special position in every phase of life’s celebrations, festivals and prayers, from cradle to grave. Apart from their amazing beauty of form, color, fragrance and texture, there is something more – an indefinable, subtle and mysterious quality about flowers. It is this subtle element – their soul – which has given flowers such a special place in every culture. 

India is home to some of the world’s most ancient peoples and traditions, with the Indus civilization dating from 3,000 BCE. Hinduism, one of the main Indian religions, is more than 2,000 years old. With more than 15,000 species of flowering plants in India, it is not surprising that Indians use flowers in a variety of traditions, such as medicine, religious services and marriages. From Vedic rites handed down from ancient times, to global adaptations like Valentine’s Day, flowers lend meaning to many moments in our lives.

Flowers represent the country’s unity in the form of diversity, providing a rich cultural fragrance and value. This diversity is also manifested in the way flowers are strung together to make different type of garlands across South India.

In this brief overview of South Indian Floral Traditions, I attempt to bring together little and well known facts or anecdotes that convey the beauty and importance of flowers, along with the uses, myths, mysteries and mythology that surround flowers. In addition, different techniques of garland making and stringing of flowers without the use of needle and thread, unique to South India, will be highlighted.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Odeck Ariawan

Observer in Balinese Tradition

The use of flowers in traditional and ritual life of the Balinese is manifested through prayer, offerings and adornment. Flowers play a part from the simplest of everyday traditions in making offerings and prayers, to the most important ritual holidays and elaborate ceremonial offerings. Offerings are made with a multitude of substances, but are never complete without fresh flowers.

Flowers are also used as adornment for people during life cycle ceremonies from birth, Balinese calendar birthdays, tooth filings, marriage and death (cremation). They are used to adorn dance and musical performing artists, mythical creatures during ceremonies, such as the Barong, and also to adorn the symbol of the deities and the gods during important ceremonies. Flowers in Balinese Hinduism are an emblem of sincerity that signifies purity, genuineness, truthfulness, authenticity and naturalness. Each type of flower symbolizes a certain specific meaning.

Different types of flowers and their meanings serve a purpose in each particular ritual in Balinese tradition. The intricate process of making offerings symbolizes permanence and longevity of the mind. These traditions continue in contemporary settings, adapting to modern establishments such as offices, modern markets and the hospitality industry. Flowers in Balinese rituals, beyond their beauty, radiantly signal the symbolism and significant meaning behind them.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Milan Ratna Shakya

Tribhuwan University

Flowers are sacred items of veneration in a spiritual culture –a gift of romance in an aesthetic sense that augments the sensation of pleasure and delight. Flowers are also a symbol of appreciation and humble offerings paid to supreme beings in devotional psychology. In Nepal, Newār culture became pertinent from the medieval time (1200-1769). This culture dominated sacred and cultural life with agro-trading economics resulting from socio-cultural reform by order of Jayasthitimalla (1394) and embraced rituals of ancient predecessor’s in the cultural practices of Brāhmanic and non-Brāhmanic modes. The Sanskrit term Puṣpa means a flower used in sacred rituals, and Kusum means an object of veneration by the hand, i.e. Kara-kusum. The idealistic essence is the ripeness of nature and represents the perfection of human endeavor in sacredness. Therefore, flower offerings become a ritual of reception in Newār cultural tradition as Swān-chāyepigu, reverence paid to holy beings or objects.

Flowers are a motif of decoration from sacred to funeral rites in Newār cultural tradition. In the Daśa-Karma rite, a set of ten obligations of Newār Buddhist’s life, flowers are important for perfection. Flowers are a sign of veneration in holy offerings, and rites. In ceremonial life, flowers are sacred in an aesthetic sense. The aesthetic aroma symbolizes the seasonal greetings of humans to divine life in Newār cultural tradition.

This paper deals with the esoteric and exoteric sense of flowers in the symbolic aesthetics of ritual life and loyal respect in Newār culture for ‘the holy sign of perfection’ in ideal living.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Dorji Gyeltshen

The Centre for Bhutan Studies

This paper will give a general overview of the role of flowers in the Bhutanese religion and culture, and then give a detailed account of a rural festival that is dedicated to one particular type of flower.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Phonesvan Bilavarn

Puangchampa Cultural House

Laos, or the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the jewel of the Lower Mekong River, is well developed in culture and traditions that have been carried on for many generations and are related to the living condition of the people up to the present. Lao PDR, with its tropical climate, is rich with dense forests full of diversity of plants and especially flowers. The living conditions and the natural resources, such as the culture and traditions, cannot be separated.

Laos is the land of “Champa”, frangipani or (plumeria), which is the Lao national flower. Flowers are in harmony, they are beautiful, soft, valuable and useful, and play an important role in religious and social life, not just in Laos, but in the entire region.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Ma. Mercedes G. Planta

University of the Philippines, Diliman

This paper will present examples of flowers in the Philippines, both familiar and exotic, beginning with their natural history and form as natural living things – names of floral parts, blooming time and the lifespan of individual blossoms, color, scent, and other plant mechanisms – and their function in pre-colonial Philippine society. Drawn with insights from history and folklore, this paper is an ethnography study of sixteenth century Philippine life based on dictionaries. The early seventeenth century Spanish dictionaries of Philippine languages are considered the richest source of information for Philippine ethnography. These dictionaries are the earliest attempts by the Spaniards, particularly the Spanish missionaries, to “know” the Philippines. While these dictionaries were compiled in the seventeenth century, the data that have been obtained reflect Filipino ways of life prior to the coming of the Spaniards. It can be safely assumed, therefore, that these dictionaries can serve as a mirror of pre-colonial Philippine life in the contemporary period.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Maria Kristina S. Gallego

University of the Philippines, Diliman

The Wörter und Sachen technique (literally translated as words and things) regards existing lexical items in a language as environmentally salient, and more importantly, culturally significant in the community. Following this premise, this study seeks to trace the history and development of floral terms in the Philippines by looking into several languages belonging to different micro-groups within the Philippine language family tree. The existence (or perhaps non-existence) of local floral terms is indicative of the saliency of flora in the Philippines, not only environmentally, but culturally as well. Specifically, a plethora of local floral terms may point to the centrality of flora in indigenous practices and beliefs, whereas the apparent lack of native terminology (and correspondingly an overabundance of borrowed forms) would possibly point to a change in the function of such in the Philippine community.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Venerable Lopen Namgay Dorji

The Centre Monk Body of Bhutan

Venerable Lopen Namgay Dorji will display his Mandala paintings, which are considered the best art form in Bhutan. He will also offer a live demonstration of the making of the flour dough ritual/offering cake that has intricate flower designs. In all the Vajrayana rituals/Puja, beautifully adorned offerings of flower motifs are considered an integral part, as beauty and abundance results in great merit to the patron of offerings.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Peter Skilling

French School of Asian Studies, Bangkok

In Buddhist literature, the lotus flower is well known as a symbol of purity, of spiritual capacity, and of the true dharma itself, as in the title of the Lotus Sutra, “White Lotus Flower of the True Dharma” (Saddharmapundarika). The lotus plays several other roles as well. One recurrent narrative motif is the giant lotus, “the size of a cart-wheel,” which springs up as seat to receive disciples, bodhisatvas, or buddhas. These lotuses are key features of several important and dramatic narratives, such as the “great miracle at Śrāvastī.” Although they certainly have aquatic origins, lotuses attain their own mythological status, and even their own agency. In at least one case, the lotus speaks, and invites the Buddha to sit down. This paper is a brief excursion into the refreshing and delightful lotus imagery of the pleasing ponds and pools of Buddhist literature.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Toshiya Unebe

Nagoya University

In a Mahāyānasūtra, Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha, it is said that in Sukhāvatī there is a pond where a variety of colored lotuses grow: blue, yellow, red, white and multicolored. In the Japanese pure land Buddhists context, the variety of colors is understood as symbolizing gradations of human capacity, which metaphorically teaches that any kind of people, irrespective of their capacity and situation, will be saved in the Sukhāvatī, the pure land of Amitābha Buddha. Although this seems to be a popular interpretation of the modern days, which is not directly based on the scripture, this interpretation is not completely baseless.

In the Mahāvagga in the Pāli Vinayapiṭaka, there is a famous episode of the entreaty of Brahmā. After his awakening, the Buddha hesitated to teach the Dhamma in fear of misunderstanding or no understanding by people in the world. Then Brahmā came and entreated him to teach, saying that there are gradations of human capacity like lotus flowers of various colors, so that some may understand the Buddha’s teaching. In this way, the color of lotus flowers as a simile for human capacities is used in very early sources.

In a far later period, in a nineteenth century illustrated manuscripts of Phra Malai, deities coming to Tāvatiṃsa to see Metteya are illustrated as holding a variety of flowers in their hands. These colors symbolize their deeds in their previous lives.

In this presentation, I will take up the relevant Sanskrit/Pāli passages from scriptures, showing their illustrations in Japanese hanging scrolls and temple murals and manuscripts illustrations in Thailand.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Eiko Uehara

Otani University

This paper deals with the so-called “jewel tree” seen in the Gandharan steles depicting the preaching Buddha surrounded by numerous bodhisattvas. Recent studies of such Gandharan steles have found a controversial issue: who is the Buddha preaching enthroned in the center of the composition and which realm is depicted in the steles. However, we will refrain from any further discussion for the identification of the Buddha and his realm and focus in this paper on the following specific motif, that is, a jewel tree above the Buddha’s head. The tree is made up of foliage or sprays of leaves radiating out from the center, sometimes garlands of pearls or the upper bodies of figures with halos can be recognized.

No one denies that some representations of rebirth from lotuses seen in the Dun-Huang paintings are quite similar to the jewel tree in Gandharan art. Although some scholars suggest that such vegetation motif could be an iconographic source of the depiction of rebirth from lotuses popular in the Buddhist art in East Asia, at this moment there is no crucial evidence that the Gandharan figures sprouting from the foliage are depiction of rebirth from lotuses. Examining such iconographic features as foliage motifs and figures in detail, this paper will try to clarify the concept of the jewel tree in Gandhara.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Trent Walker

PhD Candidate, University of California, Berkeley

ne of the most celebrated liturgical texts in Khmer is known as padum thvāy phkā, or “Lotus Flower Offering”. Performed in a wide variety of rituals, including Buddha image consecrations, “Lotus Flower Offering” is especially known for its soaring, melismatic melody made famous by Pāḷāt' 'Un in the early twentieth century. Many versions of the text exist, in printed, manuscript, and oral forms, but no precise date or author can be determined. However, offerings of lotus flowers occur frequently in Pali and Khmer texts in Cambodia, including epigraphical sources such as the “Inscriptions Modernes d'Angkor” (IMA), some forty-odd texts inscribed in stone on the walls of Angkor Wat during the Cambodian Middle Period (1431–1863). Among these inscriptions, scholars have long celebrated IMA 38, also known as “La Grande Inscription d’Angkor”, as the earliest Khmer verse inscription, dating to 1701 CE. This paper argues that another inscription, IMA 31 from 1684 CE, is in fact the earliest verse inscription in Khmer and that both IMA 38 and 31 have a close intertextual relationship with the “Lotus Flower Offering”, revealing liturgical continuities between Buddhist practice in the Middle Period and the present.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Montira Rato

Klairung Amratisha

Nureeda Hayiyakoh

Chairat Polmuk

Moodjalin Sudcharoen

Chulalongkorn University

This panel aims at studying the expressions of flowers in Southeast Asian languages, namely Khmer, Lao, Malay, Thai and Vietnamese. The study will explore how flowers are used in Southeast Asian languages, such as idioms, naming, metaphors and euphemism. Each panelist will focus on the functions, meanings – either fixed or extended/ negative or positive –  and cultural aspects of the expressions of flowers found in Southeast Asian languages. Toward the end of the session, a comparative study will be done in order that we can gain a better understanding of languages and culture in Southeast Asia. The panel will also highlight how the region is linguistically and culturally connected.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Niphatchanok Najpinij

Suan Dusit Rajabhat University

The repertoire of Thai cuisine is well placed in world gastronomy, with a combination of life and soul often articulated with meaningful concepts. There are dimensional tastes in each samrap (สำรับ), or set of food, to please the diners. In addition to eight flavours orchestrated to represent various ingredients, nourishment and heeling are taken into consideration. Beauty, form and color complement each other in every bite. Flowers in Thai ecology are chosen to drive the sensory elements of the food: food for the body, food for the mind and food for the eyes. Even though the taste of food comes first, garnishing correctly to enhance the diner’s view is parallel. All of these sensory enhancers are forces for Thai food culture from the farm to the kitchen to the table.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Niramon Suntipabvivattana

Mae Fah Luang University

David Aldred

Naresh Magan

Cranfield University

The popularity of mixed flower bouquets has increased in the cut flower industry. The longevity of mixed bouquets is limited by the individual life of each flower in the bouquet. Various factors have been studied on the individual life of each flower in mixed flower bouquets.

The results indicate that the differences in vase life of each flower in mixed bouquets may come from the influence of their phenotype. In cut rose flowers, there are various contents of fructose, glucose, sucrose and myo-inositol in all cultivars. However, levels of sugar contents are not related to the long-lived cultivars.

For cut lily flowers, the contents of fructose, glucose and sucrose have been measured in the primary and the secondary bud of ‘Tiber’ lilies. Differences in the contents of fructose, glucose and sucrose between the primary and secondary bud do not relate to the longevity of individual bud life. However, experiments have found increases in sucrose contents in both positions before the time of opening. This increase in sucrose may relate to the role of the carbohydrate energy source for bud opening. 

Bacteria found in this study seemed to be largely specific to different flower types. As well, species of bacteria found in the vase water of mixed flowers were less than in that of single varieties. Difference in species of bacteria may be due to differences between plants and the conditions they exert in the vase water. In general, bacterial numbers were high at the beginning of all the experiments, indicating a strong inoculum effect from stems, although there was no straightforward relationship between stem numbers and inoculum size, in all cases.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

Teerawee Suphapichchayapong

Student, Chulalongkorn University

One of the unique elements in Thai culture is the flower garland. Flower garlands are used in many situations, including one of the most important occasions – making offerings to the Buddha. In this research, I will reconsider the meaning of flower offerings in Thai Buddhism and the relationship between making a garland in Thai culture and making merit in Buddhism. Specific techniques will be analyzed in comparison with some other countries, especially India, Indonesia and Japan. The results show that Thai traditional styles in flower arrangement have been the tools used by women, both living within and outside the court, to take part in Buddhist rituals. The importance of the garland is not only the pattern and the beauty of the final handicraft, but also the effort that is put into making it.

(Presented in the 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia, 8-9 July 2014, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University)

The Creation of a Sand Mandala of Amitayus

for the 60th Birth Anniversary of

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

Mandala

Mandala (དཀྱིལ་འཁོར།) is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the Universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Each gate is in the general shape of a T. Mandala, often exhibiting radial balance.

In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed to focus the attention of aspirants and adepts, as a spiritual teaching tool, for establishing a sacred space, and as an aid to meditation and trance induction.

The mandala can be shown to represent in visual form the core essence of the Vajrayana teachings. The mind is “a microcosm representing various divine powers at work in the universe.” The mandala represents the nature of experience, and the intricacies of both the enlightened and confused mind.

On the one hand, the mandala is regarded as a place separated and protected from the ever-changing and impure outer world of samsara, and is thus seen as a “Buddhafield” or a place of Nirvana and peace. The view of Vajrayana Buddhism, however, sees the greatest protection from samsara being the power to see samsaric confusion as the “shadow” of purity, which then points towards it.

Buddha Amitayus

The Buddha Amitayus (Tse Pag Me, ཚེ་དཔག་མེད།) is a celestial Buddha who is often described in the sacred texts that belong to the Mahayana Buddhist school. He is one of the manifestations of Amitabha, who is closely associated with longevity. Amitayus is typically described and illustrated in a seated position, with his hands holding a vessel that contains the nectar of immortality.

Amitayus Ceremony

The mantra of Amitayus is longer than some other mantras, but is also relatively easy to recite. It is as follows:

Om A Ma Ra Ni Dzi Wan Ti Ye Soha

This means: “By this virtue, may I swiftly attain Buddha Amitayus’ state. May all sentient beings, without exception, attain this state.” By reciting the mantra of Amitayus, we can hope to achieve the goal of effectively overcoming the power that ignorance and death hold over all of us.

Buddha Amitayus is the Buddha who is representative of boundless merit, life, and wisdom. By engaging in reciting the mantra of Amitayus, we will be able to develop our own qualities of wisdom, life, and boundless merit, all essential aspects of our spiritual development, which will ultimately help us to achieve true enlightenment. Engaging in the practices that Amitayus speaks of is said to be able to help us with the elimination of the obstacles in our way of achieving long life, including pain and sickness. Devotion to Amitayus, and the elements he spoke of, can also help to pacify the potential for untimely or premature death, and is said to be helpful for those who are expecting a baby, but who may have suffered a previous miscarriage.

Ritual Performers

(1) His Eminence Lopen Kunzang Wangdi is the Master of State Ceremony, a Ministerial-rank Clergy in the State Monk Body of Bhutan. His Eminence will preside over the consecration of the Mandala and offer prayers of longevity and prosperity to HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

(2) Venerable Lopen Kinley Namgyel is Chief Architecture of the Buddhist University of Tango Monastery, currently being built. He has served as the Private Chaplain to His Majesty, the Fourth King of Bhutan.

(3) Venerable Lopen Kinley Penjor is the Additional Master of Mandala (Kyilkhor Lopen) in the Centre Monk Body of Bhutan. He specializes in making sand Mandalas.

(4) Monk Daw Tshering is an artist of Mandala.

(The organizing committee of 2014 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Flower Culture in Asia would like to express deep gratitude and appreciation to the Centre for Bhutan Studies for organizing this event.)

ADVISORS

Prof Dr Pirom Kamolratanakul
     President, Chulalongkorn University

Prof Dr Mongkol Techakumphu
     Vice President for Research and Innovation, 
     Chulalongkorn University

Asst Prof Dr MR Kalaya Tingsabadh 
     Vice President for Academic Affairs,
     Chulalongkorn University
 

Asst Prof Dr Prapod Assavavirulhakarn
     Dean, Faculty of Arts, 
     Chulalongkorn University

 
Prof Dr Pranee Kullavanijaya
     Chair, Faculty Promotion Committee, 
     Chulalongkorn University

CHAIR

Assoc Prof Dr Suchitra Chongstitvatana
     Director, Institute of Thai Studies,
     Chulalongkorn University
 

COMMITTEE

Assoc Prof Dr Sunait Chutintaranond
     Director, Institute of Asian Studies, 
     Chulalongkorn University
 

Asst Prof Sunij Sutanthavibul
     Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs
     Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University

Assoc Prof Dr Montira Rato
     Deputy Director of Academic Affairs
     Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Dr Klairung Amratisha
     Deputy Director of Research Affairs
     Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Asst Prof Dr Arthit Thongtak
     Deputy Director of Administrative Affairs
     Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Asst Prof Ritirong Jiwakanon
     Deputy Director of International Affairs
     Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University

Dr Pram Sounsamut
     Deputy Director of Research Affairs
     Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University