Refine your search

The results of your search are listed below alongside the search terms you entered on the previous page. You can refine your search by amending any of the parameters in the form and resubmitting it.

Select all Deselect all Add selection to lightbox
Large Small
Thumbnails per page
A woman receives blessings after offering money to monks on alms round in Kandal Market, Phnom Penh 2016.
A woman receives blessings after offering money to monks on alms round in Kandal Market, Phnom Penh 2016.
Burma / Myanmar: Novice Buddhist monks collect early morning alms in Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Novice Buddhist monks collect early morning alms in Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Novice Buddhist monks collect early morning alms in Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The ethnic Tai-Shan people are believed to have migrated from Yunnan in China. The Shan are descendants of the oldest branch of the Tai-Shan, known as ‘Tai Long’ (Great Tai) or ‘Thai Yai’ (Big Thai). The Tai-Shan who migrated to the south and now inhabit modern-day Laos and Thailand are known as ‘Tai Noi’ (Little Tai) or ‘Tai Nyai’.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century CE. The Shan kingdom of Mong Mao (Muang Mao) existed as early as the 10th century CE, but became a Burmese vassal state during the reign of King Anawrahta of Pagan (1044-1077).
Burma / Myanmar: Laymen processing a Buddha image pass a line of Buddhist monks, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Burma / Myanmar: Buddhist monks receive donations from local townspeople, Kyaing Tong (Kengtung), Shan State. Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma’s land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.<br/><br/> The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century.
Thailand: Buddhist monks on their early morning almsround through the market at Doi Mae Salong (Santikhiri), Chiang Rai Province. Doi Mae Salong was once an impoverished, heavily-armed Kuomintang (KMT) outpost, it is today a tranquil oasis of tea gardens, fruit orchards and Yunnanese-style houses.
Thailand: Buddhist monks on their early morning almsround through the market at Doi Mae Salong (Santikhiri), Chiang Rai Province. Doi Mae Salong was once an impoverished, heavily-armed Kuomintang (KMT) outpost, it is today a tranquil oasis of tea gardens, fruit orchards and Yunnanese-style houses.
The Seto (Shveta) Machindranath, the 'White Machindranath', also known as Janabaha Dyo, was built during the 16th and 17th centuries, and is frequented by Buddhists as well as Hindus, the Buddhists regarding Machindranath as an incarnation of the Avalokiteshvara while the Hindus regard him as a manifestation of Shiva.<br/><br/> Renovated and altered in the 17th and 19th centuries, the temple is surrounded by a number of small stupas, and its roof is capped with a particularly ornate pinnacle. The figure housed in the temple was discovered near Rani Pokhri, the Queen’s Pond, and every year in March or April it is carried in an exuberant chariot procession around the streets of Kathmandu. One of the spots visited during the procession is the place of its discovery. The festival usually lasts four days, but if some bad omen should occur, for example the breaking of one of the chariot wheels, the festival is easily, and joyfully, prolonged.
The date of construction of the Svayambhunath stupa, its origins steeped in myth, is unknown. According to the inscriptions on an ancient and damaged stone tablet at Svayambhunath, King Vrishadeva (ca. 400 CE) was the first to build a place of worship on the site. His grandson, King Manadeva I (ca. 464-505) may have made some additions.<br/><br/> The Muslim invasion of 1349 undid all the pious building work, the marauding Muslim warriors dismantling every kafir (infidel) sanctuary that they came across. An inscription at Svayambhunath records the date of the Muslim invasion as 20 November 1349, in all probability a very accurate account. After the raids Svayambhunath was restored, and most of the buildings seen today are from the post-invasion period.<br/><br/> Swayambhunath is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. The Tibetan name for the site means 'Sublime Trees', for the many varieties of trees found on the hill.<br/><br/> For the Buddhist Newars in whose mythological history and origin myth as well as day-to-day religious practice, Swayambhunath occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it is second only to Bodhnath.
The date of construction of the Svayambhunath stupa, its origins steeped in myth, is unknown. According to the inscriptions on an ancient and damaged stone tablet at Svayambhunath, King Vrishadeva (ca. 400 CE) was the first to build a place of worship on the site. His grandson, King Manadeva I (ca. 464-505) may have made some additions.<br/><br/> The Muslim invasion of 1349 undid all the pious building work, the marauding Muslim warriors dismantling every kafir (infidel) sanctuary that they came across. An inscription at Svayambhunath records the date of the Muslim invasion as 20 November 1349, in all probability a very accurate account. After the raids Svayambhunath was restored, and most of the buildings seen today are from the post-invasion period.<br/><br/> Swayambhunath is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. The Tibetan name for the site means 'Sublime Trees', for the many varieties of trees found on the hill.<br/><br/> For the Buddhist Newars in whose mythological history and origin myth as well as day-to-day religious practice, Swayambhunath occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it is second only to Bodhnath.
Buddhist monks collect alms—food prepared by devotees and laypersons who make merit by donating it—every morning in Burma and most Theravada Buddhist countries. This is their only food for the day. Monks do not eat after 12 noon.<br/><br/> Legend attributes the first Buddhist doctrine in Burma to 228 BC when Sonna and Uttara, two ambassadors of the Emperor Ashoka the Great of India, came to the country with sacred texts. However, the golden era of Buddhism truly began in the 11th century after King Anawrahta of Pagan (Bagan) was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Today, 89% of the population of Burma is Theravada Buddhist.
Buddhist monks collect alms—food prepared by devotees and laypersons who make merit by donating it—every morning in Burma and most Theravada Buddhist countries. This is their only food for the day. Monks do not eat after 12 noon.<br/><br/> Legend attributes the first Buddhist doctrine in Burma to 228 BC when Sonna and Uttara, two ambassadors of the Emperor Ashoka the Great of India, came to the country with sacred texts. However, the golden era of Buddhism truly began in the 11th century after King Anawrahta of Pagan (Bagan) was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Today, 89% of the population of Burma is Theravada Buddhist.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
The Pa-Oh, also known as Taungthu and Black Karen, are an ethnic group in Burma, comprising approximately 600,000. They form the second largest ethnic group in Shan State, and are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman stock. They are ethnolinguistically related to the Karen and populate Shan State, Kayin State, and Kayah State.<br/><br/> King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning 'new city') in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. Chiang Mai sometimes written as 'Chiengmai' or 'Chiangmai', is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand.
Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu was built in 1860 and is the oldest remaining temple structure in Mae Hong Son Province. The larger of the two chedis was also erected in 1860, the smaller in 1874.<br/><br/> Once one of Thailand’s remotest provinces, Mae Hong Son is now readily accessible by air from Chiang Mai, as well as by a wonderful loop drive through Mae Sariang and back via Pai and Soppong– or vice versa. Singularly isolated, Mae Hong Son is not yet very developed. The townsfolk may be citizens of Thailand, but most are Shan, Karen, Yunnanese Chinese or Hill Tribes. The temples are Burmese in style, and the pace of life amazingly tranquil.
Wat Yang Kuang, Suriyawong Road, Chiang Mai has a long and chequered history. Originally mentioned in the Nirat Haripunchai (1517) as Wat Nang Rua, it was abandoned as a result of the destructive 18th century wars with Burma, leading to the abandonment of the city of Chiang Mai between 1775 and 1797 on the instruction of Chao Kawila.<br/><br/> When Kawila ordered the repopulation of Chiang Mai in 1797, he transported Tai Khoen people from the neighbourhood of Wat Yang Kuang in Chiang Tung (Kengtung in the eastern part of Shan State) to Chiang Mai, settling them south of the Old City, in the newly populated area between the Old City walls and the earthen ramparts of Kamphaeng Din. Following the custom of the time, the resettled Tai Khoen centred their new community on the former Wat Nang Rua, which they gave the new name Wat Yang Kuang in honour of their former temple and place of origin.<br/><br/> The temple fell into disuse in the late 19th or early 20th century, but was been restored and re-established between 2008 and 2012.
Oriental carpets more than two centuries old have rarely survived and are rarely represented in Islamic Art since Sunni Islam (and to a lesser extent Shia) eschews representational art in favour of precisely the repetetive geometric symbols and arabesques found, for example, in oriental carpets.<br/><br/> This means that most examples of 17th century and earlier oriental carpets, mainly produced in Muslim lands, are only to be found in paintings from Christian lands where rich oriental carpets were associated with wealth, power and taste.<br/><br/> Such carpets featured as an important decorative feature in paintings from the 14th century onwards, leading to the dichotomy that there are more depictions of oriental carpets produced before the 17th century in European paintings than there are actual oriental carpets surviving from the same period.<br/><br/> Because of this European paintings have proved an invaluable source of reference for the study of the history of carpetmaking and carpets.
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
In Theravada Buddhism, monks (Pāli: bhikkhus) and nuns go on a daily almsround (or pindacara) to collect food. This is often perceived as giving the laypeople the opportunity to make merit (Pāli: puñña). Money should not be accepted by a Buddhist monk or nun in lieu of or in addition to food, although nowadays not many monks and nuns keep to this rule (the exception being the monks and nuns of the Thai Forest Tradition and other Theravada traditions which focus on vinaya and meditation practice).
Bagan, formerly Pagan, was mainly built between the 11th century and 13th century. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana (the City of the Enemy Crusher) and also known as Tambadipa (the Land of Copper) or Tassadessa (the Parched Land), it was the capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
The date of construction of the Svayambhunath stupa, its origins steeped in myth, is unknown. According to the inscriptions on an ancient and damaged stone tablet at Svayambhunath, King Vrishadeva (ca. 400 CE) was the first to build a place of worship on the site. His grandson, King Manadeva I (ca. 464-505) may have made some additions.<br/><br/>The Muslim invasion of 1349 undid all the pious building work, the marauding Muslim warriors dismantling every kafir (infidel) sanctuary that they came across. An inscription at Svayambhunath records the date of the Muslim invasion as 20 November 1349, in all probability a very accurate account. After the raids Svayambhunath was restored, and most of the buildings seen today are from the post-invasion period.<br/><br/>Swayambhunath (Devnagari: स्वयम्भूनाथ स्तुप) is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. The Tibetan name for the site means 'Sublime Trees' (Wylie:Phags.pa Shing.kun), for the many varieties of trees found on the hill.<br/><br/>For the Buddhist Newars in whose mythological history and origin myth as well as day-to-day religious practice, Swayambhunath occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it is second only to Bodhnath.
Buddhist monks collect alms—food prepared by devotees and laypersons who make merit by donating it—every morning in Burma and most Theravada Buddhist countries. This is their only food for the day. Monks do not eat after 12 noon.<br/><br/> Legend attributes the first Buddhist doctrine in Burma to 228 BCE when Sohn Uttar Sthavira, one of the royal monks to Emperor Ashoka the Great of India, came to the country with other monks and sacred texts. However, the era of Buddhism truly began in the 11th century after King Anawrahta of Pagan (Bagan) was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Today, 89% of the population of Burma is Theravada Buddhist.
Buddhist monks collect alms—food prepared by devotees and laypersons who make merit by donating it—every morning in Burma and most Theravada Buddhist countries. This is their only food for the day. Monks do not eat after 12 noon.<br/><br/> Legend attributes the first Buddhist doctrine in Burma to 228 BC when Sohn Uttar Sthavira, one of the royal monks to Emperor Ashoka the Great of India, came to the country with other monks and sacred texts. However, the era of Buddhism truly began in the 11th century after King Anawrahta of Pagan (Bagan) was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Today, 89% of the population of Burma is Theravada Buddhist.
Tavik Frantisek Simon (1877–1942), was a Czech painter, etcher, and woodcut artist. Although based mainly in Europe, his extensive travels took him to Morocco, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, and Japan, images of all of which appear in his artistic work. He died in Prague in 1942. Largely ignored during the Communist era in Czechoslovakia, his work has received greater attention in recent years.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
Angkor Thom is located one mile north of Angkor Wat. It was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, and covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors.<br/><br/> At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<br/><br/> Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however, as Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.<br/><br/> In the following centuries Angkor Thom remained the capital of a kingdom in decline until it was abandoned some time prior to 1609. It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000-150,000 people.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple.<br/><br/> Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents.
Nearly 95 percent of the Thai population are Theravada Buddhists, though many would argue that Siamese Buddhism has integrated with animist folk beliefs as well as Chinese religions. Thai Buddhism was based on the religious movement founded in the 6th century BC by Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, who urged the world to relinquish the extremes of sensuality and self-mortification and follow the enlightened Middle Way. Theravada Buddhism was made the state religion in Siam only after the establishment of the Sukhothai kingdom in the 13th century CE. By the 19th century, and especially with the coming to power in 1851 of King Mongkut who had been a monk himself for 27 years, the 'sangha' (monkhood), like the kingdom, became steadily more centralized and hierarchical in nature and its links to the state more institutionalized.
The Pa-Oh, also known as Taungthu and Black Karen, are an ethnic group in Burma, comprising approximately 600,000. They form the second largest ethnic group in Shan State, and are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman stock. They are ethnolinguistically related to the Karen and populate Shan State, Kayin State, and Kayah State.<br/><br/> King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning 'new city') in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. Chiang Mai sometimes written as 'Chiengmai' or 'Chiangmai', is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand.
The Id Kah mosque (Uyghur: Héytgah Meschit, Chinese: Aitígǎěr) is a mosque located in Kashgar, Xinjiang, in the western People's Republic of China. It is the largest mosque in China. Every Friday, it houses nearly 10,000 worshippers and may accommodate up to 20,000. The mosque was built by Saqsiz Mirza in ca. 1442 (although it incorporated older structures dating back to 996) and covers 16,800 square meters.<br/><br/> In 1933, on August 9, the Chinese Muslim General Ma Zhancang killed and beheaded the Uighur leader Timur Beg, displaying his head on a spike at Id Kah mosque. In March 1934, it was reported that the uighur emir Abdullah Bughra was also beheaded, the head being displayed at Id Kah mosque. In April 1934, the Chinese Muslim general Ma Zhongying gave a speech at Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, telling the Uighurs to be loyal to the Republic of China Kuomintang government at Nanjing.
Ban Bat in the centre of Bangkok's old Ratanakosin area still produces handmade alms bowls for Buddhist monks. The community originally fled Ayutthaya in the 18th century to avoid the war with Burma.
Ban Bat in the centre of Bangkok's old Ratanakosin area still produces handmade alms bowls for Buddhist monks. The community originally fled Ayutthaya in the 18th century to avoid the war with Burma.
Ban Bat in the centre of Bangkok's old Ratanakosin area still produces handmade alms bowls for Buddhist monks. The community originally fled Ayutthaya in the 18th century to avoid the war with Burma.
Wat Arun Rajwararam (Temple of the Dawn), full name Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan, is a Thai Buddhist temple on the Thonburi west bank side of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. It is named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. A monastery has stood here since the Ayutthayan period (1351 - 1767), but the temple's outstanding feature, the Khmer-style central prang, was not begun until 1809, during the reign of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (Rama II).
Wat Arun Rajwararam (Temple of the Dawn), full name Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan, is a Thai Buddhist temple on the Thonburi west bank side of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. It is named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. A monastery has stood here since the Ayutthayan period (1351 - 1767), but the temple's outstanding feature, the Khmer-style central prang, was not begun until 1809, during the reign of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (Rama II).