A Study of the Mon Way of Life Through Lai Rod Nam Mural Paintings in the Ordination Hall of Wat Bang Kradee, Bang Khun Thian District, Bangkok

Abstract

This research article aimed to 1) study the narratives of lai rod nam mural paintings at Bang Kradee Temple, focusing on their composition, cultural content, and the reflection of the lifestyle of the Mon community and (2) examine the characteristics of the works created by Mon painters in order to analyze the murals in relation to artistic elements, the way of life of the Mon people of Bang Kradee, and the teachings and religious beliefs associated with the temple’s art. Employing qualitative research methods, the study used documentary research, field research, and interviews with the abbot of Bang Kradee Temple and the mural painters. The data were analyzed in terms of cultural concepts, beliefs, lifestyle, and the stylistic characteristics of the Mon painters’ work, with the research site located at Bang Kradee Temple in Bang Khun Thian District, Bangkok. The results revealed that the mural paintings at Wat Bang Kradee were created using the lai rod nam lacquer technique in a style of contemporary traditional Thai painting, with newly designed narratives that did not follow the original idealized models. The murals contained cultural content that reflected the lifestyle, motifs, and symbols of the Mon people, integrated into each narrative to convey Buddhist teachings to younger generations of the Bang Kradee Mon community. The Mon painters incorporated beliefs, culture, and ways of life of the Mon people that were connected to Buddhism into the artwork. Important symbols representing Mon identity were also inserted and expressed through the depiction of significant Buddhist stories in a way that reflected the unique cultural characteristics of the Mon people.