Phi ta khon, Buddhism and spirit worship in the Isan region (North-East of Thailand) - Society of the friends of the Cernuschi museum

Phi ta khon, Buddhism and spirit worship in Isan region (North-East Thailand)

Wednesday March 22, 2017: Phi ta khon, Buddhism and the cult of spirits in the Isan region (North-East of Thailand) by Julien Rousseau, heritage curator, scientific manager of the Asia heritage unit at the Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac Museum.

In Thailand, as in Cambodia or Laos, Theravada Buddhism (of the small vehicle) has, since its inception, integrated the cult of geniuses of nature and spirits in general. The cult of phi is not in contradiction with popular Buddhism and it is common to see a house of spirits in the enclosure of the temples and in front of the houses. This aniconic cult consists of sheltering and feeding phi (Spirits of the soil, of nature, and of the dead who are not reincarnated).
Each year, the town of Dan Sai, in the Isan region (North-East of Thailand) organizes a festival renowned throughout the kingdom: the Phi ta khon Festival. This event is usually held in June, combining the transition from the dry season to the monsoon season (Bun bang fai) and the celebration of the fourth lunar month (Bun phra wet). The medium of the municipality decides the date and it is he who, accompanied by notables and soldiers, will call the guardian geniuses before the opening of the festivities.

The phi ta khon parade. © J.Rousseau

House of spirits in the enclosure of a temple. © J.RousseauHouse of spirits in the enclosure of a temple. © J.Rousseau

Official speech of the medium Chao pho khuan accompanied by elected officials and soldiers at wat pho chai. © J.Rousseau

This festival alludes to the last of the Buddha's previous lives, during which he was a prince named Vessantara. Phi ta khon marks the return, after a long exile, of this prince to his native village. His welcome was so grandiose that he awakened the spirits of the dead, who decided to join in the fun. Phi ta khon thus celebrates the union of the spirits of the dead and the living and the symbiosis between Buddhism and animism.
The festivities take place over three days. The first day sees the inhabitants asking for the protection of Phra Uppakhut (Buddhist "holy" monk and the spirit of the river Mun) as well as tutelary geniuses. Young men from the village dress in colorful costumes and frightening masks for a grand procession (phi ta khon means "ghost masks"). The costumes and masks of the villagers thus allow them to embody these ghosts. The dance competition that sees them compete is a highly anticipated moment.

Procession of Prince Vessantara. © J.Rousseau

Parade of phi ta khon. © J.Rousseau

Manufacture of masks. © J.Rousseau

A model of the Wat Pon Chai stupa accompanies the procession of Vessantara and Maddhi. On the second day, a new parade invests the village with the Bun Bang Fai, a tradition common to the other provinces of Isan, which consists of launching homemade rockets which must rise as high as possible in the sky. They aim to encourage rain to fall. On the third day, locals gather at Wat Phon Chai temple to listen to thirteen Buddhist sermons delivered by local monks. As part of these celebrations, there are also different contests, including the best ghost costume.
The phi ta khon masks are made from recycled materials. The hat is made of a "huad" (woven bamboo container used for steaming sticky rice), folded to fit the head and palm stems. The face is made from coconut leaves and fibers. The large hooked nose is made of soft wood. All these different elements are linked together before the mask is painstakingly painted. Finally, fabric is sewn and glued to cover the back part. The making of these masks is passed down from generation to generation. Their iconography combines the power and ambivalence of the geniuses of the soil, like nature, source of life and death. Their frightening aspect which evokes the creatures of the underworld associated with the damned and the underworld does not exclude representations of the Buddha or Buddhist symbols. Normally these masks are destroyed after the festivities, but talented local artists have embarked on the production of phi ta khon masks and sell their production.

The exact origin of this holiday remains mysterious and we do not know when it dates, perhaps 17^rd century? Although it originally responded to the desire to promote monsoon rains and thus ensure the fertility of cultivated land, it also offers the opportunity to acquire important spiritual merits to those who take it. go.