Worship And Expression - Dai Theravada Buddhist Art And Rural Social Context, "the Relationship Between Analytical

Ethnic Dai's Southern Buddhism art is composed of literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, folk crafts, music, dancing, and drama etc. which are full of outstanding folk and local features. This unique style and feature has close relationships with "dana"."Dana" is one of the "six perfections" of Buddhism referring to the religious practices of donating, offering, and bestowing to the "three jewels". These exercises have absorbed a lot of ethnic Dai's folk customs during the long-term of localization, and also some of the "dana" activities have changed to important ethnic festival celebrations, and thus derived quite a lot of religious and social functions. During this process, "dana" has allied with Buddhism art closely. They promote each other and develop together all the time and have become the key element to push forward the development of Dai's Southern Buddhism art. This ally has therefore become one of the important clues for studies on Dai's southern Buddhism art.On the basis of thoroughly maintaining the substance of Dai's southern Buddhism art and works of "dana" subject, this thesis tries to display an all-round presentation and analyzing on Dai's southern Buddhism art, by' taking "dana" as the core element, the motive of art creation as the starting point, and by tracing the whole process of the art activities of art creation---art works---transmission, and analyzing the close relationships between "dana" and Dai's southern Buddhism art. Of course this analysis shall be made on the basis of corresponding "dana" with its religious connotation and status, and of its localization to be sure that the analyzing stands on a solid basis.This thesis composes three parts. Chapter one and two as the first part, displays a general view of Dai's southern Buddhism art and also introduces "dana" art works which commonly exist in Southern Buddhism art, to emphasize the important position of the art subject on "dana" in the whole Southern Buddhism art. Chapter three and four, part two, focuses on the religious connotation of "dana", and study its localization and present situation. Part three, chapter five and six deeply analyzes the influences and participation of "dana" in Dai's Southern Buddhism to strengthen the understanding on this unique art style. This thesis holds that, "dana" is the fundamental motive of the creation of Dai's Southern Buddhism art, dominating the whole creative activities of which; the activities of "dana" have bestowed the art works holy status and thus been able to be listed as the Buddhism art, and finally promoted the transmission and acceptation of Southern Buddhism art in Dai area, and also have helped the formation of the unique style of Dai's Southern Buddhism art. Chapter six, in condition of the above, further expounds the special allied relationships of the two and therefore deepens the studies on Dai's Buddhism art in terms of religious and social perspectives. The thesis believes that, the reason for the two to be allied is that "dana" is the most ideal medium to communicate the sangha and the laity; and the Buddhism art is the best mean to preach the religious doctrine; for the aim of the Buddhism transmission and development, the Southern Buddhism has been inclined to realize the ally of the two. The ally has experienced three stages in the process of becoming allied:from partial and limited ally gradually to comprehensive ally, and finally overflows the boundary of Southern Buddhism, to promote the Buddhism activities to the areas of the secular life of Dai people, and thus deepened the influence on Dai people's daily life, and brought abut the thorough localization of Buddhism. The deepening of this ally, has not only effectively realized the comprehensive transmission and development of Buddhism in Dai area, but also brought about the all-round prosperity of Buddhism art and helped the development of Dai's folk art and even the whole traditional culture of Dai.