Anisong (Ānisaṃsa)-Manuskripte aus Luang Prabang (Laos) in vergleichender Perspektive: Transformation im Zeitalter des Buchdrucks
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
Determined by geographical, socio-political, and economic factors in both domestic and international contexts, manuscript culture in Luang Prabang is characterized by the convergence of influences from Western countries, neighboring Southeast Asian nations, and from within Laos itself. Administered for half a century as a French protectorate within the Indochinese Union, Luang Prabang was a relatively autonomous region where people could make independent decisions about their lifestyle and religious practices. Buddhist texts continued to be predominantly disseminated as palm-leaf manuscripts, which were later adapted using modern writing tools. In short, anisong manuscripts had to adapt to new technologies. In the past, manuscripts were produced by sponsors and scribes—either individuals or groups—and painstakingly handwritten for use in dedicational rituals and, later, employed in sermons or Buddhist studies. The scribes were mostly monks and former monks, while other agents of production could be either monks or laypeople. To this day, the practices and agents of production continue to evolve, with a diverse range of individuals becoming economically and industrially involved. For mass production using printing machines, production agents with diverse professional skills are required, including transcribers, translators, proofreaders, and editors, to ensure text accuracy before printing. The phenomenon of anisong manuscripts facing new technologies was precipitated by the introduction of modern printing tools (object dimension) and the demand for new texts (text dimension). Initially, Lao manuscript culture somewhat retreated before entering a constant cycle of retention and innovation. This back-and-forth trajectory—akin to the swing of a pendulum—is necessary for anisong liturgical manuscripts to function within Buddhist society and to incorporate new printing technologies. The modern Lao script is regarded as both a cause and an effect of modern printing technology's impact on traditional manuscript culture. As the use of the Dhamma script—a religious script originating in Lan Na presumably in the second half of the fourteenth century, which then spread to Laos and other Mekong river basin areas—gradually decreased, and since printing machines primarily supported modern Thai and Lao scripts, anisong manuscripts increasingly utilized non-Dhamma scripts (such as the "secular" Old Lao script). Consequently, the number of individuals capable of using these manuscripts expanded, now including those unfamiliar with the Dhamma script. Anisong manuscripts are characterized by both innovation and retention, as texts and objects. The preservation of certain traditional features of palm-leaf manuscripts has been instrumental in preventing their complete transformation into printed books. The most notable and enduring retention is the continued use of traditional visual and verbal patterns. Regardless of the writing support or tools employed, the layout remains largely dictated by the pothi oblong format and, when handwritten, the Dhamma script. This explains why anisong manuscripts are characterized by a negotiation or "swing" between retention and innovation. As long as conventional features are not entirely replaced by modern printing technologies, the back-and-forth trajectory remains a fitting metaphor, demonstrating that anisong manuscripts have a cross-temporal and cross-spatial existence, perpetuating the arc of the pendulum.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
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“The Techniques and Materials Used in Making Lao and Tai Manuscripts.” In manuscript cultures, No. 15, pp. 133–162
Grabowsky, Volker; Agnieszka Helman-Wazny; Direk Injan & Khamvone Boulyaphonh
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A Ritual Manual of Healing: The Body-Balance of the Four Elements and the Four Key Factors of Manuscript Production and Usage. Exploring Written Artefacts, 1005-1024.
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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Sealed Manuscripts in Laos: New Findings from Luang Prabang. Exploring Written Artefacts, 667-688.
Grabowsky, Volker
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“The Stab-stitched Binding of Tai Manuscripts: A Survey of History, Technique, and Function.” In Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 109, Part 1, pp. 129-168
Grabowsky, Volker; Agnieszka Helman-Wazny; Direk Injan & Khamvone Boulyaphonh
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“Tiger Fangzahn-Amulette: Wirkkräfte gewaltiger Stärke.” In Thailand-Rundschau. Edited by Frauke Kraas. Bonn: Deutsche- Thailändische Gesellschaft e.V., 34, 3, pp. 104–107
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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Anisong (Ānisaṃsa) Manuscripts from Luang Prabang (Laos) in a Comparative Perspective: Transformation in the Age of Printing. On Thai-Tag 2022 (4 June 2022). Hamburger Gesellschaft für Thaiistik. Universität Hamburg
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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Exploring Lao Manuscript Culture: A Catalogue of Manuscripts from Vat Maha That, Luang Prabang, 2 vols. Hamburger Südostasienstudien, Band 18. New York and Luang Prabang: Anantha Publishing. 1219 pages. ISBN: 978-1-941811-09-2
Khamvone Boulyaphonh & Volker Grabowsky
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Manuscript Cultures and Epigraphy in the Tai World. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books (v + 418 pp.) ISBN: 978-616-215-188-0
Grabowsky, Volker (ed.)
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Relationship between Anisong Manuscripts and Rituals: A Comparative Study of the Lan Na and Lao Traditions. Segnitz: Zenos-Verlag
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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Tai Lü Manuscripts from Vat Pak Chaek, Luang Prabang. Hamburger Südostasienstudien, Band 19. New York and Luang Prabang: Anantha Publishing. 749 pages. ISBN: 978-1- 941811-10-8
Khamvone Boulyaphonh & Volker Grabowsky
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The Grammar and Function of Colophons in Lao Manuscripts: The Case of the Vat Maha That Collection, Luang Prabang. The Syntax of Colophons, 229-260.
Grabowsky, Volker
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“Anisong Manuscripts on the Bun Phawet Festivals in Laos: Studying the Relationship between Manuscripts and Sermons.” In Manuscript Cultures and Epigraphy in the Tai World. Edited by Volker Grabowsky, pp. 169–198. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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“Anisong Texts in Palmleaf Manuscripts on Rites of Passage: Buddhization of Innovative Ceremonies in Luang Prabang.” In The 8 th National Conference and the 1 st International Conference 2022 “Buddhism and New Global Trends (BNEGT): The Footprint of Khruba Sriwichai towards Contemporary Civilization”. Lamphun Buddhist College of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU)
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa & Grabowsky, Volker
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“From Nan to Luang Prabang: The Buddhist Heritage of Northern Laos Reflected in Recently Discovered Manuscript Collections.” In Manuscript Cultures and Epigraphy in the Tai World. Edited by Volker Grabowsky, pp. 327–356. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books
Grabowsky, Volker (ed.)
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The Use of Anisong Manuscripts at Funerals in Northern Thailand and Laos. Manuscripts and Performances in Religions, Arts, and Sciences, 303-334.
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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“Hybrid Production of Anisong Manuscripts in Luang Prabang.” Journal of the Siam Society. Vol. 111, Part 1, pp. 111–142
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa & Grabowsky, Volker
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Centre of Northern Lao Manuscript Culture: A Catalogue of Manuscripts from Vat Mai Suvannaphumaram, Luang Prabang. New York and Luang Prabang: Anantha Publishing
Boulyaphonh, Khamvone; Grabowsky, Volker & Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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The Arc of the Pendulum: Anisong Manuscripts Facing New Technologies in Luang Prabang. Segnitz: Zenos-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-931018-47-4
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
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“Transformations of Anisong Manuscripts in Luang Prabang: Application of Modern Printing Technology.” In Southeast Asian Studies. Kyoto: Center for Southeast Asian Studies Kyoto University, Vol. 13, 2, pp. 343–383
Jaengsawang, Silpsupa
