Page 13 - Myanmar Destination Guide - Alluring Asia

CULTURE & THE ARTS One positive result of Myanmar's international isolation has been the preservation of its varied cultural and artistic traditions. Since it's . independence, many minority groups have clung to their tribal cultures, thereby preserving them. PAGE 3 Myanmar was once at the confluence of Indian and Chinese cultures, Population | Time | Visas although, Ethnically, most of its people are more closely linked to the Insurance | History Chinese than the Indians. Culturally, it is the Indian influenced that has PAGE 4-5 predominated. Myanmar adopted Pali, the Indian language of the History | Language Theravada Buddhist scriptures, and Buddhism was brought from India. Indian architecture provided the inspiration for most of Myanmar's PAGE 6 monumental art and the Indian concept of kingship - rather than the Climate Chinese Confucian bureaucracies was the model for Myanmar's PAGE 7 dynasties. The Land PAGE 8 One of the earliest of Myanmar's cultures was that of the Pyu. Early People | Safety & Crime Chinese accounts talk of the wealth of the Pyu civilization and the opulence of court life in Sri Kshetra. The king was carried on a golder PAGE 9 litter, woment worse silk and both men and women were adorned with Embroidery: Centuries of Currency | Credit Cards jewels. Inscriptions suggest that the Pyu were influenced by Indian migration led Myanmar's Changing Money | Tipping cultures. The Pyu left behind bronze and stone sculptures which hilltribes to develop portable art PAGE 10 indicate a high level of craftsmanship. Many piecesare similar in style to forms, and embroidery is one of Religion | Etiquette the late Gupta or post Gupta style in India, in which Buddha statues are their specialties. From early PAGE 11 seated with their legs crossed and wearing tight clinging robes. childhood a girl learns to sew Communications and her needle-skillsplay an Health & Vaccinations important role in helping her win a husand. PAGE 12 Food| Shopping | Customs Weaving: Mandalay and PAGE 13-14 Amarapura are the most Culture & The Arts | Religion important weaving centers and produce acheik, a horizontal- weave patterned silk, once popular with royalty. This silk is still highly prized. Lacquerware: Lacquered receptacles, mainly begging bowls, are used daily by monks in Myanmar and lacquerware was formerly in daily use by royalty too. Pagan is famous for its lacquerware. Silverware: Silver objects were often put in relic chambers of pagodas and were a measure of wealth.