Poy Sang Long
archived citation, clean up
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[[File:Poy Sang Long Festival in Chiang Mai DSCN4932.jpg|thumb|350px|Poy Sang Long in [[Chiang Mai]], northern Thailand]] |
[[File:Poy Sang Long Festival in Chiang Mai DSCN4932.jpg|thumb|350px|Poy Sang Long in [[Chiang Mai]], northern Thailand]] |
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'''Poy sang long''' ({{langx|shn|ပွႆးသၢင်ႇလွင်း}}) is a [[rite of passage]] ceremony among the [[Shan people]]s, in [[Myanmar]] and in neighbouring northern [[Thailand]], undergone by boys at some point between seven and fourteen years of age. It consists of taking novice monastic vows and participating in monastery life for a period of time that can vary from a week to many months or more. Usually, a large group of boys |
'''Poy sang long''' ({{langx|shn|ပွႆးသၢင်ႇလွင်း}}) is a [[rite of passage]] ceremony among the [[Shan people]]s, in [[Myanmar]] and in neighbouring northern [[Thailand]], undergone by boys at some point between seven and fourteen years of age. It consists of taking novice monastic vows and participating in monastery life for a period of time that can vary from a week to many months or more. Usually, a large group of boys is ordained as [[sāmaṇera]] (novitiate monk) at the same time. |
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==Etymology== |
==Etymology== |
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The [[Shan language|Tai Yai]] name ''poy sang long'' is decomposed as follows: |
The [[Shan language|Tai Yai]] name ''poy sang long'' is decomposed as follows: |
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* ''poy'' (ပွႆး) meaning 'event', borrowed from Burmese ''pwe'' (ပွဲ);{{cite news |last1=Phromrekha |first1=Korbphuk |title=Rites of Passage |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/detail/thailand/30367983 |access-date=2019-04-20 |work=The Nation |date=2019-04-20}} |
* ''poy'' (ပွႆး) meaning 'event', borrowed from Burmese ''pwe'' (ပွဲ);"Nation-20190420">{{cite news |last1=Phromrekha |first1=Korbphuk |title=Rites of Passage |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/detail/thailand/30367983 |access-date=2019-04-20 |work=The Nation |date=2019-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920173740/https://www.nationthailand.com/detail/thailand/30367983|archive-date=20 September 2019}} |
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*''long'' (လွင်း), from ''along'' meaning [[Bodhisattva]] or 'king's lineage', borrowed from Burmese ''alaung'' (အလောင်း). ''Long'' (လွင်း), from Burmese ''laung'' (လောင်း),[http://sealang.net/burmese/dictionary.htm SEAlang Library Burmese Lexicography] also means "stage before the final change."[http://sealang.net/shan/dictionary.htm SEAlang Library Shan Lexicography]Moeng, S. T. (1995). ''Shan-English dictionary''. Kensington, Md.: Dunwoody Press. Thus, ''sang long'' (သၢင်ႇလွင်း) refers to a "boy or young man before becoming a novice monk." |
*''long'' (လွင်း), from ''along'' meaning [[Bodhisattva]] or 'king's lineage', borrowed from Burmese ''alaung'' (အလောင်း). ''Long'' (လွင်း), from Burmese ''laung'' (လောင်း),[http://sealang.net/burmese/dictionary.htm SEAlang Library Burmese Lexicography] also means "stage before the final change."[http://sealang.net/shan/dictionary.htm SEAlang Library Shan Lexicography]Moeng, S. T. (1995). ''Shan-English dictionary''. Kensington, Md.: Dunwoody Press. Thus, ''sang long'' (သၢင်ႇလွင်း) refers to a "boy or young man before becoming a novice monk." |
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==Observances== |
==Observances== |
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In neighbouring Thailand, where Shan immigrants have brought over the traditions from Myanmar, the ceremony goes on for three days, as the boys (dressed like princes in imitation of [[Gautama Buddha]], who was himself a prince before setting out on the religious path) spend the entire time being carried around on the shoulders of their older male relatives. On the third day, they are ordained |
In neighbouring Thailand, where Shan immigrants have brought over the traditions from Myanmar, the ceremony goes on for three days, as the boys (dressed like princes in imitation of [[Gautama Buddha]], who was himself a prince before setting out on the religious path) spend the entire time being carried around on the shoulders of their older male relatives. On the third day, they are ordained and enter the [[wat|monastery]] for a period of at least one week, and perhaps many years. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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