The Emerald Buddha: Legend, Myth, and the Bedazzlement of History and Nation-Creation

Abstract

This research utilizes the Emerald Buddha statue as a material object that is believed to have cosmic power, through which to view the interconnected institutions of the monarchy, Buddhism, and the military in Thailand, from past to present. Reviewing the historical manipulations surrounding this Buddha image provides a better understanding of how these institutions are intertwined and continue reinforcing one another’s power. A pattern of historical bedazzlement is exposed, used to create identity, belonging, and nationalism, as much as it is used to create divisions. The effects that this living history has upon current relationships both within Thailand and with their neighbors become clear.