Islam in Southeast Asia today Islam is the state religion in Malaysia and Brunei It is the majority religion of Indonesia (90%) Before the 20th c., Mindanao in the Southern Philippines was predominantly Muslim; it now has a large Christian population Southern Thailand is largely Muslim, and Muslim minorities exist in most Southeast Asian Although the Communist party is securely at the helm, its leaders are taking no chances. But to kill one's brothers, especially one's older brothers, was to go against the most basic Confucian ethics. With the exception of Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand public transportation networks in Southeast Asia tend to be underdeveloped. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are predominantly Sunni Muslim, while East Timor and the Philippines are predominantly Roman Catholic. In equatorial Southeast Asia, highland temperatures generally range from about 15-25°C. In northern Southeast Asia, Buddhism dominates, mostly of the Theravada variety, with the exception of Vietnam where the Mahayana variety dominates. The communist state is in many ways heir to the Confucian state. The only way fishermen could counteract the curse put upon them by pregnant women would be to utter prayers that would cause the women to abort as soon as they reached home. Exactly how and when it happened is contested; however, the population of the mainland region largely happened through immigration from India. Theirs was an apocalyptic vision of history. This shared concern for power has been both a bond and an enduring source of tension between the two throughout Vietnamese history. It refuses to allow draft-age males into the ranks of the Catholic and Buddhist clergies. Most of Southeast Asia's major languages are not mutually intelligible. Sailing becomes more popular especially in Southern Thailand. It consisted of imposing bureaucratic control over the organization and size of the Buddhist clergy through the supervision of doctrinal exams and ordinations into the clergy; limiting the number of temples that were built and the amount of land they were given; and manipulating the distribution of cultic and scriptural materials that were channeled through the court. This has led historians to assume that birds were important objects of worship. Eating oysters or snails would cause her child to drool. To him, and him only, devolved the duty to mediate between Heaven and man, and to ensure the welfare of his people by acting according to Heaven's will in all things, political as well as personal. Traffic moves on the left in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, East Timor and Singapore, and moves on the right elsewhere. Even in the 1960s, it was still possible to see small boys dressed as girls, nails painted and ears pierced, in order to fool the devil. Domestic passenger ferries link various islands in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and the Philippines, but safety regulations are often ignored, boats often overloaded, and sinkings are not uncommon. Hostile as the Confucian scholars might be to these people they called practitioners of superstition and deluders of innocent people, it was impossible to eradicate them. For reasons that are not clear, Catholic missionaries were not successful in attracting converts in the south before the colonial period. The kings who ruled Vietnam after independence (939 A.D.) came from a background entirely different from that of the Confucianized elite who had collaborated with the Chinese occupiers. There are multiple Islamist and jihadist groups in southeast Asia, such as Jemaah Islamiyah in Thailand, Mujahedeen KOMPAK,Laskar Jihad in Indonesia and Abu Sayyaf in the Phillipines. They believed that all the hardships they suffered, battling wild beasts and inclement nature and enduring the ravages of unrest and periodic wars between Vietnam and Cambodia, prepared them for rebirth into the perfect world of Maitreya. Read on to learn about the "fourth teaching.". Unlike in Africa and South America, with the exception of English and Portuguese, most of the colonial languages are no longer widely spoken, although in recent years, French has been experiencing a revival in Laos, Cambodia, and to a lesser extent, Vietnam. On no account were they to give birth in someone else's home lest they pollute it beyond repair. But Southerners were more fearful of the devil, who coveted the children who were most cherished by their parents. World War II was disastrous to Southeast Asia, and also saw the beginning of the end of European colonialism, as the European powers surrendered to Japan one by one in disgrace. It avoided open conflict with the Viet Minh, while maintaining control over its territory. What helped soften the arbitrary and sometimes brutal character of this early despotic rule was the influence of Buddhism. Why were there so many Chinese fans in the bleachers at this year's FIFA World Cup, when the Chinese team wasn’t even on the field? The Hoa Hao sect illustrates a reformist, purifying strand in popular religion. Huynh Phu So stressed virtue in one's daily conduct as the chief method of seeking salvation, for over the years, the tendency to stage elaborate ceremonies with expensive offerings to Buddha had taken over, and with it the reliance on prayers rather than good deeds. Southeast Asia is a popular destination for round the world cruises, and many of them make several stops in Southeast Asia with the option to go for shore excursions. Brunei was also made into a British protectorate, with the British taking charge of its defence and foreign affairs. Asia Society Policy Institute Senior Fellow Richard Maude explains. More than three-quarters of Southeast Asia population is agriculture-based. International ferry links are surprisingly limited, but it's possible to cross over from Malaysia to Sumatra (Indonesia) and from Singapore to the Riau Islands (Indonesia) and Johor (Malaysia). This theory is even more irrational. Religion was too important for peasants to exercise their whimsy. Both the sects and the state, however, were agreed about the fundamentally inextricable nature of this relationship. If he sinned in any way, Heaven might choose to punish him by visiting disaster upon his people. This is one of the very few instances of ill-wishing towards children. They were not to cross fishermen's nets while these were being dyed, or they would bring them bad luck. Vietnamese religion was a syncretic amalgamation of the three great religions of East Asia—Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism—onto which had been added a rich variety of preexisting animist beliefs. Throughout history, religion served both to integrate the Vietnamese people into a cohesive society and to reinforce the presence, if not the power, of the emperor while softening his rule. The latter tendency is well illustrated by the other major political-religious sect of southern Vietnam, the Cao Dai sect, which was founded in 1926, 13 years before the appearance of the Hoa Hao sect. Hinduism is still practised in parts of Indonesia, most notably Bali, as well as by a sizeable proportion of the ethnic Indian community in Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar. Hong Kong also makes a good springboard into the region, with many low-cost carriers flying into Southeast Asian destinations. The most popular city for shopping in Southeast Asia is Bangkok, although Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore all have extensive arrays of exclusive shopping malls stocked with haute couture labels. Southeast Asia, sometimes referred to as Indochina or Indo-China, is a collection of related but dissimilar states squeezed between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. In organizing the sect as they did, they were also trying to be all things to all men. Thailand has the most extensive network, with relatively frequent and economical (albeit slow, compared to most buses) and generally reliable services. But just as they are about to enter nirvana, they look back upon the world and are moved by compassion for the sufferings of mankind so that, instead of entering nirvana, they descend again into the world to work for the salvation of mankind. Southeast Asia is a fucking paradise for backpackers. The state thus chose to leave them alone. Hence they were unable to complete their pagoda. It was an ideology that celebrated hard work and frugality, that did not distinguish between rich and poor, that was family-oriented rather than congregational or monastic. In many cases, these so-called Taoist priests had scant understanding of the teachings of Lao Tzu. Early Vietnamese religion thus was essentially propitiatory and lacked an ethical, moral dimension. Obviously, it was impossible to enforce such an ideology which deprived common people of any religious role. But by the end of the 12th century, efforts to curb both the size and the power of the clergy were underway. In response, Vietnamese kings instituted regular exams. Tu Duc's acceptance of responsibility for the national calamity underlined the Confucian idea that only the emperor had religious duties. The leaders spearheaded the creation of new villages where the sectaries would be able to live according to the beliefs and practices of their sect while waiting for Maitreya's descent. Pregnant women were told to think happy thoughts, and, if possible, gaze at pictures of particularly good-looking children, so that their own child would be beautiful. Euros are also widely accepted in the major cities, although rates are rarely as good as for dollars. Text is available under [http://wikitravel.org/shared/Copyleft Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0] images are available under [http://wikitravel.org/shared/How_to_re-use_Wikitravel_guides various licenses], see each image for details. Nevertheless, despite being one of the most resource rich regions in the world (all Southeast Asian countries except Singapore are considered to be resource rich), widespread corruption means that poverty is still an issue in many countries, which much of the wealth concentrated in the hands of a few elite. A native of the southwest, Huynh Phu So capitalized on the millenarian beliefs, claiming that he was the reincarnation of the founder of the Buu Son Ky Huong sect and that his mission was to bring the tradition back to its original purity. In the 11th century, a king ordered that temples be built in every village. But valued though the monks were as advisors, they still could not compensate for the inherent deficiencies of Buddhism as a state religion. Until the 19th century, he embodied hope rather than despair. It aims to serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. So in order to avoid using the imperial names to talk about the ordinary things of life, the names of the latter were often slightly distorted. The Vietnamese of the 10th century could be devout Buddhists without relinquishing any of their animist beliefs. However, given the limited resources of the traditional state, it was harder to prevent people from pursuing a religious life in places where the state did not penetrate. If, when pregnant, the mother ate crabmeat, it was believed that the fetus would lie crosswise in her womb at the time of delivery. Pre-historic Southeast Asia was largely underpopulated. Built in 1601, it is the last large-scale monument dedicated to Buddhism. If one had led a good life, one could pass the merit one had thus accumulated on to one's descendents. Despite such precautions, however, he and his heir were assassinated by a man who had dreamed he was destined to be king and proceeded to act upon that prophetic dream. On the other hand, population of the archipelegos of East Timor, Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as Malaysia on the mainland is thought to have come about though immigration from Taiwan. It is conceivable that the communist state will succeed where the Confucian state did not. Thailand's southernmost states, especially in the border region with Malaysia have also been the scene of violence in recent years, and while tourists have not been specifically targeted, there have been several attacks on trains and three foreigners were killed in bombings in Hat Yai in 2006. In still another, the village inhabitants had chosen a woman of dubious morals. There are no connections between Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries yet, although there are plans for links through both Cambodia and Myanmar onward to the existing Thailand-Malaysia network. Street vendors or hawkers. In general, the arrival of a child was cause for great rejoicing. Southeast Asia is also home to many mountains, and conditions are generally cooler in the highlands. However, religious minorities exist in every country. Fortunately, the young Christian prince died before his father, allowing the succession to go to a half-brother who had been brought up in the strictest Confucian tradition. Its diverse peoples moved into the region in search of a better life and greater security. The main lines from Bangkok are north to Chiang Mai; north-east via Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) to Nong Khai and also east to Ubon Ratchathani; east via Chachoengsao to Aranyaprathet and also south-east via Pattaya to Sattahip; and south via Surat Thani (province) to Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Tao and Hat Yai, through Malaysia via Butterworth, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Bahru, to Singapore. The exact location of his descent was to be a desolate hilly area near the Cambodian border in southwestern Vietnam. Elephants, tigers, crocodiles, and all the animals that threatened the lives of Vietnamese peasants were referred to in whispers, and respectfully called "lords." It was to them that common people turned, for performing the requisite ceremonies at various stages of life, for calling up the dead and healing the living. The same awe of the power of names made parents call their children, not by their given name but by the order of their birth. Malaysian and Singaporean cultures are a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and British culture. Religion should not stay separate from political matters; on the contrary, religious people had the duty to become politically involved since both politics and religion were concerned with salvation. Eliot, Herman Hesse, and The Beatles. Education, rather than brute force, became the path to power. AirAsia also operates secondary hubs in Bangkok and Jakarta. There existed a religious council in each village to ensure that ceremonies were carried out properly. The early Vietnamese believed that they were descended from a dragon-king who had mated with an immortal from the mountains to produce 100 children. South Vietnam's most famous modern geomancer was known to carry out his field survey from the height of a helicopter, an example of how science and technology do not cause religious beliefs to dwindle away, but on the contrary can serve to strengthen them. The scorching hot season that follows can see temperatures climb above 40°C in April, cooling down as the rains start around July. Throughout much of the 19th century, Catholics were persecuted, for the alien nature of their beliefs, for their insistence on putting God above the emperor, and for their suspected links with the foreigners who threatened Vietnamese independence. In addition, Spanish has also been experiencing a revival in the Philippines. Ordinary Vietnamese went to great lengths to avoid naming their children after their relatives, dead or alive, for when a name was said out loud, all the people by that name were called up as well. There is a Vietnamese saying which likens the village to a smaller version of the imperial court. For in renouncing the claims of society, monks also rejected the financial burdens of being a common subject of the king. The name of the movement was meant to refer to the fact that Maitreya was expected to appear in the Seven Mountains of Chau Doc province (hence the idea of a Precious Mountain) and that he would preach a new Buddhist doctrine, likened by the believers to a strange fragrance. For reasons of state, Tu Duc was forced to put them to death. The mountains and rivers of Vietnam were also endowed with magical properties. When still only a pretender to the throne, the eventual founder of the Nguyen dynasty, Gia Long, allowed his heir to be converted to Catholicism as a means of gaining support from Christian missionaries. Another feast was held when the child was one year old. The last appearance of this turtle god was in the 15th century when Le Loi, the leader of a guerrilla movement of resistance against Chinese occupation, lost his sword in a Hanoi lake. The eclectic nature of the Cao Dai teachings was reflected in its architecture and in its organization. One particular area of concern was the role of religion at the village level. 8. The forces of the cosmos would rearrange themselves in a new "creation of Heaven and establishment of Earth" (tao thien lap dia), and a new era of peace, prosperity and virtue would begin. Confucian scholars argued that amnesties made nonsense of the law, for they introduced into its application an element of arbitrariness. When taking an active interest in political matters, Vietnamese monks could draw inspiration from this Buddhist scripture. In trying to characterize the Cao Dai religion, the words adaptability and inclusiveness come to mind. Unlike Chinese Taoist priests, they were not organized into a religious organization. Such a theory is truly unfounded [The book] also says that their country had one prince who led the people of the country to manufacture and erect a heavenly pagoda. Cambodia's railways were badly hit by the civil war and have been going downhill ever since. Some inherently inauspicious ones were noted on the regular calendar, and applied to all. He symbolized the aspirations of Vietnamese Buddhists for salvation and rebirth in his Pure Land. Thai, Burmese, Cambodian and Lao culture is heavily Indianized while Vietnamese culture is heavily sinicized. Thus, any calamity, any instance of misfortune was interpreted as a sign of Heaven's displeasure with the emperor. Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnam: The Lotus in the Sea of Fire, (London: SCM Press, Ltd, 1967). All wickedness would disappear, and only what was good and virtuous would remain. "By and large, this edited volume is a fitting, albeit overdue, tribute to Long’s legacy as a pioneering and premier historian of religion. Hint: It was invented to fit a language that previously used a borrowed writing system. The larger multinational discount airlines and most national carriers are respectable, but some of the smaller airlines have questionable safety records, especially on domestic flights using older planes — do some research before you buy. But in 1955, it too took part in the unsuccessful confrontation with President Diem, and it too was forced to give up its military role. Southeast Asia is mostly tropical with some subtropical highlands in the North: the weather hovers around the 30°C mark throughout the year, humidity is high and it rains often. One must begin with a sense of the richness and variety of traditional Vietnamese religion. Often, the new villages existed side by side with the original ones. What tore Vietnamese communities apart was Christianity's challenge to village religion. Its roots were established firmly among the population of the southwest, and were able to survive into the 20th century. Cao Dai organization was as eclectic as its architectural style, and as complex as its pantheon of deities. The myth of the millennium was thus a powerful incentive to attract pioneers and to give them the courage to remain in this inhospitable region. Birds feature heavily in the decoration of the famous Dong Son bronze drums fabricated between the third and the first century B.C. Since the 11th century, the emperor had assumed the role of First Plowman. Sudden, rather than gradual, enlightenment was the ultimate goal. Maitreya was a popular figure of worship throughout the history of Vietnamese Buddhism. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are predominantly Sunni Muslim, while East Timor and the Philippines are predominantly Roman Catholic. He would look at the lay of the land, the relationship between hills, and hollows and streams, and decide which would be the most propitious site. It is no longer possible to transit all the way through Cambodia to Thailand by rail. Vietnamese Buddhism emphasized mental and physical self-discipline and proper conduct, instead of the painstaking acquisition of doctrinal knowledge. Essentially the two sects took a completely opposite view of the relationship between religion and politics. But the more the state tried to enforce orthodoxy, the more it invited challenges from more traditional quarters, challenges which could be open, taking the form of rebellion, or merely implicit. The size and power of the clergy became a source of concern. Indonesia occupied East Timor in 1975 after it declared independence from the Portuguese following a coup in Portugal, and only left in 1999 following a United Nations referendum. Religion . https://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Southeast_Asia&oldid=2643182, Pages linked to a data item for a disambiguation, The eerie, continually erupting volcanoes of, The surreal mix of modernity and tradition in Malaysia's capital-to-be, The literally thousands of ancient temples and stupas which make up the cityscape of, The limestone cliffs, azure waters and perfect beaches of, The delightfully well-preserved ancient trading port of. Furthermore, the structure of the sect was composed of a council of mediums, an administrative organ and a body overseeing the operation of charitable agencies serving as recruitment organs. Confronted with the ineradicable nature of popular religion, the state tried to make use of it for its own ends. It had a minimum of organizational structure. They sought above all to remain in the margin of mainstream society, free of official interference. Their country' s prince used one great ship and took all the people and birds and animals within the country and fled to occupy the inaccessible top of a high mountain. Despite the sect members' self-image as orthodox Buddhists, their leaders tended to be practitioners of popular religion—faith-healers, soothsayers, and Taoist priests whose occupation gave them power over the world of spirits and put them in contact with a wide variety of people. This hostility lasted through the Vietnam War, although some Hoa Hao members turned to the National Liberation Front (NLF) after the South Vietnamese government of President Ngo Dinh Diem crushed an uprising in which the sect had taken part, and disarmed it. One Buddhist text states that it is the duty of bodhisattvas to assist the ruler of a country by becoming his advisors.