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Concept
Culture of Myanmar
Summary
The culture of Myanmar (Burma) ( ) has been heavily influenced by Buddhism. Burmese culture has also been influenced by its neighbours.
In more recent times, British colonial rule and easternisation have influenced aspects of Burmese culture, including language and education.
Historically, Burmese art was based on Buddhist or Hindu
myths. There are several regional styles of Buddha images, each with certain distinctive characteristics. For example, the Mandalay style, which developed in the late 1800s, consists of an oval-shaped Buddha with realistic features, including naturally curved eyebrows, smaller but still prominent ears, and a draping robe. There are 10 traditional arts, called pan sè myo (), listed as follows:
Blacksmith ( ba-bè)
Woodcarving ( ba-bu)
Goldsmith ( ba-dein)
Stucco relief ( pandaw)
Masonry ( pa-yan)
Stone carving ( pantamaw)
Turnery ( panbut)
Painting ( bagyi)
Lacquerware ( panyun)
Bronze casting ( badin)
In addition to the traditional arts are silk weaving, pottery, tapestry making, gemstone engraving, and gold leaf making. Temple architecture is typically of brick and stucco, and pagodas are often covered with layers of gold leaf while monasteries tend to be built of wood (although monasteries in cities are more likely to be built of modern materials). A very common roofing style in Burmese architecture is called pyatthat (), which is a many tiered and spired roof.
Literature of Burma
Buddhism, notably the Jataka Tales, has greatly influenced Burmese literature. Many historical works are nonfiction. However, British colonization introduced many genres of fiction, which have become extremely popular today. Poetry features prominently, and there are several forms of poetry unique to Burmese literature. By 1976, only 411 titles were published annually, compared to 1882, when 445 titles were published. Various factors, especially the lengthened bureaucratic process to obtain printing permits, censorship, and increasing economic hardship of consumers because of the socialist economic schemes, contributed to the decline of Burmese literary output.
Official source
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