2. Genres
Religious Literature
• Theravada Buddhist Canonical Texts
• short texts aimed at explaining the practical
advantages of pious deeds
• texts ediying lessons regarding the gods, the
saints, and the sites containing relics of the
buddha
3. Secular texts - much richer thatn religious
texts
• popular and classical lietrature are well known
at all levels of society although authors names
are unknown and texts are undated and
undatable
• 1. Stories, legends and poem of oral tradition are
satirical in tone
• Stories called sysva have strong moral and
education content
4. • 3. Tales that comment on the naivety of the
peasantry, the greediness of the wealthy and the
demands of the royalty
• 4. Judicial stories which include commentaries on
ancient Lao codes e.g Tales of Nantantai - a lso
version of the Indian Pancatantra
• 5. Historical Legends - e.g. Hostory of Khun Purom
which recount the legendary migration of the Tai
Peoples from Chinca to Luang Prabang
5. • 6. Poetry that are predominantly Buddhist and
inspired to the licentious
• 7. Classical Lao Literature - written in prose and
verse form, lenghty and not original. Themes
include handsome priest, the heroin is a beautiful
princess and the antagonist a demon. There is also a
Lao version of the Ramayana
6. • 8. Political Writings - 1960’s as the beginning of
Modern Literature
– Pro-western Regime vs Socialist Regime
– Modern Literature - soap opera novels, humorous stories,
other poorly written works of social criticizm that featured
dishonest officials and scheming politicians
7. Since 1975 - the only modern Lao
Literature appears to consists of work
urging the consolidation of socialism and
emphasizing ideology and internationalism.
8. TAI Minorities
Tai minorities of Laos has very rich
literature preserved in manuscripts from.
• Magical and astrological texts
• Juridical texts that are divided into small
chapters describing specific cases and
presenting appropriate decision
9. • Tai Pharmaceutical Texts dealing with
treatment of certain illness by medicianl plants
and other preparations. Additional texts of this
sort list supernatural origins of illnessed and
give remedies.
• Rich Religious Literature include rituals,
prayers, texts written in praise of spirits
10. • Popular and classical texts include epics,
stories, legends and cosmographical works.
These works present visions of the creation of
the worlds proper to each particual group.
