Before religions were introduced into Southeast Asia, the inhabitants used animism to refer to all formal

beliefs. Among them, the earliest was the fetishism with ideas about the supernatural power of nature.
The cult is a form of religion that worships objects with mystical properties and supernatural powers.

Throughout long history, people from Southeast Asia have adapted numerous religions and belief.
However, the four major religions in Southeast Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism) have
changed the cultural nature of large parts of the population through the ages.

1. Hinduism
 Around the 1st-5th century, Hinduism was spread across Southeast Asia by Brahman traders
and priests from India and Nepal. Fundamental to Hinduism is the belief in a cosmic principle
of ultimate reality called brahman and its identity with the individual soul, or atman. All
creatures go through a cycle of rebirth, or samsara, which can be broken only by spiritual
self-realization, after which liberation, or moksha, is attained. The principle of karma
determines a being’s status within the cycle of rebirth. The Hindu deities having the widest
following are Vishnu and Shiva, who are worshipped in various avatars, or incarnations.
 The Hindu civilizations largely influenced the languages, scripts, architecture, literature and
beliefs and artistic aspects of these nations. But indigenous beliefs persisted and were
embedded in different forms of the new religion. It is possible that the form of worshiping
the mountain king, which began in Funan, spread to Java, and was developed by the Khmer
kings of the Angkorian period into a religion of Gods with majestic rituals and architecture.
 The Khmer also adopted both religions of India. But then they combined many different
elements into a new religious image, Hari Hara - an image that combines both Siva (the god
of destruction) and Visnu (the guardian god). Today, apart from the Indian migrants, the only
people practising Hinduism are the Balinese, Tenggerese minorities in Indonesia and the
Cham minorities in Cambodia and Vietnam. Traces of Hinduism remain gleaming at the
Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia and Besakih Temple in Bali, Indonesia.
2. Buddhism
 Buddhism was introduced into Southeast Asia in the early centuries AD. Based on the
teachings of Buddha, Buddhism takes as its goal the escape from suffering and from the
cycle of rebirth: the attainment of nirvana. It emphasizes meditation and the observance of
certain moral precepts. Buddhism throughout Southeast Asia comprises two main traditions:
Mahāyāna Buddhism and Theravāda Buddhism.
 Buddhism was introduced to Cambodia from the very beginning along with Hinduism.
Starting from the time of Jayavarman VII (1181 - 1219), Buddhism completely replaced
Hinduism and became the national religion of the Khmer. Buddha became the supreme god
for everyone, replacing the king-god. Today, Theravada Buddhism remains the main religion
for the Cambodian people, and Buddhism also contributes significantly to linking all
members of Cambodian society into a common civilization.
 Buddhism was also present in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia very early. In the first centuries
AD, the two cities Thaton and Prome were famous centers of Buddhism. Buddhism
flourished here until the 9th century, then gradually declined until the beginning of the 11th
century, starting from the Pagan period, flourishing again and became the state religion of
Myanmar.
  Theravada Buddhism was present in Thailand very early, from the first centuries AD. This
Buddhism persisted in Central Thailand within the realm of the Dvaravati kingdom and
created here a unique artistic style - the Dvaravati Single style.
 The southern coastal region on the Gulf of Thailand is the place where Mahayana Buddhism
is spread. In the 7th century an Indian monk, Damapala, came to Sumatra. He was the one
who laid the foundation for Mahayana Buddhism. From the beginning of the 7th century, a
large area including Sumatra, Java, Bourneo, part of the Malay peninsula and the southern
coast of Thailand were under the rule of the kingdom of Srivijaya. During its four centuries of
existence, Srivijaya was one of the largest Buddhist centers in Southeast Asia.
 During the past centuries, Buddhism has played a great role in the political, social, and
cultural life of Southeast Asian residents. Organizations of monks and nuns as well as the
State pay great attention to the dissemination of Buddhist ideas among the public, especially
through the education system. The temple is not only a place of worship but also a cultural
center, about the image of truth-goodness-beauty for all people, becoming a place to store
and disseminate culture and knowledge for the people.
3. Islam
 In the 8th – 12th centuries, when Islam began to expand strongly, there were no room for this
religion to grow and influence. But in the 13th century, trading ports and centers of
commerce were expanded and developed along the coasts of Southeast Asia. It is a very
favorable environment for Muslim merchants to come here to trade and preach.
 In 1281 Islam was spread in Sumatra.
 At the end of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century, a series of Muslim
states were born in Southeast Asia, typically Malacca. The conversion to Islam of Samudra,
Malacca, Northern Java and other parts of the Malay Archipelago contributed to the
promotion of international trade with the West and the growth of the Muslim states in this
region. Gradually Islam was spread into Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei,
Thailand, Cambodia, South Vietnam, and Myanmar.
 Southeast Asia possesses a great Islamic diversity due to the mixed impact of the other pre-
existing religions. Therefore, Islam followed in these countries is softer and mystical. It
largely depended on the religious texts and translations that were available and hence Islam
was formed as a multi-faceted and multi-layered religion that differed throughout countries.
4. Christianity
 Since Westerners began to appear in Southeast Asia, Christianity also followed them and
gradually penetrated this region.
 Christianity appeared in Vietnam as early as the sixteenth century. The first missionaries to
Vietnam were Portuguese and Spanish missionaries, then the French.
 Christianity spread into Cambodia from the 16th century mainly by the Portuguese and from
the middle of the 19th century by the French.
 Christianity entered Laos quite late in the 19th century by French and later American
missionaries.
 The Filipinos were easily convinced by the Spaniards to convert into Christianity because it
offered a more structured belief system with no centralized power.
The religious picture of Southeast Asia is indeed very diverse, rich and complex. Here not only existed a
single religion but there existed many other religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity.
Each religion has its own characteristics of that religion, and each religion leaves us with its own imprints
not only on political economy but also on social culture.

Art and architecture of Southeast Asia

Early history
As Hinduism and Buddhism were introduced to Southeast Asia, their traditions were altered to conform
to the traditions of the indigenous peoples. Works predating outside influence were generally made of
perishable materials and have not survived. Neolithic sites in the area produced stone tools, baskets, and
pottery. By century 500 BC there were recognizable divisions between those cultures influenced by China
and those influenced by India.
The Dong Son culture, which was centered around the Tonkin gulf in present-day Vietnam, was notable
among those drawing influence from China. From this culture various artifacts of great beauty have been
excavated such as bronze dagger hilts, ornaments, lamps, and tomb furnishings. Typical of Dong son style
are spirals and Greek key ornamentation. Massive bronze drums are thought to have been part of rituals
to create rain.
Opportunities for trade between Indochina and India flourished and brought with commerce an influx of
Indian expertise in mechanical engineering, social hierarchies, and a pantheon of deities both Hindu and
Buddhist. The ancient kingdom of Fou Nan spreading into Indonesia was a commercially based and
powerful force in the area. Stone temples after the Indian prototypes are found dating back to Fou Nan
in the 6th century. Its early monuments which anticipate Khmer art are for the most part statues of gods
and goddesses whose smooth and gracefully sinuous bodies are clothed in draperies of extreme
thinness.
Khmer art:
Indravarman, the first Khmer king, began construction of Angkor, a remarkable temple-city which utilized
a grid system of canals and large reservoirs to control the river The temples and palace complex derived
much of their architectural style from Indian sources, but much of the style of carving on the deities and
supporting figures is uniquely Khmer, with voluptuous figures and serenely smiling faces.
The most famous of Khmer monuments is Angkor Wat (or Vat), a vast temple-complex built in the early
12th cent. under Suryavarman II. It is an enclosure built of numerous shrines and courtyards the entirety
of which represents the cosmic order in architectural sculpture. Angkor Thom and Bayon, built in the
early 13th cent. under Jayavarman VII, shows the movement away from grace and lyrical carvings toward
a more monumental style. From the 15th until the 18th cent. most of the art of Cambodia was wood
sculpture, which due to climatic conditions has with rare exception not survived. Later works mostly
follow the inspiration of Thai sculpture.
Vietnamese art:
After a period of absorption, from the middle of the 7th century onwards, Cham art has shaped and
developed brilliantly with the ancient My Son style. My Son Sanctuary appears with an architectural
complex consisting of many Champa temples and extremely unique architecture. This place is a complex
with more than 70 temples and towers with many architectural sculptural styles typical for each
historical period of the Champa kingdom. The architectural style here is divided into 6 types: ancient
style, Hoa Lai, Dong Duong, My Son, PoNagar and the style of the people of Binh Dinh. Most of the
architectural works and sculptures in My Son are influenced by Hinduism. The art of sculpture and
Champa architecture has reached perfection - it is the most gentle, graceful, and elegant architectural
style of Champa architectural art.
Thai art:
In the 13th century the Thai peoples began to amass their considerable power in western Southeast Asia
and by the 15th cent. were the dominant force. Siamese bronze sculpture of Buddhist figures in the 14 th
and 15th century. showed an interest in an exaggerated long limb, a serene countenance and an interest
in the pose known as the walking Buddha. In the 16th century Buddhist figures adorned with jewels were
widespread. Most extant Siamese paintings are of Buddhist subject matter and owe much to Chinese
models yet include a graceful linear quality and affection for brilliant color. The establishment of the
capital at Bangkok and consequent increase in trade with the West brought other influences to bear on
Thai art.
Laos and Burmese Art:
Laos art was heavily influenced by neighboring Siam. Thai kingdoms were established there in the latter
14th cent., and in art and architecture Thai and Burmese models were followed. A few temples of stucco
and brick survive but for the most part the typical Laotian architectural medium was and is wood,
encompassing the quintessential Southeast Asian roof line of graceful upward sweeping curves. In Bagan
a 9th-century Nat temple is among the earliest examples of Burmese architecture. Many examples of
later date have the typical Burmese flame element, either above the windows or as part of the roof
ornamentation. In their sculptural tradition, the Burmese were conservative, initially following Indian
styles and later Khmer and Thai models. Burmese lacquerware, made for use in temples and
monasteries, is one of the most celebrated of Burmese arts.
Indonesian Art
On the islands of Indonesia, there have been found artifacts from the Dong son culture, including the
famous bronze drum known as the Moon of Bali, the largest of the rain drums. The culture of the
Indonesian islands was strongly influenced by India. The great dynasty of Shailendra (776–864) from
central Java made its influence known as far north as Cambodia. Sculptures from 9th century Hindu
temples in central Java show the influence of Indian models.
The supreme achievement of Indonesian art is the monument of Borobudur, an architectural monument
and cosmic diagram in one, built in the 8th century. Buddhas appear at intervals along the walls, and the
highest terraces house 72 Buddhas in stone latticework stupas. Bronze sculptures of Buddhist figures
made after the 8th century. continue the style of Borobudur. In the 11th century. rock-cut reliefs continue
the Javanese sculptural tradition. With the advent of Islam in the 15th century, figural sculpture was
abandoned, and ornamentation of mosques took over the Indonesian interest in architectural
embellishment. Modern Indonesia has taken a renewed interest in traditional crafts and art forms.
Music
Southeast Asian residents are very fond of group music and dance. And the most popular in Southeast
Asia is singing for men - women with the nature of reciprocal testing of each other's talents. In the
process, singers set up situations about love, life, production, or religion. Therefore, both content and
form are very rich. From the duets, many beautiful songs were born and enriched the folk-art treasures
of the nations.
Singing - dancing is a popular and very popular form of Southeast Asian residents. The community
dances here are quite simple: following good music or even to the beat of any object, people can also
dance with light footsteps and hand movements. Perhaps that is why the most important and traditional
musical instrument of the inhabitants of Southeast Asia is the drum.
Angkor Wat is an architectural work of which country?
A. Laos
B. Thailand
C. Cambodia
D. Myanmar
What is the earliest form of primitive belief in Southeast Asia?
A. Buddhism
B. Fetishism
C. Hinduism
D. Islam
When was Islam introduced to Southeast Asia?
A. The 8th century
B. The 16th century
C. Year 1281
D. The 13th century
Which religion was brought to Southeast Asia by westerners?
A. Buddhism
B. Hinduism
C. Christianity
D. Islam
The Dong Son culture had similarities with which culture?
A. Chinese
B. India