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Lakhon Khol ( km, ល្ខោនខោល, ; ) or Khmer Masked Theatre is a dance drama genre that is performed in
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
.


History

Lakhon Khol is a traditional theatre performance of
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
. Mask theatre of
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
having its origins during the
Angkor Angkor ( km, អង្គរ , 'Capital city'), also known as Yasodharapura ( km, យសោធរបុរៈ; sa, यशोधरपुर),Headly, Robert K.; Chhor, Kylin; Lim, Lam Kheng; Kheang, Lim Hak; Chun, Chen. 1977. ''Cambodian-Engl ...
period . It is believed to have begun during the 10th century through the inscription K.99
Sambor Prei Kuk Sambor Prei Kuk ( km, សំបូរព្រៃគុហ៍, ) is an archaeological site in Cambodia located in Kampong Thom Province, north of Kampong Thom, the provincial capital, east of Angkor and north of Phnom Penh. The now ruined c ...
temple in the reign of King
Jayavarman V Jayavarman V ( km, ជ័យវរ្ម័នទី៥) was a ruler of the Khmer Empire from his state temple, Jayendranagari, at Jayendrapura. During his reign, the Khmer Empire had 20 cities or Pur_(placename_element), pura. Early years Jayav ...
(CE 968-1001) Lakhon Khol is believed to be a derivative of the
Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
, acronym in the High Priest's Dictionary
Chuon Nath Chuon Nath ( km, ជួន ណាត; 11 March 1883 – 25 September 1969) was a Cambodian monk and the late ''Gana Mahanikaya'' Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia. Amongst his achievements is his effort in conservation of the Khmer language in the ...
. That short forms can be interpreted as a form of drama, played out in a series of short stories. The word ''Khol'' Is encountered in a number of other rocks, such as K.566-a a rock above the Stung Sreng
Siem Reap Siem Reap ( km, សៀមរាប, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has French colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old F ...
province inscribed at the end of the 10th century Which refers to wearing a mask dance. The theatrical drama was developed from the Khmer shadow theatre called "Lakhon Sbeak Thom; km, ល្ខោនស្បែកធំ”. Lakhon Khol was recorded by
Henri Mouhot Alexandre Henri Mouhot (May 15, 1826 — November 10, 1861) was a French naturalist and explorer of the mid-19th century. He was born in Montbéliard, Doubs, France, near the Swiss border, but spent his childhood in Russia and, possibly, parts ...
at a restaurant dinner with a dance performance in the Royal Palace in the city
Oudong ( km, ឧដុង្គ; also romanized as Udong or Odong) is a former town of the post-Angkorian period (1618–1863) situated in present-day ''Phsar Daek'' Commune, Ponhea Lueu District, Kandal Province, Cambodia. Located at the foothill of th ...
with King
Ang Duong Ang Duong ( km, អង្គឌួង ; 12 June 1796 – 19 October 1860) was the King of Cambodia from 1841 to 1844 and from 1845 to his death in 1860. Formally invested in 1848, his rule benefited a kingdom that suffered from several centuries ...
in 1856. Until the Royal
King Sisowath Sisowath ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ, ; 7 September 1840 – 9 August 1927) was King of Cambodia from 27 April 1904 to his death in 1927. He was the son of King Ang Duong and half brother of Prince Si Votha and King Norodom. He is th ...
, the royal dance in the form of dance was frequently performed for French diplomats or anthropologists to be entertained by the love of Khmer classical dance.
George Groslier George Groslier (; February 4, 1887 – June 18, 1945) was a French polymath who – through his work as a painter, writer, historian, archaeologist, ethnologist, architect, photographer and curator – studied, described, popularized and worke ...
compiled the diary "Danseuses Cambodgiennes, Anciennes & Modernes" 1913. Royal dance in the form of Lakhon Khol means that the king royal dance is a form of dance masks. The evolution of Cambodian dance art is linked to nature, social class, and Brahmin religion, the original religion of the country
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Hindu religion Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global pop ...
, which is related to the story incorporated into the art of Cambodian dance, the liveliness of Cambodian dances are recorded by
George Coedes George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Preside ...
(La dance du Cambodge) in 1944. Lakhon Khol reappeared once again in the 20th century in King
Sisowath Sisowath ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ, ; 7 September 1840 – 9 August 1927) was King of Cambodia from 27 April 1904 to his death in 1927. He was the son of King Ang Duong and half brother of Prince Si Votha and King Norodom. He is the ...
and continued to King
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, Norodom Sihanouk filmography, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in vari ...
in 1948, after the end of the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
by organizing a rehearsal Initially, he visited the Vegetable History at (Lakhon Khol Wat Svay Andet) in Kandal Province, which performed theatrical theatre for rainfall and peace to the community every year. The visit to
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, Norodom Sihanouk filmography, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in vari ...
's Wat Svay Andet masked dance theatre was published in 1948 as the first magazine in the journal "Kampuchea Soriya" by Tep Pitur Chhim Krasem or Duke of (Krosem Kuntheak Bondit). In the Soriya Magazine (March 3, 1948), the 3rd edition was published in March 1948, titled "The Lakhon Khol Wat Svay Andet" and stated in the NPL "The theatre is limited to the only thing related to
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. Which only plays for the divinities of divisions, such as
Reamker ''Reamker'' ( km, រាមកេរ្តិ៍, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; ) is a Cambodian epic poem, based on the Sanskrit's Rāmāyana epic. The name means "Glory of Rama". It is the national epic of Cambodia. The earliest mention of this epic's ...
and some other things." Later, there was a Giant with Hanuman statue iconic Lakhon Khol In
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
in 1954, after independence from
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, but the statue lost and instead the
Chuon Nath Chuon Nath ( km, ជួន ណាត; 11 March 1883 – 25 September 1969) was a Cambodian monk and the late ''Gana Mahanikaya'' Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia. Amongst his achievements is his effort in conservation of the Khmer language in the ...
statue still remains. Another specific story of the theatrical performance is the Reamker, the Khmer legend of the
Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
. The performance includes an introduction to storytellers who play an important role in the performance and classical music of the Pin Peat. The theatre was popular in the Lon Nol era, and then became King Sihanouk's favourite wife. There were eight teams of specialist theatre and then ravaged by war, but now only one group is at Wat Svay Andet, away from
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
. Two new groups started in the war, including the Kampong Thom and National Theater troupes from the Department of Fine Arts and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. And now the drama is also part of the schedule of studies at the University of Fine Arts. Lakhon Khol was Inscribed in a tentative list of
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
intangible culture heritage as Urgent safeguarding on March 31, 2017, by the Ministry of culture and fine art. On November 28, 2018, Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet was included in the
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergover ...
of
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
.


Lakhon Khol Characters

Lakhon Khol Characters is divided into 4 forms types of masks actors


Devas Characters


19 Monkeys General Characters


Asura Characters


Animals Creatures Characters


The Group Local of Lakhon Khol

* Lakhon Khol
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
* Lakhon Khol Battambang Province * Lakhon Khol Pursat Province * Lakhon Khol Kampong Thom Province * Lakhon Khol Wat Svay Andet Kandal Province (
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergover ...
) * Lakhon Khol Teok Khleang Village Kandal Province * Lakhon Khol Khoh Rak Village Kandal Province * Lakhon Khol Tycoon Island Or Khoh Og Nha Tey Kandal Province * Lakhon Khol Parong Village Kandal Province * Lakhon Khol Kien Svay pagoda Kandal Province


See also

*
Royal Ballet of Cambodia The Royal Ballet of Cambodia ( km, របាំព្រះរាជទ្រព្យ) is a dance company of Cambodia, famous for its luxury of costumes, accessories, gold and silver, accompanied by a beautiful soft dance. It is a dance th ...
*
Dance of Cambodia Dance in Cambodia ( km, របាំ ''robam'') consists of three main categories: classical dance of the royal court, folk dance which portrays cultural traditions, and social dances performed in social gatherings. Classical dance Cambodia ...
*
Khmer culture Throughout Cambodia's long history, religion has been a major source of cultural inspiration. Over nearly three millennia, Cambodians have developed a unique Cambodians, Cambodian culture and belief system from the syncreticism of indigenous ani ...
* Theatre of Cambodia * Chapei Dang Veng * Lbeng Teanh Prot * Apsara dance * UNESCO intangible world heritage of Cambodia *
Nuon Kan Nuon Kan was a Cambodian writer, composer, and professor of music and performing arts, who escaped the Cambodian genocide, which annihilated most of the musicians and scholars of his generation. He is the author of a popular patriotic hymn enti ...


References


Bibliography

* Carol A. Mortland, et al. (1994). ''Cambodian Culture since 1975:Homeland and Exile'', Cornell University Press * Theatre in Southeast Asia, by James R. Brandon (Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press 1967) * Theatre in the East, by Faubion Bowers (New York T. Nelson 1956) * The Cambridge Guide to Theater, by Martin Banham (Cambridge University Press) * Dictionary of Traditional Southeast Asian Theatre by Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof.(Oxford University Press. 1994.) * Sasagawa, Hideo (2005). Post/colonial Discourses on the Cambodian Court Dance ermanent dead link Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 42, No. 4, March 2005


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lakhon Khol Performing arts in Cambodia Masked dances Masquerade ceremonies in Asia