Comparison and Application of Auspicious Cloud Patterns in Chinese and Thai Buddhist Paintings

Abstract

Both China and Thailand have a tradition of believing in Buddhism, especially in Thailand, therefore these two countries have produced a large number of paintings with Buddhist themes from ancient times to the present. In both Chinese and Thai Buddhist paintings, auspicious clouds is an essential decorative motif. The auspicious clouds in Chinese and Thai Buddhist paintings have their own characteristics and similarities in terms of symbolic meaning, shape and expression, from which we can see the deep integration during Chinese and Thai cultures. This thesis focuses on the similarities and differences of the auspicious cloud motifs between Chinese and Thai Buddhist paintings. By using their similarities, it will be applied to all aspects of contemporary cultural, economic and personnel exchanges between China and Thailand, and play a positive role in promoting friendly exchanges between China and Thailand.