The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk

Download or read book The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk written by Justin Thomas McDaniel and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2013-12-01 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on representations of a famous ghost and monk from the late eighteenth century to today, Justin Thomas McDaniel builds a case for interpreting modern Thai Buddhist practice through the movements of these transformative figures. He follows embodiments of the ghost and monk in a variety of genres and media, including biography, drama, ritual, art, liturgy, film, television, and the Internet. Sourcing nuns, monks, laypeople, and royalty, McDaniel shows how relations with these figures have been instrumental in crafting histories and modernities, particularly local conceptions of being "Buddhist," and the formation and transmission of such identities across different venues and technologies.