Cambodian culture in modern times. Religion and culture of Cambodia

About 95% of the population of Cambodia consider Buddhism to be their religion. The religion of this area is called Theravada, or “southern Buddhism.”

In Cambodia, it is not surprising that Buddhism has the status of a fundamental religion and is fully recognized by the laws of the country.

There is a small percentage (1.5%) of the population of Cambodia whose religion is Islam. There are even fewer Christians here – about 0.5%. Here Buddhism bears the name and character of Theravada, which is also recognized as the state religion. Cambodia has great amount(more than 4300) monasteries and temples.

The monks of Cambodia are divided into two major orders: Thammayutnikai (more numerous) and Mahanikai. Although the second order is not as great, it is supported local authorities authorities.

Monastic groups live modestly and follow the 227 rules of Buddhist monks. They do not take part in recreational activities, and dedicate their existence entirely to religion. Buddhist monasteries are called "vata".

In the life of the ordinary people of the country of Cambodia, religion is of utmost importance, and Cambodians adhere to religious Buddhist principles in everyday life.

In all centuries of the cultural development of the country of Cambodia, religion was reflected in its art. The locals' belief in animism was fully reflected in their cultural development. The religions Hinduism and Buddhism also have their adherents. Both of these directions appeared on the Asian continent at the very beginning of our era.

The Khmers live in settlements located close to each other. There they cultivate the land, and when the supply of useful properties of the soil in their chosen territory dries up, they leave this land and move. The rest of the bulk of Cambodia's inhabitants live in permanent villages near the banks of reservoirs or near rivers. Khmer settlements often also include Chinese communities who practice Confucianism.

The Khmer Rouge, during their rule in the territory modern country Cambodia, religion was banned until 1979

Residents of Cambodia who profess Buddhism consider all of existence to be a cycle of transmigration of the soul. Therefore, they try to “accumulate” good deeds. They do this by donating money or things to temples, or bringing food for the monks.

For the development of Khmer culture, in different eras, was influenced by international cultures. Cambodian cultural heritage combines features of Chinese and Thai cultures.

Sanskrit – official language, used in the literature. Spoken language is Khmer, which is quite difficult to learn. The country's second language is English, despite the fact that many residents speak French.

Extraordinary architectural buildings preserved today are the Angkor Wat and Bayon temple complexes, located in the town of Siem Real. This is powerful visual evidence of the majesty of the cultural structures being erected in the empire.

Along with the construction of buildings and temples, applied art, the development of sculptural monuments, the formation of musical and dance styles. All this will play out extraordinarily in the future. important role in the development of the culture and architecture of modern Cambodia as it is known today.
An example of the combination of Cambodia's past and its present is the royal ballet, which was based on Thai, Javanese and Indian dance traditions and principles.

A beautiful place, with examples of Khmer culture and images of Hindu deities, is National Museum in Phnom Penh.

The depth and breadth of ties with India, which played an important role in the formation of the culture of medieval Cambodia and were initially active, were also of certain importance.

In the process of processing and assimilating achievements Indian culture The paths of development of Khmer art itself were increasingly identified and defined as a completely original phenomenon in the history of medieval art in Asia. Indian religious, philosophical and cosmological ideas have been translated into Cambodian art since the 9th century. received a deeply unique embodiment. In architecture, for example, if up to 9 and. The initial isolated temple-tower is somewhat reminiscent of Indian models, but later such similarity almost disappears, and Cambodian art flourishes in its own, deeply national manner.

In Cambodia, the ancient cult of snakes - multi-headed nagas and a fantastic creature - Garuda, was widespread, which left a unique imprint on art. Cosmological dualism was of great importance (for example, winged and aquatic creatures, mountain and sea), and finally, the cult of ancestors was prominent, which undoubtedly contributed to the subsequently enormous scale of construction of Khmer temples. Adding up all these features early culture In Cambodia, a significant role was played by local tribal mythological ideas about the universe, which developed back in the tribal communal period.

Periodic waves of immigration from India to Funan contributed to the increasing influence of Indian culture. This explains the presence of sculptures from the Funani period, depicting various deities of the Buddhist cult, but having a certain stylistic commonality.

Chinese influence

Cultural influence Funan of China is not mentioned in the materials that have reached us, although it undoubtedly existed. It is possible that Cambodia owes its relative restraint of architectural forms to the influence of Chinese architecture.

Several small brick and stone sanctuaries date back to the Funani era, the walls of which are either completely devoid of decoration or are reinforced with weakly protruding pilasters. Above the cornices, decorated with niches with figures in them, there is an upper part that tapers upward into terraces. Already in these modest buildings, which create the impression of compactness, there are later obligatory elements of the portal: columns decorated with sculpture, framing the entrance with a stone overpass.

At one time the capital was Sambor Prei Kuk. Among the numerous temples of the first half of the 7th century preserved on its territory. There are both isolated sanctuaries (prasa-ty) and groups of temples symmetrically placed on a common base. Mostly brick, they are square in plan, sometimes rectangular in shape. The walls are decorated with pilasters and covered with reliefs, partly made in the brickwork itself, which is a strong monolith, and partly in plaster. The upper part of the sanctuary is divided into tiers, decreasing upward both in height and width, and their breaks are simplified. The crowning part has a different shape: round, vase-shaped; if the roof is gable, then in the middle there is a row of stones with a slot in the middle, in which there are images of various mythological creatures.

Stone architecture was undoubtedly influenced by wood, of which the Khmers were great masters. With the development of stone architecture, this was reflected in the desire for almost continuous sculptural treatment of external walls - first in plaster and subsequently in stone. From a constructive point of view, the transfer of wooden architecture techniques to stone architecture caused great harm to the preservation of Khmer architecture. But in decorative terms, this contributed to the flourishing of carvings, ornamental and plastic decoration of buildings. Both in simple prasats and in complex later ensembles, a distinctive feature is the organic synthesis of architecture and sculpture.

Architectural elements of temples

A mandatory decoration of prasat facades, preserved throughout the history of Khmer stone architecture, are portals. Their main elements are unchanged: two wall columns with relief ornaments that support the door - a wide stone slab decorated with sculpture, almost always made with special care. Above the door there is a pediment. Also found in the temples of Champa (Vietnam) and Indonesia are stone “false doors” that exactly replicate the wooden entrance door and its frame.

If early period Since the development of architecture (until the last quarter of the 9th century) is only the initial stage preceding the future remarkable achievements of Khmer architecture, subsequently unsurpassed works were created in the field of round sculpture at this time. Initially, based on imitations of Indian styles of Mathura and Lmaravati, Khmer masters already before the 7th century. create original sculptures. Although it is generally accepted that no examples of Funan sculpture have reached us, it can be assumed that the art of this period is represented by a number of images of Buddha found in the province of Prey Krabas. These superb statues are easy to model and execute. Conventional clothing without folds envelops the figures as if with a transparent veil, so that the naked body stands out with complete clarity.

By 6th - 9th centuries. includes a number of remarkable sculptural works. A true masterpiece is, for example, a statue of a standing female figure (7th century) (ill. 183). A sense of balance and strength, grandeur and simplicity emanates from her image. Without any dryness or minute detailing, with the help of a generalized and at the same time almost reverent processing of the massive volume, an unusually vital plasticity of form was achieved. The head, crowned with a cylindrical tiara, similar to the Pallava ones (India), is also expressive. A face full of life is distinguished by the realism of its characteristics; Some features of the Mon-Khmer ethnic type draw attention.

In the sculptures dedicated to the Brahmanical cult, the same grandeur and integrity of the image, the same perfection of plastic modeling are evident. Such, for example, is the statue of Hari-Hara (8th century) from the Prasat Andet temple (ill. 182), associated with the cult of Vishnu and Shiva in one person, which emphasizes syncretic religious tendencies. It is significant that Shiva was never worshiped in his destructive and evil form in Cambodia. Shiva is always the creator god here, which is associated with the generally bright nature of Cambodian art. In this status of Hari-Hara, there is a noticeable desire for a certain accuracy in the transfer of individual anatomical details. It is characteristic that in it, as in general in the round sculpture of Cambodia before the 10th century, there is no depiction of any jewelry; the folds of clothing hanging in front are conveyed easily and almost do not disturb the overall silhouette of the figure.

Changes in Cambodian culture at the turn of the 9th century AD.

At the turn of the 9th century. Jayavarman II reigned in Cambodia. Coming new period political unification of the country and. its economic recovery. During this period of strengthening feudal relations in Cambodia, several capitals were built in which the king lived alternately, including Hariharalaya, corresponding to modern Roluos. Under Jayavarman II a new state religion, namely sacred ritual Devaraja, that is, the god-king, who had the character of one of the forms of Shaivism, and is also associated with the traditions of the Funan and Javanese “Kings of the Hill”. Devaraja was understood as the “royal essence” either in general or of a specific sovereign. Devaraja had his residence in the sacred lingam. This lingam had to be placed on the top of a mountain - natural or artificial.

If the first symbol of Devaraja may have been simply installed on Mount Kulene, the temporary residence of Jayavarman II, then “mountain temples” were built for him, belonging to the most interesting monuments of monumental art in Cambodia. Such a temple was considered as a copy of the five-domed stepped world Mount Meru, which is located in the center of the universe, and on top of which reside the main gods of the Hindu pantheon.

Among the highest ruling stratum of Cambodia, ideas were widespread according to which very great importance was attached to the relationship of the macrocosm, that is, the universe, with various forms microcosm, that is, a state, a city, a building, a person. Cambodia, like China, was considered the “kingdom of the middle” of the universe, and the capital was the center. At the intersection of the diagonals of the capitals, the main “mountain temple” was erected with the symbol of Devaraja in the middle, which thus marked the axis of the universe. It is clear that according to this idea they tried to make the temple as majestic as possible. This was also facilitated by the fact that the temple idol was considered a truly spiritualized god, alive - and only motionless. For the founder, the very presence of the deity was important, but not the presence of the masses of believers. If the idol is not “alive,” it could not serve as an object of worship. One of the consequences of this was the fact that the interior of the sanctuaries of the most grandiose temples was amazingly small - the flock was not allowed here.

During this period, the mature type of temple ensemble in feudal Cambodia began to be determined. From the 10th century Previously isolated prasats sometimes began to be surrounded by long narrow buildings, forming one or more concentric rectangles around them. Later, these buildings in some cases took the form of closed quadrangular galleries, also sometimes located in several concentric rows; towers rise at their corners. The temple ensemble was enclosed by concentric fences with majestic decorative gates, which in later large churches took the form of grandiose triple pavilions.

Large compositional problems were first posed in the last quarter of the 9th century. in architecture ancient capital Hariharalai. Here, in 879, six brick prasats of the Prah Ko temple were completed, arranged three in a row and raised on a common foundation.

Almost next to Prah Ko in 881, the first large “temple-mountain” Bakong was completed, the outer fence of which covered a rectangle measuring 900 X 700 m. Between the inner and outer fence there is a ditch 60 m wide, crossed on the east and west by wide dams. In the middle is a stepped pyramid of laterite, lined with sandstone, with a base area of ​​3000 square meters. m The height of the ledges decreases from bottom to top, and the platforms become less wide, so that the pyramid appears higher than it actually is. The sanctuary, located on the upper platform, has not survived at present. The pyramid is surrounded by eight brick towers - prasats, decorated with sculptures in plaster and stone (ill. 184). The ensemble included numerous other buildings, now almost completely destroyed.

On both sides of the access esplanades there are sculptures of crawling giant multi-headed snakes - nagas. According to Hindu and Khmer mythology, the path of unity between gods and people is represented by a rainbow, personified by one or two snakes - a double rainbow. Passing between two rainbow nagas, a person prepares to enter the divine sphere of a temple or microcosm city - the “shortened universe.”
The image of a multi-headed stone naga was widespread in Cambodian art; naked people reign on the pediments, on the doors, on the gigantic parapets; they are sculptured on the ground, on terraces; everywhere - their hoods, bodies, often colossal, reaching hundreds of meters. The size of the nagas and their raised fan-shaped heads corresponds to the size of the temples with which they merge into one harmonious whole; It is unthinkable to imagine the architecture of Cambodia without the images of naga decorating it.

A distinctive feature of large temple ensembles, starting with the construction of Roluos, is the exceptional ability, with the help of usually precisely calculated perspective and increasing effects, to prepare for the contemplation of the main, although often small, structure, surrounded by various buildings, fences, and galleries. In “mountain temples,” the central prasat rises to the sky, giving the ensemble a skyward silhouette.

The grandiose “temple-mountain”, built around 900, is Phnom Bak-kheng, the central structure of the new capital of Lshodharaiura, which partially overlapped the territory of the future famous city, known as Aigkor Toma.
Phnom Bakheng is a natural hill that has been shaped into a five-tiered pyramid covered with stone clothing and rising 60 m from the ground. On its platforms are erected sandstone towers, rhythmically repeating one another on the four sides of the pyramid. Five larger shrine towers were grouped on the upper platform.

By the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th century. refers to the remaining unfinished “mountain temple” of Ta Keo. The first platform has 100X100 m, its height is 2.2 m; the second is 75 X 80 m, and it is 5.5 m higher than the lower one. The upper part of the pyramid, on which there are five central prasats, consists of three tiers with a height of 5.8, 4.5 and 3.0 m. Ta Keo already has a closed gallery; The five prasats of the upper platform are built of sandstone, and the plan of each is in the shape of an equal-armed cross. The ceilings continue to be made of brick, to which the now unknown composition gave the property of a monolith. There is almost no sculptural treatment of the facades, yet the temple seems complete: so great is the harmony of the volumetric-spatial composition. In its clearly organized compositional scheme, Ta Keo is a classic monument of Khmer architecture. It would be enough to connect the sanctuaries of the upper platform with galleries, and this scheme would approach the particularly complex type of composition used at Ang Kor Wat.

Footnotes for descriptions of illustrations for the article in order of arrangement

181. Colored frieze, Portal of the “Eastern Entrance” to Banteay Srei. 967 Photo by Oleg Belyaev 182. Statue of Hari-Hara from the Prasat Andet temple. 8th century Sandstone. Phnom Penh, Museum. 183. Female figure. Fragment of the sculpture. 7th century Sandstone. Paris, Guimet Museum. 184. Bakong. Tower. 9th century 185. Portal of the “library” in Banteay Srei. 967 186. Angkor Wat. 12th century General form. Aerial photography. 187. Angkor Wat. 12th century General form. Aerial photography. 188. Female figure. Fragment of the sculpture. Sandstone. Mid 11th century Saigon, Museum. 189. Angkor Wat. Fragment of the central tower. 190. Angkor Wat. Portal. 191. Apsara. Sculpture in Banteay Srei. Fragment. 10th century 192. Apsara. Relief fragment of Angkor Wagah. 193. Princesses and Apsaras. Relief of Angkor Wagah. 194. Fragment of a relief depicting hell. Apgkor Wat. 195. Statue (possibly Jayavarman VII). Fragment. Gray sandstone. 12-13 centuries Phnom Penh, Museum. 196. “Elephant Terrace” at Angkor Thom. Relief fragment. Late 12th century 197. “Gate of Victory.” Angkor Vol. Late 12th century 198. Bayon Temple. 12-13 centuries View from above. 199. Bayon Temple. Top part.

Layout of the temple ensemble of the Khmer Empire X-XII century AD.

During the period 9-11 centuries. “mountain temples” were characteristic, but not common architectural type. Usually the temple ensemble unfolds in a horizontal plan; Hundreds of such ensembles have survived to this day in more or less damaged form. One of the most remarkable among them is the Banteay Srei ensemble (967). Three enclosures and a very wide ditch with steps leading down to the water and dams running along it surround three central sanctuaries with two rather large rectangular buildings in front of them, called libraries (Fig. 185).

The size of the Banteay Srei sanctuaries is very small; the length of the main one is only 10 m. The small size of the temple buildings was partly due to the fact that the Khmers did not know the real vault, and the one they used from the 9th century. the non-thrust false stepped vault, obtained by overhanging inside the rows of masonry of two opposite walls, did not allow covering large spaces (the maximum span - about 6 m - was reached only in the 12th century). The vault was not visible from the inside and was covered with a flat wooden ceiling.

The central sanctuaries are placed on a common terrace with clearly crafted profiles. The upper structure, which is taller than the sanctuary itself, is strongly dissected from the outside, due to which a rich picturesque play of chiaroscuro is created on its surface, but the structural and decorative elements in the architectonics of the covering are combined so harmoniously that they do not disturb the overall harmony of the buildings.

The sculptural decoration of the Banteay Srei temple is a high example of the plastic art of this period (ill. 191). The finely crafted reliefs, vividly reproducing the depicted plot, and their narrative illustrativeness reflected new trends in the sculpture of medieval Cambodia. At the same time, the harmonious, classically balanced composition is not disturbed here. For example, the sculptures of one of the tympanums arranged in several belts perfectly illustrate the depicted plot; the evil multi-headed and multi-armed giant Ravana shakes the mountain, represented in the form of a step pyramid, to overthrow Shiva sitting on the top. His wife, Parvati, sits on his lap. The poses depicted below are very lively and varied. top part tympanum of holy hermits, overwhelmed with amazement at the audacity of Ravana.

It is interesting to compare this composition with the relief of the 8th century. in ElUR on the SAME topic. Instead of a dynamic, tension-filled composition, imbued with a sense of the superhuman conflict of the famous Indian relief, what attracts attention here is a clear, almost dance rhythm and the narrative-genre nature of the story.

Even more perfect is the sculpture of one of the tympanums, depicting a duel between evil demons - asuras - for possession beautiful woman Tilottama. The liveliness of the image is combined with a bold compositional shift: instead of the traditional, axial symmetry equilibrium of multidirectional mass movements is achieved. Tilottama's figure is shifted to the left, she herself also looks to the left. The arrangement of the demons' raised clubs emphasizes the dynamism of the scene; at the same time, these only straight lines in the tympanum enrich the relief plastically, without disturbing the overall clarity compositional construction. Two floating figures fill the smooth background of the top and make the overall composition even more balanced, echoing the kneeling figures in the lower part and introducing a dynamic element into it.

The central pavilions of the upper gallery of the Baphuon “mountain temple” (second half of the 11th century) are interesting. decorated with sculptures that look like large rectangular paintings carved in stone. For the most part, they are located so high that they were not intended for viewing by believers during pradakshina (ritual circumambulation of the temple from the outside), as in many other cases, pursuing the goal of “revitalizing” the temple. Subjects taken from the legends of the Mahabharata and Ramayana and real life (hunting scenes, the princess’s toilet, everyday episodes) are distinguished by a highly decorative plastic solution, but in the reliefs there is no transfer of perspective and all the characters are of the same size (except sometimes exaggerated large figures gods and heroes). Images of buildings are smaller than actual size; the details seem to serve only so that the viewer can understand what is shown in the relief.

In some monuments of round sculpture that have come down to us from this time, the characteristic solidity and plasticity of form that distinguished the statues of the 7th-8th centuries has still been preserved (ill. 188).

Works of monumental architecture of Cambodia

The creation of one of the most outstanding works of monumental architecture in Cambodia - the wonderful monument of the feudal era of the Angkor Wat temple (ill. 186-187) dates back to the 12th century. In ancient times this temple was called Vrah Vishnuloka, having received its modern name in the 19th century

The scale of the ensemble alone already gives an idea of ​​the scope of the architectural concept, executed with such high perfection. Its size is enormous: about one and a half kilometers long, about a kilometer wide. This quadrangle is surrounded by a fence, symbolizing the outer fence of the universe, and a wide canal, depicting the world's oceans.

The entrance portico, stretching for hundreds of meters, is located on the west side. Esplanades lead from it to the central massif. The outer gallery of the temple is decorated throughout with relief images of scenes taken from Vishnu legends. Between the outer and middle galleries there is a cross-shaped entrance part with four open courtyards. Steep stairs lead to the courtyard of the next floor, raised 7 m, to the entrance portals (Fig. 190). Dior is surrounded by a gallery with towers located at its corners. In the middle of this courtyard there is an upper platform, surrounded by a third, inner gallery. There are twelve stairs leading up to it, one in the middle of each side and two at each corner. The four corner towers-sanctuaries of the upper part of the temple, together with the central, tallest tower (Fig. 189), are connected to the gallery of the upper platform by covered passages, forming a cross in plan. The central tower rises approximately 65 m above ground level.

The unity of the architectural and volumetric-spatial composition of the Angkor Wat ensemble is achieved primarily by the perfection of its layout, which expressed the completion of a long search for a harmonious combination of high loaves and long, lower buildings, in this case galleries, organically connected to the step pyramid of the “temple-mountain”.

The impeccable proportions of Angkor Wat are also explained by the fact that it was possible to cover quite wide galleries without resorting to excessively lowering the false vault. Therefore, they are especially well combined with towers, courtyards, swimming pools, canals, fences, gates, and esplanades.

This unity also lies in thoughtful rhythmic comparisons, repetitions and build-ups of similar architectural parts, design elements, etc. Characteristic in this regard is the motif of towers, repeated in the corners of the galleries of the second and third floors and culminating in the largest, central one. The stairs leading to the platforms are made higher and higher in accordance with the increasing height of the platform floors, raised above each other by 4.7 and 13 m. Thus, the closer to the central tower of the temple, the more a kind of rhythmic and volumetric spatial interconnected tension architectural elements ensemble.

The comparison of vertical and horizontal parts plays an important role. This is clearly visible in the façade of the entire ensemble, where the general silhouette of the temple combines the upward thrust of the towers with a calmer rhythm of the horizontals of the extended and relatively low galleries. With their overall harmony, the elements of the latter tectonically constitute a huge variety.

Of great interest is the structure of the towers of Angkor Wat, in which the Khmers were able to create an original type that had reached its final expression - a completely different character than the Indian shikhara. The surface of the Angkor Wat towers, with its division into horizontal tiers, slightly resembles the divisions of a Chinese pagoda, while the vertical recesses and protrusions are dictated by the star-shaped plan of the upper part, which turns into a traditional rectangle closer to the base. In general, an organic unity of a complex internal structure with a rich external design has been achieved.

In the central tower its magnificence and importance are increased by the cascades of many carved pediments rising above where the galleries adjoin it.

The top of the five central towers are covered with some kind of yellowish substance. This part had to be painted or gilded; in other places of the temple traces of both gilding and coloring were preserved, which gave it even more picturesque.

The overall impression created by Angkor Wat is one of exceptional grandeur. This is facilitated by all the splendor of the elements that unfold as one approaches the central sanctuary: wide esplanades decorated with nagas, porticoes, overdoors, pediments, galleries and colonnades that seem to stretch into infinity, courtyards and courtyards of finely thought out proportions, pools, a variety of tectonic forms, merging into an organically coherent whole, and which includes decorative decoration and reliefs, numerous monumental free-standing round sculptures and nudes on the parapets.

As noted above, the internal walls of the first, external gallery for about 800 m are covered with continuous bas-reliefs 1.5 m high (ill. 193, 194). Central theme is the divine path of Suryavarman-Iishnu; large sections of the walls are devoted to depicting his earthly life. These scenes, for the most part, are full of clarity, vitality, conviction and great creativity. The plastic language of these bas-reliefs is masterly and at the same time simple and accessible; it is intended for the broad masses of believers.

The entire surface allocated to the bas-reliefs is filled with figures or accessories designed to ensure that there is no free space left: trees, flowers, arrows, etc. Naturally, given their incredible length, these bas-reliefs were not made at the same time; the quality is not always the same.

However, their common difference is always the extremely low relief - in the decoration of friezes, pilasters, etc. - which, in its impression, approaches artistic embossing on leather, engraving or relief heavy fabric.

Rhythmic repetition, sometimes a kind of parallelism of individual figures, is of great importance in bas-reliefs. Like an endless ornament, rows of figures of warriors replace each other, either in favorite images of large battles, or forming peculiar long garlands of endless processions, in which individual figures often lose all individuality, turning into a decorative element that has only the most general semantic meaning in the entire composition.

The absence of any compositional restrictions, except for the upper edge of the long walls of the gallery, differs sharply from the strict closedness of the rectangular frames of the piers, for example in Baphuon, and the picturesque, but also closed thyme frames in the Banteay Srei temple. Therefore, the nature of the reliefs in the large external gallery of Angkor Wat is rather decorative and ornamental. At the same time, however, the rich plot characteristics of the depicted narratives are preserved, only in them the paramount importance is given crowd scenes. The cosmic nature of the events and collisions shown is conveyed primarily through their purely quantitative scale. Emotional and dramatic tension in the compositions of bas-reliefs is expressed by contrasts dynamic groups actors with more static small flat images and with central figures clearly legible in the overall structure.

Among the various scenes, the image of the battle of gods and demons (occupies about 100 square meters) stands out. It is remarkable for the accuracy of the accessories, the truthfulness of the conveyed poses and facial expressions, the richness of life and the realism of the conveyance of the fury that took possession of the combatants. Cambodian researchers have always noted that nowhere can one find such diverse and detailed illustrations of the Mahabharata as in the reliefs of Angkor Wat.

Among the reliefs stands out an exceptionally large image of the churning of the world ocean to extract the oil of immortality, saturated with the same abundance of figures united by a common collective tension. In another, a hundred-meter bas-relief, representing a procession moving in front of the king, the monotony of the image of the procession of warriors is interrupted by the image of court ladies, clergy, and elephants. IN sculptural design Angkor Wat's mythological bas-reliefs have a unique charm female figures apsaras (ill. 492), which are not located in special niches at Angkor Wat. These figures are sometimes placed near the pilasters, and sometimes, when repeated many times, they are shown holding each other’s arms, forming rows of bas-relief images that create, in a wonderful rhythm, like living garlands. Their poses are relaxed, their heads are finely sculpted; one holds a flower in her hand, another a fan, the third a bird - and all of them are unusually decorative.

Ornamental carvings are of great importance in the decorative design of the temple, among which plant motifs usually stylized when they are part of thematic reliefs; in the latter case, their interpretation sometimes has greater transmission accuracy.

The apogee of the Mahayana cult in Cambodia in the 12th century AD.

Under the last prominent ruler of ancient Cambodia, Jayavarman VII, in the late 12th century, Cambodia escaped the threat of foreign rule and expanded its borders. But at the same time, the exhausted country was burdened with the burden of enormous temple construction, unheard of in volume, associated with the cult of the royal ancestors.

Jayavarman VII was a Buddhist. Under him, the Mahayana cult reached its apogee in Cambodia. Even Devaraja was replaced by the Buddha-king, who, however, was again in the center of the “mountain temple”, marking the center of the city, state and even the universe.

During the period of the spread of Mahayana with the cult of the beloved bodisattva in Cambodia, the blissful “lord looking in all directions” Lokeshvara, last bloom Khmer architecture, distinguished by an original, unique decorative-monumental motif in the whole world - the giant faces of the Bodisattva (behind which, perhaps, the image of the king was hidden), placed on four sides of the temple towers and entrance pavilions.

During this period, however, with all the originality of artistic achievements, such a clearly thought out and clearly planned ensemble as Angkor Wat was not created. In essence, the search for something new was aimed at increasing complexity, at limitlessly saturating old schemes and planning principles with architectural (and sculptural) forms.

The capital, captured by enemies in 1177, was restored, with some reductions in its size and the movement of its city square to the north. New town, Angkor Thom, was surrounded by a 100 m wide canal and a wall with five remarkable gopuram towers topped with faces, more than 20 m in height and located in the middle of each side of the quadrangle; they look like triple pavilions; on one side there are two gopurams, one of which is called the “Gate of Victory” (ill. 197). The esplanade leading to the gate is bordered by parapets in the form of nagas, with good deities supporting the naga on one side, and the embodiment of evil, asuras, on the other.

Inside the Angkor Thom fence there are many temples, pools, and terraces. Only the fences with gopurams and the famous “Royal Terraces” have survived from the palace.

Of exceptional interest are the reliefs depicting scenes of folk life on the wall of the “Elephant Terrace,” which is more than 300 m long and served as the base of a disappeared wooden palace; Folk entertainment, elephant hunting, wrestling competitions, and ball players are depicted here with great liveliness. Behind this wall there is another, walled up, also covered with sculptures of rare beauty, well preserved. Excellent generalized modeling of torsos and heads, plasticity of sculptural volumes in generally high relief distinguishes these remarkable examples of late Khmer art (ill. 196).

The central temple of this period, Bayon (12th -13th centuries) (ill. 198), distinguished by its fantastic appearance, was very badly damaged. Surrounded by two concentric galleries, a central massif rises with dozens of towers and turrets, all of which had four faces at the top. It gives the impression not so much of an architectural structure as of a gigantic, completely covered with sculptures of some spiritual stone mass, from where faces with a majestic, benign, mysterious smile look down from above on all sides (ill. 199).

Architecturally, as noted above, the composition and layout suffer from a certain lack of that classical clarity that so distinguished the style of Angkor Wat. The courtyards inside the second gallery of Bayon, which encircles the central massif, have a well-shaped character, and the person in them is overwhelmed by the towering walls covered with reliefs and the towering towers of the sanctuaries, decorated with giant faces. Although the overall layout of Bayonne is logical, a certain tendency towards the dominance of the architectural mass over the space is still noticeable, disturbing the previous balance and harmony. The richest “sculpting” of architectural volumes, the organic synthesis of sculptural and decorative forms with structural details, the combination of various divisions, ledges and breaks with the plastic forms of the faces on the towers creates an unusually complex play of light and shadow on the surfaces of the buildings of the ensemble. Some researchers have not entirely successfully defined this style in the history of Khmer architecture as “romantic”. In any case, this style indicates the beginning of serious changes in the development of Cambodian art, perhaps foreshadowing its future decline.

Inside the concentric galleries there are continuous bas-relief scenes, and in the outer gallery there are scenes mainly of everyday life or telling about historical events, and in the inner gallery they are dedicated to epics and legends. Unlike the reliefs of the Angkor Wat galleries, there is less graphics here. Although the division of the composition into horizontal belts has become more distinct, in Bayon's images there is more modeling, the relief is higher; in it, a lesser role is played by the virtuoso contour that characterizes the design of figures and accessories in Apg-kor Vata. However, in Bayonne whole line details and a multitude of depicted scenes, individual figures - and not only people, but also animals, birds, fish - all of which are sometimes distinguished by great realism of observations, enormous variety. In the images - scenes at the market, the birth of a child, fishing, a walk on the river - life is felt everywhere. Interspersed with battle scenes on land and water, the supply of provisions to the troops, war elephants, the flight of the defeated Chams, the solemn procession of the victorious troops in the liberated capital are depicted. There are also scenes of court life; finally, mythological scenes are conveyed: Ravana shaking the sacred mountain, etc.

An example of round sculpture from this time is a statue originating from Bayonne. She has the same expression of detachment and the blissful, mysterious smile that distinguishes the “faces” of the Bayon temples (ill. 195).

During this period, a number of more temples were built. Grandiose and complex ensembles were also created, completely “woven” with sculpture, like Ta Irokhm (Rajavihara), Prah Khan, Banteay Kdei - all three near Angkor Thom; The area of ​​each of them is more than 500 km. .”, their plan is extremely complex, so that it is difficult to realize where the main sanctuary is located. These ensembles show the distinctive features of this period: the complexity of the plan, the faces of Lokeshvara on top of the towers, parapets in the form of nagas supported by deities and asuras.

Decline of the Khmer Empire XIV-XV centuries AD.

recent significant stone monuments ancient Khmer architecture were built at the end of the 13th century. and partly in the first half of the 14th century.

Meanwhile, a thunderstorm was approaching from the north in the form of the Thai, depicted on the Angkor Wat reliefs as clumsy savages fleeing from the Khmer troops.

In 1351, Angkor was temporarily captured by the Thais. Later, after a difficult struggle against the Thais, the Khmers left the old capital, and in the 15th century. Phnom Penh became the main city of Cambodia.

Introduction to the 13th -14th centuries. The Hinayana Buddhist cult, which received state support (apparently, during the period of degeneration of the Brahman high aristocracy), was a kind of ideological reaction to the cult of the Buddha-king, associated with expensive temple construction. New religion didn't need it. At the same time, the religious syncretism of the previous time was unthinkable for her. The former inaccessible gods were almost forgotten, although pilgrimages to Angkor Wat continued. Cambodia was economically exhausted and politically weakened; there were no longer the means to maintain those colossal armies of workers and sculptors that were needed for stone construction with its precious decorations. The rapid development of medieval Khmer art ended here.

The art of Cambodia, and especially its classical period, is a remarkable contribution to medieval art in Asia. Such outstanding artistic monuments as Angkor Wat, Bayon belong to highest achievements art of the feudal era.

Author of the article Lebedev Yu.D.

“General History of Art” prepared by the Institute of Theory and History fine arts Academy of Arts of the USSR with the participation of scientists - art historians of other scientific institutions and museums: the State Hermitage, the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkina and others.
The General History of Art is a history of painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture and applied arts of all ages and peoples from primitive art and up to and including the art of our days. Hellenistic art, art Ancient Rome, Northern Black Sea region, Transcaucasia, Iran, Ancient Central Asia, ancient art India and China.
Volume two. Art of the Middle Ages. Book 1: art of Byzantium, medieval Balkans, ancient Russian art (up to the 17th century inclusive), art of Armenia, Georgia, Arab countries, Turkey, Merovingian and Carolingian art Western Europe, Romanesque and Gothic art of France, England, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Italy and Spain" Book 2: the art of Central Asia from the 6th to the 18th century, Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan; India from the 7th to the 18th century, Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia; China from the 3rd to the 18th century, Korea, Japan. This book contains the art of the peoples of Ancient America and Ancient Africa.

Cambodia was previously called Kampuchea (from the Sanskrit name "Kambujadesa"). Until relatively recently, Cambodia experienced a multi-year civil war, which, fortunately, ended. Cambodia is now a peaceful country where you can have a great holiday. This country has magnificent mountains, beautiful natural scenery, green forests, rivers with waterfalls, numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries, traditional Khmer villages, beaches with palm groves, delicious cuisine and rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins.

Cambodia is located on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. In the east, Cambodia borders with Vietnam, in the northwest with Thailand, and in the northeast with Laos. In the southwest of the country is the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea. The total area of ​​Cambodia, including islands, is 181,040 square meters. km., and the total length of the state border is 2,572 km.

About 75% of Cambodia's territory is occupied by plains, which are surrounded by hills and low mountains. The Kravan Mountains stretch from the north-west of the country to the south-east. The most high peak in Cambodia - Mount Oral, whose height reaches 1,813 m.

The Mekong River, which is considered the longest river in this country, flows through eastern Cambodia to the south.

The capital of Cambodia is Phnom Penh, which is now home to more than 1.6 million people. Phnom Penh was built in 1372 and became the capital of Cambodia in 1431.

The official language of the Cambodian population is Khmer, which belongs to the Mon-Khmer languages ​​of the Austroasiatic language family.

More than 95% of the Cambodian population professes Buddhism (in particular, Theravada Buddhism is the most conservative branch of this religion).

According to the current Constitution, Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the King, who is elected by the Council of the Royal Throne. The King appoints the Prime Minister and ministers with the approval of the National Assembly.

Legislative power belongs to a bicameral parliament - the National Assembly, consisting of the Senate (61 people) and the National Assembly (122 deputies).

The main political parties are the Cambodian People's Party, the Sam Rainsy Party and the Buddhist Liberal Party.

Cambodia, like most other countries in Southeast Asia, has a hot climate with a strong monsoon influence. In fact, Cambodia has four annual climate seasons:

1. November-February is a cold and dry season.
2. March-May is a hot and dry season.
3. June-August is a hot and humid season.
4. September - early November is a cold and wet season.

Tourists are recommended to visit Cambodia from November to February, when the average air temperature exceeds +26C and when there is little rain. During this period, the weather in the beach resort of Sihanoukville is simply ideal, and the sea is very calm and warm.

In the southwest of Cambodia is the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea. The coastline is 443 km. The best time to visit beach resorts in Cambodia is during the dry season (November to April).

The Mekong River, which is considered the longest river in this country, flows through eastern Cambodia to the south. Cambodia is home to the Tonle Sap Lake (also called the “Great Lake”), one of the largest in Asia.

The history of Cambodia has centuries-old roots. It is believed that the state on the territory of modern Cambodia was formed in the 7th century AD. The Khmer Empire flourished in the 9th century when Jayavarman II declared independence from Java.

During the Middle Ages, the Khmers often fought with their neighbors (Vietnam and Siam claimed Cambodian territory).

In the end, in the 1860-80s, Cambodia, trying to find protection from Siam, fell under the protectorate of France.

It was not until 1953 that Cambodia's independence was declared. Until 1975, Cambodia experienced a bloody civil war, which ended with the victory of the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot. As a result, the state of Kampuchea was formed, which fell in 1979 under the attacks of the Vietnamese army.

Cambodia is now considered a constitutional monarchy headed by a King.

Cambodia is home to many different ethnic groups of people, making the country's culture very diverse and unique. Moreover, Cambodian ethnic groups celebrate the same holidays in different time. Thus, the Khmers celebrate the Lunar New Year in mid-April, and the Vietnamese and Chinese, of whom there are many in Cambodia, celebrate it in late February - early February.

By the way, the Khmers call the New Year “Chnam-Tmay”. During this holiday, it is necessary to build sand slides, which are considered a symbol of Buddha stupas. Moreover, every grain of sand in such a hill can save a person from sins.

Cambodia neighbors Thailand and Vietnam, which can be considered “heavyweights” of culinary traditions. Therefore, very often they forget about the cuisine of Cambodia, giving preference to dishes from Thailand and Vietnam. However, once you try Khmer cuisine, you will love it forever...

Of course, you need to get used to Cambodian cuisine - for Europeans it will seem too exotic at first (for example, they use fried grasshoppers and ants).

In Cambodia, tourists are recommended to try “Bai sach chrouk” (pork with rice), “amok” fish (served on a banana leaf), “Lap Khmer” salad (beef with vegetables and spices), “Nom banh chok” (“red noodles”) ), "Kdam chaa" (fried crab), red ants with beef and basil, "Ang dtray-meuk" (fried squid), "Cha houy teuk" (jelly).

According to official data, in Cambodia there are now several thousand historical, architectural and archaeological sites. The Top 10 best attractions in Cambodia, in our opinion, may include the following:

1. Diamond Buddha Pagoda in Phnom Penh
2. Angkor Thom Citadel
3. Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
4. Wat Phnom Temple in Phnom Penh
5. Pre-Kan Monastery
6. "Temple of the Eyebrow" in Phnom Penh
7. Temple complex Wat Banan in Battambang
8. Wat Lang Ka Pagoda in Phnom Penh
9. Angkor Wat Temple
10. Bayon Temple in Angkor

The largest Cambodian cities are Kamponchgthom, Battambang, Sihanoukville, and, of course, Phnom Penh.

There are several beach resorts in Cambodia for tourists. The most popular of them are Sihanoukville and Kampot.

The former king of Cambodia, Sihanouk, loved to relax on one of the islands near Kampot. By the way, it is believed that the best seafood dishes are served in Kampot restaurants.

However, Sihanoukville is considered the most popular beach resort in Cambodia. Two of its beaches are particularly popular - Ochatial Beach and Sokha Beach. On an island near Sihanoukville there is excellent conditions for diving and fishing (there are very beautiful corals with a lot of exotic fish).

Tourists from Cambodia usually bring handicrafts, scarves, shawls, jewelry, palm sugar, Cambodian spices, tea, bamboo napkins, Cambodian musical instruments (bamboo flute, tro-kmae - a unique three-string violin).

Banks:
Mon-Fri: 08:00-15:00

The shops:
From 08:00-20:00 seven days a week

The national character of the Khmers is quite widely known - they are calm and reserved people, with some penchant for idle pastime, respectful of the king and their country, and true believers of Buddhists. They are very tolerant of dissent or ignorance of local laws, but it is still recommended not to neglect their patience. For the most part, they categorically do not accept alcohol and drugs, but this applies mainly only to “European products”. Some Kampucheans, especially women, chew betel nut constantly. And men use chewing tobacco or various local herbs that have a mild narcotic effect.

The sense of collectivism among the Khmers, according to many researchers, is very similar to the Japanese. At the same time, communalism and even some clannishness are very noticeable. The institution of family and religious traditions are especially revered here. "Wat" or "Wat" ("temple") is the center of any Cambodian village. Typically, a Wat consists of a temple or pagoda surrounded by a wall, a small “holy place” with Buddha statues, a body of water, and a residential area where monks live. Usually the temple contains in the care primary school, where village children are educated.

When a Kampuchean youth turns 16, he goes to the temple and lives the monastic life for several years. The purpose of this practice is to teach young people the basics of Buddhism, to raise the level of a person, which is believed to correspondingly raise the person's status in the "next life", after rebirth. While living in a monastery, young people spend time in work, prayer, reflection and study. Therefore, the subsequent close connection between man and religious commandments, so characteristic of Cambodia, becomes quite understandable.

When visiting temples, it is customary to leave hats and shoes at the entrance, be respectful of the monks and Buddha images, and also make donations to the temples. You should walk around the temple clockwise. Photographing religious buildings and local residents should only be done with permission (in most cases you will need to pay for this).

Cambodians traditionally greet each other by shaking hands and bowing, similar to the Thai "wai" gesture, but recently Khmers are increasingly just shaking hands. Women use traditional greetings both among themselves and when communicating with men. When visiting a private home, office or organization, it is customary to give a small gift.

When visiting the country, it should be taken into account that among the Khmers it is not customary to show their anger or rage (this means “loss of face”), touch someone else’s head (especially for children), point at someone with a finger, give and receive something with both hands hands (this can only be done with a “clean” right hand), put your feet on the table or show your interlocutor your soles (feet are considered “unclean” due to constant contact with the ground) and lift them up thumb hands (among the Khmers this is considered a sexual gesture).

The dress code in most cases is quite informal. Both men and women wear a sarong made of cotton or blended fabric in everyday life. Silk sarongs are worn on holidays or used for everyday wear by fairly wealthy people. In cities, ordinary wide-cut trousers and dresses are worn everywhere, covering most of the body. On formal occasions, such as religious festivals or family functions, women often wear a 'khoi' (a specially cut shirt), but in general women dress very modestly.

Tourists are advised to wear light clothing - trousers (but not shorts or miniskirts!) and shirts with long sleeve, especially when visiting religious sites. In all other cases, shirts with short sleeve and loose-fitting clothing are completely acceptable.

Cambodia is an ancient kingdom located on the Indochina peninsula, V South-East Asia, next to Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. The territory of the state is small - a little more than 180 thousand square meters. Km, but the prospects for its formation are quite promising. Tourism is just beginning to take shape here, but the climate is simply ideal for it, and historical sights, although damaged by countless wars, have been “accumulating” since the 1st half of the 1st millennium. Suffice it to say that Cambodia itself is home to the famous Angkor temple complex - one of the most mysterious and famous attractions in all of Asia.

The capital of the state is Phnom Penh- the largest city, considered in the past, during the period of French colonization, to be very beautiful, but now there are a lot of its historical and cultural values disappeared - the wars did not spare them either. Today's Phnom Penh is called a metropolis, a political, scientific, cultural and industrial center, in which technological skyscrapers coexist very well. royal castles and Buddhist temples, however, for vacationers - especially European ones, it is unattractive - in the sense that entertainment events there’s not much here, the holidays aren’t very organized, and there’s also a lot of poverty – it’s not always just shocking. There are often heaps of garbage on the streets, and heat and dust are generally considered a traditional event; street traffic can be called extreme, and the sidewalks are often full; There are also many cripples and beggars on the streets - the city’s population is more than 1 million 325 thousand people.

True, travelers still stop by Phnom Penh for a couple of days, on the way to Sihanoukville, a beach resort with excellent infrastructure, warm sea and comfortable beaches. There are enough travelers here who want to visit Buddhist temples.

There are only a couple of places worth visiting in the capital, and you can start with the royal palace. Although the entrance to the palace itself is closed, you can explore the nearby buildings, royal gardens and a golden buddha statue. Open for history buffs state museum, which contains the richest collections of objects - starting from the 6th century.

Most of the state's famous places are concentrated in cities - perhaps even the bulk of them.

Battambang is considered the second big city after the capital., located in the northern part of Cambodia, and it also has a lot preserved from the colonial periods - for example, the outdated French Quarter. There are other interesting places in the vicinity: for the most part these are temples and temple complexes, but there is also an artificial lake and sapphire deposits - these are also of interest to vacationers.

Moreover, the city has many restaurants, restaurants and cafes where you can try the cuisine of many Asian countries- not only Cambodian, but also Thai, Chinese and Chinese-Khmer, Japanese, European and even Russian - in Asian countries where tourism is developing, the service is also regularly developing and becoming larger.

About the climate of Cambodia

Now a little about the ideal climate, which so lures fans of relaxing on the beach. The climate in Cambodia is tropical monsoon: in the summer, from May to October, the air heats up to 26-32°C, and in the winter the temperature is lower, up to 22°C - both are quite convenient for residents of Russia. Humidity also decreases during winter, so tour operators suggest going to Cambodia from September to March, but you can feel very good on the beaches even in the summer - there is rain, but it does not really bother vacationers.

In general, a holiday on the beach in Cambodia stands out from holidays in other countries: the sea here is very clean, and the world under water is untouched - divers still rarely visit these places.

Situation, culture and nature of Cambodia

The cultural heritage of the state has not been completely preserved - the period of the Khmer Rouge was especially destructive, but many values ​​have still survived to this day.

Angkor was difficult to destroy - this very large temple complex was the capital of the Khmer state in the ninth century, and today it is visited by almost every traveler who comes to Cambodia. Angkor Bat is more famous than other buildings - there are about a hundred of them, and they are all included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The temples themselves are the main attractions in Cambodia, but there are also amazing places in the local nature that are very worthy of attention.

In western Cambodia there is Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It is quite cloudy, and is famous for the fact that it can very abruptly change its own area, spilling over 16 thousand square meters. Km in the rainy season, and decreasing to 2.5 thousand sq. km during the dry season. This natural celebrity attracts vacationers with its originality: here in biosphere reserves There are many species of swamp birds and animals. Biosphere reserves are those reserves in which animals are not only protected, but also studied, and a forecast of the natural situation is always carried out.

There is still a lot of fish in Lake Tonle Sap, but before it was simply teeming with it, and many residents of these places still make a living by fishing. People here spend almost their entire lives on the water, and from childhood they know how to hold oars: everything here is floating - bars and cafes, restaurants and shops, schools, clinics, gas stations and the police.

The Royal Ballet is something that a holiday in Cambodia cannot do without. This ballet is original in that it uses the customs of medieval dance dating back to the period of Angkorian culture - it was previously called Siamese ballet. The performances are based on ancient Indian, Thai and Javanese dances; this art was often on the verge of extinction, but they managed to preserve it, and to this day, along with ordinary plots, modern details began to be introduced into the dance.

Holidays in Cambodian resorts

Cambodian resorts are not as developed as in other South Asian countries, however, they are evolving, and are also distinguished by amazing natural purity. For example, in Sihanoukville, not counting pure water, rich vegetation and golden beaches, there are very comfortable modern hotels - with three, four and five stars, and great desire You can rent a comfortable bungalow.

The Kep resort was most in demand in the 1st half of the last century - rich French and Cambodians vacationed here, but under the Khmers quite a lot was destroyed and abandoned here. Today you can see many abandoned and dilapidated French villas - the jungle has partially swallowed them, but some buildings have been perfectly preserved and are in use.

The beaches in Kep are not similar to those in Sihanoukville - they have a lot of black rocks, but there are also sandy ones - mainly on the islands, which are easily accessible by a small boat. There, in the shallow waters, you can find many amazing animals, plants and corals - you can even hunt crabs on your own, and then ask them to prepare them right on the shore.

There are still few vacationers here, but the cap is being revived, and will soon again become a famous and prosperous resort.

Now Cambodia can hardly be called a paradise for vacationers, but it is very interesting and beautiful, and you can talk about it for a long time - many who have been there say that this country“fascinates” the tourist.

Climate and entertainment in Cambodia

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