@article{(Open Science Index):https://publications.waset.org/pdf/9999765,
	  title     = {The Yak of Thailand: Folk Icons Transcending Culture, Religion, and Media},
	  author    = {David M. Lucas and  Charles W. Jarrett},
	  country	= {},
	  institution	= {},
	  abstract     = {In the culture of Thailand, the Yak serve as a mediated
icon representing strength, power, and mystical protection not only
for the Buddha, but for population of worshipers. Originating from
the forests of China, the Yak continues to stand guard at the gates of
Buddhist temples. The Yak represents Thai culture in the hearts of
Thai people. This paper presents a qualitative study regarding the
curious mix of media, culture, and religion that projects the Yak of
Thailand as a larger than life message throughout the political,
cultural, and religious spheres. The gate guardians, or gods as they
are sometimes called, appear throughout the religious temples of
Asian cultures. However, the Asian cultures demonstrate differences
in artistic renditions (or presentations) of such sentinels. Thailand
gate guards (the Yak) stand in front of many Buddhist temples, and
these iconic figures display unique features with varied symbolic
significance. The temple (or wat), plays a vital role in every
community; and, for many people, Thailand’s temples are the
country’s most endearing sights. The authors applied folknography as
a methodology to illustrate the importance of the Thai Yak in serving
as meaningful icons that transcend not only time, but the culture,
religion, and mass media. The Yak represents mythical, religious,
artistic, cultural, and militaristic significance for the Thai people.
Data collection included interviews, focus groups, and natural
observations. This paper summarizes the perceptions of the Thai
people concerning their gate sentries and the relationship,
communication, connection, and the enduring respect that Thai
people hold for their guardians of the gates.
},
	    journal   = {International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences},
	  volume    = {8},
	  number    = {11},
	  year      = {2014},
	  pages     = {3578 - 3585},
	  ee        = {https://publications.waset.org/pdf/9999765},
	  url   	= {https://publications.waset.org/vol/95},
	  bibsource = {https://publications.waset.org/},
	  issn  	= {eISSN: 1307-6892},
	  publisher = {World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology},
	  index 	= {Open Science Index 95, 2014},
	}