Место издания:Московский государственный университет имени М.В. Ломоносова, Институт стран Азии и Африки М.: Изд-во "Тезаурус"
Первая страница:365
Последняя страница:367
Аннотация:V. Pogadaev, J. M. Severy
Southeast Asia: Towards a New Stage
of Cultural Dialogue
From old times, SEA due to natural ― geographical and environmental
similarities appears as a united economic and cultural ― ideological
complex. That allowed the ancient Chinese to speak about a common
cultural entity of the region and to designate it with the word “Kun
Lun” (the name of high mountains in Western China).
In the sphere of manufacture this entity was characterized by cultivation
of rice in irrigated fields, domestication of bulls and buffaloes,
use of metals, development of maritime navigation; in the field of social
order ― by the important role of women, by the social organization
of communal type, typical for irrigation economy; in art and culture by
distribution of various kinds of puppet theater, gong orchestras, special
methods of fabric painting (batik, ikat), by building houses on stilts,
occurrence of various types of games with rotan balls.
The most advanced of all civilizations of the region was the DongSon
culture in Vietnam.
A great impulse for culture of the region was Indian and Chinese.
Arts of this period, in particular, in Cambodia (Angkor), Myanmar (Pa-
366 Ломоносовские чтения. Востоковедение
gan), and Indonesia (Central Java) has reached the heights comparable
to the best samples of European arts. At the same time it was not a mere
imitation of the Indian and Chinese canons. External influence was
transformed by local societies as the culture of Ancient Greece by European
peoples, harmonized with local ideas and customs. Moreover, it
is possible to speak about a return influence of SEA culture. In particular,
in the sphere of navigation, Indians and Chinese have got acquainted
with boats with the balance weight from Malays and till now
use old Malay names of measures and weights.
SEA cultural identity was determined not only by primordial similarity,
but also by expansion of cultural connections between various
territories of the region.
The important stage of development of culture in SEA is connected
with the penetration of Islam (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, partly
Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Singapore). In these
countries and territories, Islam has penetrated into the belief system,
language, literature, music, common law (adat), and exercised a big
influence on the fine arts having strengthened their decorative nature.
The spreading of Christianity accompanied colonial conquest by
the Western powers (from XVI century) had essential influence only on
the Philippines and on East Timor. Certainly, colonialism promoted
involvement of the SEA countries into global historical process and
acquaintance of the people of the region with Western culture, but at
the same time it had negative impact on the region by breaking cultural
dialogue between the nations.
But the cultural dialogue was revived with the end of colonial system.
As a result of active policy of the governments of the region there
are objective preconditions for a new stage of cultural dialogue on the
basis of synthesis of the traditional values which still exist despite all
external influence and cultural relations by upholding simultaneously
national identity in each country. The policy of the countries in the region
is aimed at preserving everything precious that is left as a legacy
of past generations, to prevent the negative impact of globalization. In
this regard, the recent intensification of islamization in Malaysia can be
considered as a shield against the penetration of destructive elements of
Western culture (sex, violence, etc.).
Thanks to the activities of ASEAN one can see the intensification
of the process of cultural interpenetration of its members which from
old times demonstrated civilizational commonness. A great role in this
is played by ASEAN Cultural Fund, established on the basis of decision
of the 11-th Conference of Foreign Ministers of ASEAN countries in
1978 and partly funded by Japan. The purpose of the fund is to protect
ethno-cultural identities of SEA nations, to create a regional community
and contribute to achievements in other spheres. One of the projects is a
program of studying Malay culture, supported by UNESCO. Through
this fund, archaeological excavations, cultural exchange programmes,
seminars, exhibitions, film festivals are carried out.