The Belief in Three-Legged Toads and Their Influence in Thailand
Keywords:
belief, influence, three-legged toad, ThailandAbstract
This research is qualitative research. The objectives of the following research are: 1) To study three-legged toads that appear in ancient documents and Chinese folklore. 2) To study the belief and faith in the three-legged toads and their influence in Thailand by utilizing the Diffusion Cultural Theory as a study method. The following research is qualitative research that implements an evaluation of both documentary analysis and conducts an in-depth interview of specialists in the field.
Research results reveal: 1) It was found that the belief in the three-legged toads in ancient Chinese texts contains three characteristics: the belief that toads are a symbol of longevity, that toads symbolize and represent the moon, and that they are a symbol of wealth. 2) Thailand was influenced by the belief in three-legged toads as a symbol of wealth in one way, namely from the legend of “Liuhai playing with the Golden Toad”. Two pieces of evidence were found to support this: the first piece of evidence was found in the worship of auspicious artifacts that represent or portray the legend of “Liuhai playing with the Golden Toad”; however, the statues of three-legged toads in some areas have transformed into completely different legends when compared to the Chinese original, where narrative was transformed to better suit the area. The second piece of evidence was discovered through activities where it was found that Thai people would place three-legged toads in accordance with Fengshui methods in order to build faith and confidence in matters of business and commerce.
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