Survey and Collection of Chinese Cultural Knowledge of Joss Houses in Thailand through Thailand’s Internet Database

Abstract

This article aims to survey and collect overall cultural knowledge of joss houses in Thailand. All the data was collected through the Thailand’s Internet database found in 1986-2016. 64 results were found in the database that consist of 15 theses, 5 research studies, 33 articles and 11 books. They can be grouped by their different contents into 5 smaller subgroups which are 1.) a group that aims that studies religious belief and historical view on joss houses, 2.) a group that studies culture and cultural changing of joss houses, 3.) a group that studies rituals performed in joss houses, 4.) a group that studies architecture and preservation of joss houses and 5.) a group that introduces joss houses as tourist destinations.
The result reveals that the group that studies architecture and preservation of joss houses and the group that studies religious belief and historical view on joss houses are the two groups that have been studied on the most. Judging from the span of time, it is likely that there is an increase in the studies of joss houses in Thailand, especially the studies that deal with joss house’s ceremonies, possibly because people are becoming more and more interested with the ceremonies. That’s why there is an increase in the studies that deal with joss house’s holy ceremonies. From this study, we can establish that joss houses are of importance and therefore worth preserving and developing.