An Analysis of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Regarding “Thai Respectful Conduct” for Thai Cultural Learning Among Chinese Learners of Thai as a Foreign Language

Abstract

The objective of this article was to analyze the content of the intangible cultural heritage regarding “Thai respectful conduct” and to examine the perspectives and learning conditions of Chinese learners of Thai as a Foreign Language this cultural practice. This qualitative study employed qualitative content analysis of 12 documentary and official sources, together with semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions. The participants consisted of 50 second-year Chinese undergraduate students majoring in Thai at higher-education institutions in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the People's Republic of China,They were selected through purposive sampling.
The findings revealed that: 1) Thai respectful conduct was closely related to Buddhism, as reflected in the gesture of joining the palms (Anjali), the Wai, prostration, and forms of respectful conduct used on specific occasions; and 2) In the Thai social context, Thai respectful conduct transmitted values of gratitude and acknowledgement of beneficence, functioned as a system of interaction that regulated behavior and interpersonal relationships, and served as a “cultural language” through which Thai cultural meanings were conveyed.
In addition, analysis of the interview and open-ended-question data yielded three key themes: 1) Superficial learning: mastering “gestures” without understanding “contexts”; 2) Chinese learners’ interest in and needs for learning “Thai respectful conduct”; and 3) Learning Thai respectful conduct through comparison with Chinese etiquette. The findings further indicated that most Chinese learners were familiar only with the forms or gestures of the Wai and prostration but still required a deeper understanding of their cultural meanings in order to use respectful gestures and language accurately and appropriately in authentic Thai social situations.