Angelo, Michaella Alliyah Denise

Casim, Aneesah Jamaleah

Joyeaux, Earl Vincent
2ASN1

ASN 3133 Mini Research Paper

This short research paper will be covering Cambodia’s culture, religions and traditions, as
well as its people. This paper will also go into detail about the history and significance of Angkor
Wat - one of the largest religious monuments in the world.

Cambodia, officially called the Kingdom of Cambodia, has a similar monarchical

structure as the United Kingdom, featuring a monarch as well as a prime minister. However, the
monarch in Cambodia does not hold as much power as the monarch of the United Kingdom
does, as the Cambodian monarch serves as a figurehead for the country. With a GDP of 25.29
billion USD, Cambodia stands as one of the poorest countries in the world (in comparison, the
Philippines and Singapore have a GDP of 361.5 billion USD and 340 billion USD respectively. -
data taken in 2020, courtesy of the World Bank). 

The land area of Cambodia is approximately 181,035 square kilometers, consisting of 61

islands. The mainland can be best described as a vast alluvial plain bounded by hills and low
mountains - as such, agriculture is a booming industry with rice as one of the main crops. With
the exception of the central lowlands, Cambodian highlands is heavily forested and abundant
with diversified wildlife - although unregulated hunting has already done enough damage to
reduce these numbers.

The People of Cambodia

The people of Cambodia, the Khmer people, make up 90-94 per cent of the population
with the latter per cent consisting of various ethnicities such as Chinese, Vietnamese, and
Champa people (MRG International 2020). As of 2022, the population of Cambodia stands at
around 17.2 million. The demographics of Cambodia are generally younger with a median age of
25.6 years. Molded by centuries of ethno-cultural aggregation, the Khmer people settled on the
surroundings of the Tonle Sap and the Mekong River (essentially the Mekong Delta), originally
migrating from the Khorat Plateau or what is now modern-day Thailand (Overton, 2022).

The culture of Cambodia can be best described as very traditional and fairly strict. There
are very strong beliefs that can affect the lifestyle of individuals in the community. Among these
are the childbirth and death rituals. Cambodia’s postpartum culture, known natively as the sor
sai kchey is viewed as a rite of passage in womanhood. It is believed that women are particularly
vulnerable to evil spirits during pregnancy. Even more so during delivery where locals believe
that women who are delivering are “crossing the river”; those who perished giving birth are
believed to have “drowned in the river” and become an evil spirit. Those that survived the trials
of childbirth are considered a “queen” as survival was not always assured due to the lack of
proper healthcare (Tea, 2010).

Buddhism is deeply rooted in the funeral rites of Cambodia. After an individual passes
on, it is the duty of the family to take care of the body - this includes washing and dressing, as
well as placing it in a coffin. The organs remain in the body and the body itself is not embalmed
(it is believed that such actions can affect rebirth). The body is then kept for three days before
cremation during which a monk recites sermons by the body. In the period of mourning, the
spouse and the children wear white attire (as opposed to black) and shave their heads.

The Khmer culture is similar to Japan in which elders are treated with reverence - the
older the person the greater the respect. In a sense, this makes the social structure more
hierarchical. The Khmer nuclear family consists of the eldest male as the head of the family (this
would most likely be the father), who serve as providers of income as well as the women who
are tasked with home-making and care-giving. The women also manage the financial matters in
the family (Scroope, 2017). In a sense, this makes the typical Cambodian family matriarchal,
while still having the males as heads of the family.
Buddhism in Cambodia

As a predominantly Buddhist country, Cambodia's culture, and traditional practices are

heavily influenced by Buddhism, specifically Theravada Buddhism. Because it is also the official
religion of Cambodia, an estimated 95 percent of the country’s population practices Buddhism
and shows signs of reverence for the religion throughout the country (Reynolds et al., 2022). For
example, the principle of earning merit, a significant practice in Buddhism, is also widely
practiced by Theravadin Buddhists in Cambodia. They earn such merits by providing labor,
goods, or even meals to Buddhist monks. The central figure of Buddhist influence in the culture
of Cambodia is the Angkor Wat, which is known to be the largest religious monument in the
world (History.com Editors, 2018). At present, the Cambodian collective memory remembers the
victims of the Khmer Rouge era as a significant part of their culture and tradition as well (Din,
2020).

Angkor Wat

The Angkor Wat is one of the most important archaeological sites in Asia that is located
in Cambodia. Within the temples of Angkor Wat, walls are decorated with a multitude of bas-
reliefs that represent important deities in the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. There are also
various sculptures in Angkor Wat that portray King Suryavarman as the god, Vishnu (Park,
2021). Despite the Angkor Wat no longer being an active temple today, it still serves as an
important tourist attraction in Cambodia that many people, from all over the world, visit to see
and learn about (History.com Editors, 2018).

History

         This architectural masterpiece was built by Kher King Suryavarman II, the great emperor
who rose to power based on violence during the 12th century. The construction began in the year
1116 CE, a few years after the King’s proclamation. He is remembered as the ruler who
assassinated his great uncle, Dharanindravarman to take the throne. As a sign of gratitude for his
victory, he then ordered the construction of Angkor Wat; as a sign of legitimizing his power and
to claim the protection of the Gods from predecessors. As a King, he was a skilled diplomat who
commissioned magnificent architecture and art while building and maintaining good relations
with China. As he demonstrated outstanding performance in trade, he was able to accumulate
funds which later supported the building of Angkor Wat. The King established a strong
foundation for the growth of their economy. (Mark, 2020). As the King was a religious reformer
for beliefs in the mystical cults of the Shiva and Vishnu – and the Hindu deities, he then declared
Vaishnavism as the official religion of the empire, a form of Hinduism that believes in the God,
Vishnu. (Britannica Editors, 2022).  He wanted people to be aware of the great stories about the
Hindu gods and the ancestors who are all carved in the stones inside the wondrous temple. By
the 16th century, it was abandoned and was taken by the jungle. It was in the 19th century when
western explorers discovered the site and began restoration. In 1992, the complex was named a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and became one of the most popular attractions in Cambodia.
(Park, 2021)

Significance of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat, is the heart and soul of Cambodia as it translates to “City of Temples”
(Mark, 2020). According to both Hindu and Buddhist faith, it represents Mount Meru, the home
of the Gods. The five towers represent the five peaks of Mount Meru – the Hindu Chief gods,
Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver) and Shiva (Destroyer) and the demi-gods (Devas), whilst
the walls signify the surrounding mountain ranges and the moat represents the sea. Buddhists
have also used the temple and visitors today will see Buddhist monks and nuns who worship at
the site. (Rod-Ari, n.d).  Since its central tower represents Mount Meru, it essentially points to
King Suryavarman as God (Hong, 2010). The temples can also be expressed as the King’s
significance to Cambodia. He is meant to be depicted as an immortalized deity. Angkor Wat is
an important source of pride as it has influenced the country’s culture, politics, livelihood and
religion. We must understand its symbolism to Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge.
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