Poi Sang Long ceremony undeterred by virus
As faith is stronger than coronavirus fears, the mass novice ordination ceremony known as Poi Sang Long will continue as usual this year in Mae Hong Son, despite social anxiety over the Covid-19 outbreak.
The event is organised yearly during the school break for boys — aged between seven and 14 — belonging to the Tai Yai ethnic group in order to give them a chance to study dhamma from a young age. The ceremony will take place at many temples throughout the province from March 27 to May 4.
Poi Sang Long (also spelled as Poy Sang Long) is a Tai Yai term. Poi refers to a religious event, sang (short for chao sang) means novice and long refers to an enlightened person. The Tai Yai believe that being ordained from a young age is a great merit for the boys and their families as children are like white cloth, so they can learn and absorb dhamma with a pure heart.
The boys can be sang long only once in their life, so the celebrations and ceremonies, which are held for three days, are lavish. The first day is called Hub Sang Long, which is when the boys have their hair shaved. The novices-to-be will dress in an ornate dress featuring bright and colourful long-sleeved shirts and chongkraben, or traditional Thai pantaloon-like trousers, flower headdresses, glittering gems and jewellery and rings. They will also put on make-up.
The tradition is to dress the boys, who are now called sang long, like little princes. The idea is to remind them that they will soon be reborn to the simpler life of monkhood. After that, each novice-to-be will visit their relatives to ask for forgiveness and blessings.
The second day is the highlight of the ceremony. It is called Hae Khrua Lu. On this day, all the sang long will join a long and grand procession. Since a sang long’s feet must not touch the ground, their relatives will take turns to carry the sang long on their shoulders when they join the parade. People in their communities will also join the procession and carry offerings such as kitchen utensils and items to be used by the novices-to-be.
The third day is called Kham Sang, which is ordination day. On this day, the sang long will become novices and stay in the temple to study dhamma.
Seventeen communities will organise the Poi Sang Long ceremony this year, including Ban Huai Makheua Som in Muang District (March 27-30), Wat Suphan Rangsri in Mae Sariang District (April 3-5), Wat Muang Pon in Khun Yuam District (April 8-10) and Wat Mae Na Toeng Nai in Pai District (May 2-4).
For more information about the celebration, visit the Thai-language Facebook fan page of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Mae Hong Son office at bit.ly/2TP744v or call 053-612-982—3.