Revealing Nature/Culture Linkages at Chiang Mai Old City Through Literary Works

Abstract

This article examines plants in Lanna literary works that inscribed in Lanna languages in 1357-1952 AC., whit a landscape context, scenery description, and emotional expression in literature. Plants were studied in six groups as tree, shrub, ground cover, climber, epiphytic plant, and aquatic plant. The outstanding species by number of frequency from this study are Cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica), Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), White Fig (Ficus lacor), Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Banana (Musa spp.) and Red Waterlily (Nymphaea lotus) and these plants still available in Chiang Mai Old City area and relate with many cultural and historical evidences. The result of this study has present the linkage between nature and culture that reflected from literary works to the natural element. The result of this paper can to document the perception of the plant in Lanna literary works to make more understanding in landscape plant and place- making in Chiang Mai Old City.

Keywords: Landscape Plant, Literary Works, Lanna, Chiang Mai, Place Making.