Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan by Cummings, Joe - 2012

Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) , 2012. Book. Illus. by Dan White. Very Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 210mm x 265mm. Jacket has light general wear and no tears. Book very clean. Binding tight. 200pp The first illustrated book in English to trace the history and origins of the Thai hand-inked tattoo tradition. While Thailand remains the centre of the cultural form's conservation and development, similar traditions exist today in Cambodia, Laos and parts of Vietnam, China and Burma. The product of 18 months of field research and photography, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand brings the world of this fascinating and commonly misrepresented tradition to light. Rather than sensationalise sak yan and popularise the misconception that the tradition is the stuff of gangsters and bad boys, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand sheds light on the tradition s spiritual roots and how it combines into a single belief system elements of Buddhism, Brahmanism and animism, all of which are underpinned by a strict moral and ethical code that is passed from master to disciple..