The Woven Spectrum: The Meaning of Color in Cambodian Culture

The Woven Spectrum: The Meaning of Color in Cambodian Culture
The Language of Hues The role and symbolism of colors in Khmer traditional dress and ceremonies. Chapter One: The Language of Hue: An Introduction to Color Symbolism in Cambodia In the traditional Khmer world, color, or poa (ពណ៌), is never merely decorative. It is a rich and profound language, a silent system of communication that conveys status, emotion, spiritual significance, and the nature of an occasion. A particular shade of yellow can signify royalty, a splash of red can mean good fortune, and a simple white garment can speak of profound grief. This symbolic vocabulary is drawn from the great wellsprings of Cambodian thought: the brilliant colors of the natural world and the deep cosmologies of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. To understand this language of hue is to gain a deeper insight into the visual and spiritual life of the Khmer people. The Five Cardinal Colors of Buddhism A foundational system of color symbolism in Cambodia comes from the Theravada Buddhist tradition. It is be…