Role of Pagoda in Construction of New Style Rural Areas in Khmer Community in Kien Giang Province

Abstract

Pagoda is a part indispensable to cultural life of Khmer people because it is both a sacred place of worship and a center of cultural activities of village (phum, soc) community. Khmer pagoda is a place of preservation of values of  traditional culture of Khmer ethnicity so that it governed, is governing and will continue to govern intellect and consiousness of Khmer people. Construction of new style rural areas is both an urgent and long task but the construction of new style rural areas among Khmer people in Kien Giang province only brings into play effectively when there is participation of pagoda and monks because these are two of the spiritual forces of Khmer ethnic group.