A zayat (Burmese: ဇရပ္; MLCTS: ja. rap; IPA: [zəjaʔ]) is a Burmese building found in almost every village. It serves primarily as inn or rest house for travelers, but Theravada Buddhists monks will also deliver messages or read texts there, so it has a secondary function as a location for religious meditation, worship, and teaching. At times, it also functions as a sort of town hall for the elders of villagers to discuss the needs and plans of the village. Buddhist monasteries may have one or more zayats nearby, which see heavy usage by lay Buddhists and monks with a temporary ordination during holidays such as Vassa. Because of their primary function as rest houses, they are often located along main roads. Beginning with Adoniram Judson's construction of one in 1818 Christian missionaries have also adopted their use.[1][2][3]
Contributions, in money or labor, towards the construction, running or elaboration of a zayat are seen as daná (meritorious charity). Thus, zayats are generally built in a more durable and costly manner than most private houses. The labor is normally provided by locals, while the financing may be local or remote.[4][5]
Some zayats have evolved other functions over time. For example, the Jivitadana Sangha Hospital for Buddhist monks and nuns began as a clinic at a zayat.[6]
A drawing of a zayat published in 1880 can be seen at this link: [1].
Literature in English
Because of the importance of zayat based evangelism to Adoniram Judson's mission, and the prominence that his first wife Ann Hasseltine's letters gave his work, many Christian missionaries in Burma constructed and used one or more zayats, and their letters and journals were widely published by missionary boards and societies in the United States.
The first Fu Manchu story entitled The Zayat Kiss was published as a stand alone magazine story in 1912. This and the next nine stories were combined into the novel The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu in 1913, which was titled The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu when published four months later in the United States.[7]
References
- ^ Howe, Henry (1859). Adventures and Achievements of Americans. New York: Geo. F. Tuttle. as seen at Google Books
- ^ Robina. "The Story of Yawthit". Burma Issues Newsletter, Volume 8 Number 3, March 1998. Retrieved 2006-06-04.
- ^ Capt. C.J.F.S. Forbes, F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S, &c., Officiating Deputy-Commissioner, British Burma (1878). British Burma and Its People: Being Sketches of Native Manners, Customs, and Religion. London: John Murray.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) as seen at Google Books - ^ Chambers, William and Robert (1857). Chambers's Information for the People, Vol. II. Philadelphia: J.B. Lipincott & Co. as seen at Google Books
- ^ "Community Service - A Myanmar Tradition". Community Service - A Myanmar Tradition. Retrieved 2006-06-04.
- ^ "Health and Helplines". The Yangon Directory. Retrieved 2006-06-04.
- ^ "Foreword". The Bookshelf. Retrieved 2006-06-04.