The Kingdom of the Yellow Robe / Being Sketches of the Domestic and Religious Rites and Ceremonies of the Siamese

THE KINGDOM OF THE YELLOW ROBE
Being Sketches of the Domestic and Religious Rites and Ceremonies of the Siamese
ERNEST YOUNG
Late of the Education Department, Siam.
With Illustrations by E. A. Norbury, R.C.A.
(Late Director of the Royal School of Art, Bangkok, Siam) And from Photographs by the Author.
WESTMINSTER ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & Co 1898
The following pages are intended to present to the reader an account of the domestic and religious rites and ceremonies of the Siamese. They are the outcome of several years' residence in the Capital of Siam. In order to verify some of my own observations or to amplify some points with regard to which my own knowledge was rather scanty, I have consulted most of the books which in recent years have been published concerning the country of Siam. I am particularly indebted to the works of two writers whose knowledge was both wide and deep; viz., H. Alabaster, whose Wheel of the Law deals with Siamese Buddhism; and Captain Gerini, whose various monographs on domestic or religious customs are full of valuable and reliable information concerning their misty origin and meaning. I must also acknowledge my indebtedness to The Siam Repository (a weekly paper long since extinct, but whose pages are a treasure-house of information to the enquirer), and to my friend Mr. R. L. Morant for much helpful criticism and advice.
The illustration Planting out young Rice is from a sketch in the possession of Mrs. Smith, of Tarrawatta, Beckenham, who has kindly lent it for the purpose of illustrating this book.
The following five illustrations are also from sketches, kindly lent by E. Lloyd Williams, Esq., of James St., Buckingham Gate.
E. Y.