White elephants were one of the most important and revered animals in Southeast Asia.\u00a0 What is the story behind it?\u00a0 Why are they so revered in the region?\u00a0 Read on to find out.<\/p>\n
You may have heard of the idiom \u2018white elephant\u2019, which means a valuable possession that cannot be disposed and may also be too costly to keep.\u00a0 The term has its roots in Southeast Asia.\u00a0 Monarchs in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam kept white elephants because of their perceived sacredness.\u00a0 Receiving a gift of a white elephant from a monarch was simultaneously both a blessing and a curse.\u00a0 It was a blessing because the animal was sacred and a sign of the monarch’s favor.\u00a0\u00a0 It was a curse because there wasn\u2019t much practical use for the animal because there are labor laws protecting it.\u00a0 Plus, it was very expensive to keep.\u00a0 To be given a white elephant is a high honor, and many will make the necessary sacrifices in order to keep this gift.<\/p>\n
Its importance stems from the tales of Buddha\u2019s birth.\u00a0 On the eve of giving birth, Buddha\u2019s mother dreamt of a white elephant presenting her a lotus flower, a sign of wisdom and purity.\u00a0 Because of this story, white elephants became a symbol of fertility and wisdom.<\/p>\n
There were several items a King needed in order to rule successfully: a perfect wife, riches, a capable chief minister, a swift horse and most importantly possession of white elephants.\u00a0 Kings would divert a lot of time and energy capturingh these animals.\u00a0 The more he had, the more prosperous his kingdom would be and the longer and more successful his reign would be as well.\u00a0 However, if any white elephants died during his reign, it foretold disaster for the King and his kingdom.<\/p>\n
On certain cases, white elephants were presented or exchanged as a diplomatic gesture.\u00a0 Because of their sacredness and value, white elephants were never used during war.\u00a0 Instead, they were kept in the palace grounds where they were cared for constantly.<\/p>\n
Today, white elephants are very rare.\u00a0 The last one to be discovered in the wild was in Myanmar in 1961.\u00a0 They are still highly venerated in Southeast Asia, with sculptures, wood carvings, paintings and murals depicting these animals in temples, museums and art galleries.\u00a0 Older versions of the Thai flag had depictions of a white elephant.<\/p>\n
Let Exotissimo be your guide to Southeast Asia!\u00a0 We will take you to a region filled with awe, mysticism, warmth and relaxation.\u00a0 Our Southeast Asia Discovery<\/a> tour is your thorough guide to this fascinating region.\u00a0 See the glory of each country\u2019s former kingdoms by witnessing glittering temples as well as magnificent ruins and see depictions of the revered white elephant in some of these locations.\u00a0 See our multi-country tours<\/a> page for other memorable journeys into this charming region or contact us<\/a> for questions or additional information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" White elephants were one of the most important and revered animals in Southeast Asia.\u00a0 What is the story behind it?\u00a0 Why are they so revered in the region?\u00a0 Read on to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[403],"class_list":["post-1398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature","tag-elephants"],"yoast_head":"\n