Luang Prabang Monasteries

Black and White pictures by QT Luong

It is expected from any young Buddhist man in Laos to spend some time in a monastary as a novice monk, preferably before his marriage. Because of that, there is a strong monastic life all over the country. The monks receive their food in the morning from the population, and then are not supposed to eat for the rest of the day, although rules are rarely observed rigidly. Those who feed them accrue some merit. Each morning, at the break of dawn, it is an impressive sight to see the Buddhist monks from all the temples walking in the streets, elders first, and receive their alms from the population.

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