Monkhood / Buddhism in South-East Asia
& Colors of the Robes
The historical significance of the color of the original robes explained help to identify what regions different colors are mostly associated with.
As Buddhism spread to different regions of the world, pigments extracted from local products were used to dye the robes, producing different hues towards the maroon, brownish or plain red.
Robes are mainly colored by spices in Southeast Asia (hades of curry, cumin, paprika, saffron) as follows:
Burma (Myanmar) and Tibet - Red
Thailand, Cambodia and Laos - Orange
Sri Lanka- Yellowish/Orangish
Other Asian countries:
Bright Yellow - China
Black, Brown, Gray & Light Blue - Japan & Korea
Maroon - Tibet region and diaspora
White or Pink - Theravada women wherever they may be located; although it is noted fully ordained Theravada nuns are rare.
Pictures were taken by me during exploration of South-East Asia in years 2010-18.