1、 Introduction

The traditional society of Thailand is dominated by agriculture, and rice is the center of agricultural production. The rice culture has constructed the identity of Thais. Thai rice plays an important role in the global market, and its promotion has strengthened the identity of Thais. The rice myth is an important medium for understanding rice culture. There are various rice myth texts circulating in Thailand, which form a system with the myths of the Dai Thai ethnic groups abroad. Current research focuses on collecting and analyzing rice myths of the Dai and Thai ethnic groups, with a particular emphasis on textual structure and belief factors. This article takes Thai rice mythology as the research object, analyzes the characteristics of text types and their mapping relationship with traditional society, focuses on the commonalities and differences of Dai Thai ethnic myths, explains the differences from the perspective of social and cultural environment cognition, and comprehensively understands Thai rice culture and identity.

2、 The Mythology and Structural Types of Thai Rice in Thailand

The Thai rice myth in Thailand and its structural type chapter discusses the Thai rice myth in Thailand in detail, revealing the close relationship between these myths and Thai identity. The Thai ethnic group is the main ethnic group in Thailand, distributed in different geographical and cultural regions. Rice cultivation is mainly concentrated in the southern, central, and northeastern parts of the north. The myth of rice involves the origin of rice and the origin of rice cultivation rituals, and is a sacred narrative explanation. Thai people in various parts of Thailand have different names for the deities who protect rice, such as "Valley Soul Granny", "Rice Mother", etc., among which "Posuo Niang" is the most common. Posuo Niang is the guardian deity of rice, responsible for taking care of and protecting the seedlings, and blessing agriculture with a bountiful harvest.

3、 Rice Mythology and Traditional Thai Society

Rice plays a central role in traditional Thai society, not only as a staple food, but also as a symbol of social stability and prosperity. The Langanheng Stele in Thailand describes the prosperity of the Sukhothai period, and "fish in the water, rice in the fields" has become a classic term for describing a happy life. Rice is the main part of the Thai diet, while dishes are secondary. In social interaction, rice is an important element. As the owner and manager of land, the King of Thailand's responsibilities include protecting rice paddies and ensuring that citizens enjoy the fruits of the land. The Spring Plowing Festival and Rice Festival reflect the prayers for a bountiful rice harvest and the worship of the Rice Goddess. The valley soul belief and rice mythology of the Dai and Tai ethnic groups embody the concept of animism, and the rice mythology is closely related to rice cultivation rituals, explaining the origin of the ritual of summoning valley souls. The guardian deity of rice in Thailand is referred to as the "Rice Goddess", reflecting the process of rice transforming from an object to a personification and then to a deification. The image of the Rice Goddess has local characteristics and is closely connected to Thai society. In traditional Thai folk beliefs and rituals, rice is indispensable, such as ancestor worship, offering sacrifices to gods, and giving alms to monks. These beliefs, cognitions, and folk narratives combine to form the rice myth in Thai folk literature, reflecting the profound influence of Thai rice culture in social culture.

4、 Rice Myth and the Construction of Thai Identity

This paper discusses the relationship between rice myth and Thai identity. Identity is a multidisciplinary concept that involves the self-awareness and cultural characteristics of individuals or groups. The relationship between mythology and identity is reflected from a psychological perspective, where mythology serves as the externalization of personality and the construction of identity in collective memory. In the Thai rice myth, the rice goddess is regarded as the mother and the Thai people regard themselves as their children. This relationship is reflected in the rice growing ceremony. The body of the goddess of rice is transformed into grain seed, which strengthens the integrated relationship between man and rice. Through the cognitive mechanism of metaphor and metonymy, rice has become a symbol of identity of Thai people. With the development of rice myth, Thais have more abundant recognition of the quality and characteristics of rice, which is strengthened through national economic and political diplomacy. Thai rice, especially jasmine rice, has become a national symbol. Its characteristics, such as quality, appearance and aroma, are used to distinguish Thai rice from other rice, strengthening the sense of belonging and identity of Thai people.

5、 Conclusion

The Thai rice myth revolves around the goddess Poso and shares basic plot elements with the rice myths of the Dai Thai ethnic group, while showcasing uniqueness. These similarities and differences are reflected in multiple aspects of traditional Thai society. Metaphorical analysis of the story of the goddess Poseau reveals the integrated relationship between man and rice established by the Thais based on the rice myth and rice cultivation ceremony. Political, economic, diplomatic, and other factors further strengthen this relationship, prompting people to shift their identification from rice to identity, forming an identity centered around rice. This identification is based on cultural differences rather than commonalities, with external driving forces such as national economy, politics, and diplomacy. The boundaries between cultural self and others within a group can also influence the shaping of rice myths.