# Sbai

Sbai (Khmer: ស្បៃ; Lao: ສະໄບ; Malay: Sebai; Jawi: سباي; Thai: สไบ, RTGS: sabai) or phaa biang (Lao: ຜ້າບ່ຽງ; Thai: ผ้าเบี่ยง) is a shawl-like garment worn by women in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand to cover the breasts, while in Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, the same term is used to describe a cloth hanging from the shoulders.$^{:410}$ The sbai was derived from the Indian sari, the end of which is worn over one shoulder.$^{:153}$

## Etymology

The term sbai is the contracted form of vowels which has its ultimately original roots from the Austronesian term *cahebay, which was diversified as the first exodus in Taiwan as the Formosan term *sapay from south China between 5,000–4,500 BCE, and the second exodus to the Philippines, Indonesia, and others occurred around 3,000–2,000 BCE.
Its vowel sequence was contracted from south China to the first exodus: *cahebay→*cahbay→*cahpay→*sapay (meaning: 'to hang'). According to the Proto-Austronesian Phonology of Cornell University Southeast Asia Program (SEAP), there is the diversity of the term *cahebay or *sapay into subgroups of other languages families as follows:
* Austroasiatic languages: *lɓak (Dvaravati Old Mon and Nyah Kur), cambāy (Middle Mon), *jbaay (Mon), *sapay→sĕbai, sbai→sbāy, spai→spiey or *sapay→spai→spiey (Old Khmer and Modern Khmer), phìai (Kuy).
* Austronesian languages: *cahebay→łahpay, cahfay, cabfay. (Proto-Austronesian).
* Formosan languages: *sapay→sapai (Puyuma).
* Indo-European languages: *səmpay (Sangsari).
* Kra–Dai languages: *sapay→sĕbai, sbai→sabai, saphaay (Thai).
* Malayo-Polynesian languages: *sapay→sbai, sĕbai, sampai (Malay), sampai (Indonesian), sampay, sampayán (Tagalog), sampe (Makassarese, Serayar), sambay, sablay (Maranao), sumpáy (Ratahan), hafe-hafe (Tondarno), cave- (Filipinno), sappɛ (Buginese), sappɛ-sappɛ (Toba Batak), sampay-an (Ngaju), sampe-lao (Muna), sampi, mi-sampy, sampazana (Malagasy), sambay (Maranao).
* Indo-European languages: spāy (unverified Sanskrit religious vocabulary as assumed by French.) from the Sanskrit of Khmer inscription on the Tāmrakumbha Indian brass water jug (K.669C Line 18) aged 972 CE at Preah Vihear Temple.

## History

Sbai is derived from the Indian sari, which may have been introduced to Southeast Asia through the Indianized Kingdoms along with other traditions and elements of Indian culture.$^{:153}$

### Cambodia

There are related mythologies in Khmer culture concerning the history of sbai, which was likely introduced during the Funan era from India alongside chong kben in the first century AD. The sbai is mentioned in the legends of Preah Thong and Neang Neak. In one scene, Preah Thong clings to a piece of cloth worn on the Nagini in order to make the journey to the Nāga's kingdom; that piece of cloth is a sbai. In that tale, the sbai is symbolic of the tail of Neang Neak, the Nāga princess.
In the Angkorian period, although it was common for men and women to be topless; however, clothes for the upper body were worn: the bas-reliefs of Bayon, Preah Khan, and other Angkorian temples depict women wearing a shawl-like sbai while religious male figures are adorned with stylized sbai. At Angkor Wat, there are depictions of topless Apsaras holding sbai connected to their sampot, while the northern wall of Angkor Wat depicts a group of ladies wearing long sbai holding various offerings.
Nowadays, sbai, along with chang kben and sampot, are regarded as Cambodia's national costumes. Sbai most often used in traditional Khmer weddings with different type and decoration during the rite of Preah Thong Taong Sbai Neang Neak (transl. Preah Thong holding on to the sbai of Neang Neak) which represents the legend of the foundation of Funan and where the groom holds on to the bride's sbai as they go to their room. The groom also wears a sbai.
For men, especially Brahmin and Buddhist monk, the sbai called sbong sbai trai chivor, and is considered the robe of Hindu and Buddhist monks. For women, sbai can be freely used and in different ways such as to wrapping it around the body, covering the shoulder, and commonly covering the breast and stomach over the left shoulder. Different styles of sbai are used by Cambodian women based on their preferences and traditions.

### Laos

In Laos, this garment is known as phaa biang or sabai. It is common for Lao women to wear sabai as it is considered traditional clothing. A sabai can also be worn by men in weddings or when attending religious ceremonies. The type of sabai typically worn by Lao men often has checkered patterns. Sabai can also be a long piece of silk, about a foot wide, that is draped diagonally over the chest covering one shoulder with one end dropping behind the back.

### Malaysia

In Malaysia, Sebai is a cloth wrapped around the neck to cover the shoulders with both ends hanging on the chest similar to a scarf hung over the shoulders.

### Myanmar

The ethnic Mon is also known to have similar tradition of wearing the shawl-like sabai called yat toot in Mon language, diagonally over the chest covering one shoulder with one end dropping behind the back like that worn by Lao women. This tradition distinguished them from other ethnic groups in Myanmar. The Mon people of Myanmar and Thailand today were the descendants of various Indianized polities, notably Dvaravati. Artifacts from Dvaravati sites in what is now Thailand depicted a group of ladies wearing what is similar to sabai.

### Thailand

Artifacts found in ethnic Mon Dvaravati sites depict group of ladies wearing what is similar to sabai. Sabai (Thai: สไบ, RTGS: sabai, pronounced) or pha biang (Thai: ผ้าเบี่ยง pronounced) is shawl-like garment, or breast cloth. Sabais can be used by women or men. The sabai is also known as a long piece of silk, about a foot wide, draped diagonally around the chest by covering one shoulder which its end drops behind the back. Sabais could be worn around the naked chest or on top of another cloth. The practice of wearing Sabai along with Victorian cloth was a common practice during the reign of King Chulalongkorn and lasted until the reign of King Vajiravudh when Westernized clothing became more fashionable.

## Gallery

* Queen Ang Mey and her daughters wearing sbai in the 1800s
* Lady Pun Bunnag, Somdet Chaophraya Borom Maha Sri Suriwongse's wife wearing pha biang, 1866
* Siamese girl wearing pha biang, 1921
* Daughters of King Rama II and King Rama III wearing pha biang in the 1800s
* Queen Debsirindra, the second consort of King Mongkut wearing pha biang, 1855
* Cambodian bride wearing a sbai in a wedding ceremony
* Dancer wearing sbai