During the early 20th century, a new Thai Buddhist tradition was beginning to take shape northern Thailand (mainly Isan), outside of the elite and royal circles of Bangkok. This was a back to the forest movement of strict monasticism and it became known as the Kammaṭṭhāna Forest Tradition. Led by figures such as Ajahn Mun Bhuridatto (1870–1949), and Ajahn Sao Kantasīlo (1861–1941), forest tradition monks focused on forest asceticism ("dhutanga") and meditation, seeking to achieve awakening. They criticized the text based approached of city monks, and there was initially some tension between the forest monks and the official monks in the sangha hierarchy.