Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh (full name: Wat Phra Singh Woramahaviharn - Thai: วัด พระ สิงห์ วรมหาวิหาร ) is a Buddhist temple ( Wat ) in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. He is a Royal Temple, First Class.
Location
Wat Phra Singh is located west of the center in the old city of Chiang Mai. His guarded by stone lions main entrance is at the end of the main street of Chiang Mai, the Ratcha Damnoen Road, due east through the central Tha Phae - gate leads from here down to Maenam ( River ) Ping.
Importance
Its widespread significance at the temple by the Phra Phuttha Sihing, a Buddha statue whose exact origin is uncertain. According to legend, it should resemble the "Lion of the Shakya clan ", a lost statue of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya in India. It should be then passes through Sri Lanka to Ligor (today Nakhon Si Thammarat ), from there to Ayutthaya before he was brought to Chiang Mai. Today there are a total of three statues in Thailand, which are claimed that they were the Phra Sihing. In addition to the Phra Phuttha Sihing of Wat Phra Singh Chiang Mai is a statue in Wat Phra Mahathat in Nakhon Si Thammarat and another in the Buddhai - Sawan Chapel of the National Museum Bangkok.
In 1920, the head of the statue to have been stolen, leaving only a replica of the head may be seen.
Every year for Songkran Phra Sihing is retrieved from the Viharn and carried in a magnificent procession through the streets of the city where douse him with water, the faithful to honor him.
In Thai folk beliefs of Wat Phra Singh is associated with the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Dragon. Year of the Dragon Born therefore like to make a pilgrimage here.
History
King Pha Yu founded Wat Phra Singh in the year 1345 by building a chedi to bury the ashes of his father, King Kham Fu. Some years later, a viharn and other buildings were added. The monastery was then added the name " Wat Lichiang ". Restoration work in 1925 was discovered in a small chedi three urns that may contain the royal ashes. Since that time, however, the polls are untraceable.
The temple was named " Wat Phra Singh" was in 1367 when the famous Buddha image of Phra Sihing placed here. In the 18th century the temple due to the Burmese occupation of the city was abandoned and left to decay, until 1782 Kawila king came to power. The king had the ubosot rebuild and expand the chedi. His two successors built the Viharn Lai Kham and the elegant library (Hor Trai ).
The famous monk Khru Ba Sri Wichai organized in the twenties, the renovation of the entire temple. Most of the buildings were in 2002 a new renovation, with new gold leaf applied and stucco decorations were renewed.
Attractions
- Viharn Luang - architecturally rather uninteresting building, the original viharn 1925 was replaced by the present building.
- Viharn Lai Kham - this building is the main attraction of the temple, an example of classical Lanna architecture. It was built around 1345 to house the still to be seen here Phra Sihing statue. The name refers to the delicate designs in gold on the gable boards. The deep - down solid roof is in three stages, in the portico of stucco can be seen above the entrance doors.
- Ubosot - built in 1806 it has front and rear porticoes and a three-tier roof. Again, the bargeboards are richly decorated. Inside is a finely textured, gold-plated Ku, a kind of tower -shaped altar.
- Hor Trai - as well as the Viharn Lai Kham is the Hor Trai (library ) is an example of classical Lanna architecture. He is said to have been built in 1477 during the reign of King Tilokarat, renovations were in 1867, 1920 and 2002 instead. The small wooden building with its three-tiered roof stands on a high pedestal of brick, which is richly decorated with stucco. A steep staircase, the railing is made of Nagas and Makaras, leads to the east side to the top. The gable boards of the portico are covered with fine wood carving work.
- Retrieved from " elephant -based Chedi " - since its construction in 1345 increased often. The golden, bell-shaped chedi stands on a high square base, protruding from the sides of the front parts of stuccoed elephants.
Impressions
Viharn Lai Kham in the wall painting
Viharn Lai Kham in the wall painting
Viharn Lai Kham in the wall painting