Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh is also considered as one of the most significant temples in Chiang Mai because of its architectural beauty and other structures in the temple with attract tourists both from Eastern and Western countries. Tourists usually spend their time 40-60 minutes at the temple before walking around Chiang Mai city.
On Sunday, at Ratchadamnoen Road that passes in front of the temple to Tha Pae Gate always hold a walking street and night market which tourists can enjoy going for a walk at the temple and night market at the same time.
History of Wat Phra Singh
Originally, the temple complex was named “Wat Li Chiang Phra” that is the highest rank royal temple located on Sam Lan Road. The Lai Kham Buddha image hall was painted with the valuable story of Sowannahong and Sang Thong, the local Thai folklores. Inside the hall there is the place of Phra Phuttha Sihing, an important Buddha image statue of Chiang Mai. In addition, people frequently go to the temple to celebrate the worship of sprinkling water onto a Buddha image annually in Songkran Festival.
King Pha Yu, the 5th King in Mangrai dynasty, was ordered to build a pagoda behind the complex in 1345, in order to contain the relics of his father, King Kham Fu. Furthermore, for the reason that the pagoda is known for people who were born in year of great snake. Therefore, every Buddhist Holy Day, people would go to the temple for the candlelight procession and cerebrating the Buddhist ceremony.
Interesting Structures in Wat Phra Singh
1. The Chapel
The Chapel is a square building that has the halls both in the front and behind. The building was decorated with authentic Lanna architectural style. There’re also huge windows that were made of lath on each side of the halls. For an interior design, there’re real windows that painted with Stucco style, the door entrance shaped in curve combined together which we called “Arched Door”. Above the arched door are two marvelous circles that are eyes-like or even on the pole and other parts that have terrific sculptures to explore.
2. Tripitaka hall
Tripitaka hall was made of half-concrete and half-wood with Ming dynasty painting style. The external wall is placed around the hall with different attitudes of angles’ statues, for example, pressing the hands together at the chest, flying, etc. In 1933, King Kaew Nawarat rebuilt the basement of the hall to be Mullion shape that bedecked with Himmapan animals sculptures such as wing mermaids, wing lions, and kylins.
3. Stucco temple
The Stucco temple has an esthetic beauty to show the highest revolution of arts in that period of time. The temple itself was made of Northern architecture which has two heads Naga stairs, nearby the Naga stairs, there’re also two lion sculptures. Within the temple, it is a installment of Phra Phuttha Sihing, the significant Buddha image statue. Behind the Buddha image, we have circle and square poles of palace surrounded with dragons, swans ,and other drawings. Especially the story of Sangthong which is the only one in Chiang Mai.
4. The Buddhism Temple
Lanna Architecture is a prototype of this Buddhism temple because of its structure that made of wood and built the basement with bricks. The stairs on the South of the temple is also constructed with Naga heads. Looking ahead, there are fifteen stone boundary markers around the temple. The wooden building has the iron bar windows, wooden windows, and roof in descending order with its support to maintain the structure. In addition, the front stairs in the South adorned with several flora sculptures.
The entrance and exit have two Naga sculptures that curve their tails to protect the temple’s door, coupled with two swans with turning back gesture looking into the temple.
In the center of the temple is the door facade which has a Buddha image statue within as the belief of local people to separate the area of celebrating the ceremony between monks and Buddhist nuns, sometimes, this place is called “The Temple of two monks”.
History of Phra Phuttha Sihing
Phra Phuttha Sihing or Phra Singh is an ancient attitude of meditation Buddha statue which made of bronze, covered with gold. The statue has 79-centimeter-tall, 63-centimeter-posture with Sri Lanka architecture. According to the history, King Si Hala, King of Lanka, ordered to construct this Buddha sculpture in 157. Later, once King Borommarachathirat I or Khunluang Pha Ngua had Sukhothai Kingdom in his colony, Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat had offered His Majesty Phra Ruang, an important Buddha image of Sukhothai Kingdom. His Majesty then commanded to move Phra Phuttha Sihing to Ayutthaya. Following that, Phra Phuttha Sihing was transferred to Kamphaeng Phet and Chiang Rai. Nevertheless, when King Saen MueangMa, King of Chiang Mai attacked Chiang Rai and got a victory. Therefore, King Saen MueangMa shifted Phra Phuttha Sihing to Chiang Mai, as well as the Emerald Buddha. However, when King Narai The Great attacked Chiang Mai in 1662, Phra Phuttha Sihing had been transferred to Phra Srisunphet temple in Ayutthaya for 105 years before moving back to Chiang Mai after Ayutthaya’s second breakdown period in 1767. After that, King Rama 1, asked to moved Phra Phuttha Sihing to Bangkok in 1795. Nowadays, the artificial Phra Phuttha Sihing is at Wat Phra Singh. However, the real Phra Phuttha Sihing is placed at Buddhaisawan Chapel, front Palace which Phra Phuttha Sihing will be annually shifted from the palace to people for making merit in Songkran Festival.