Wat Srisuphan, The "Silver" Temple

Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Wat Srisuphan, The "Silver Temple"

Today I took a long walk around the circumference of the wall/moat outlining the old city of Chiang Mai. This is about a 6 kilometer or 4 mile walk. At Chiang Mai Gate on the south, I headed south down Wualai Road, really more of a southwest diagonal road, to visit Wat Srisuphan, the so-called "Silver Temple."

To the south of Chiang Mai Gate along Wualai Road lies the traditional silver-making district of Chiang Mai. This area is dotted with silver shops, like the two shown to the left.

The area is better known to to tourists as the location of the Saturday Walking Street Market, a smaller version of the extensive Sunday Walking Street Market that takes place every Sunday inside the old Chiang Mai city.

Wat Srisuphan

The temple was first founded in 1501 under King Mengrai and given the name Wat Srisuphan Aram. The temple has been renovated and redesigned a number of times since the first construction (as is common with older temples). The most recent reincarnation of the temple began in 2004 under the direction of the abbot (head monk of the temple), Phra Kru Phithatsuthikhun. Rather than using standard temple renovation techniques, the abbot chose to make use of the skill and knowledge of local silversmiths. This is most evident in the design of the main ordination hall (ubosot). The result is a silver-colored building which shimmers in the sunlight and is full of intricate details. Most of the work is carried out using aluminum and zinc alloy with precious silver being reserved for the holy images.

Wat Srisuphan is also the second of two temples I know of in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in which the viharn (worship hall) and ubosot (ordination hall) do not open to the east to greet the rising sun. The other is Wat Lok Molee in which the main viharn opens to the south. At Wat Srisuphan, the main viharn and the ubosot open to the north. Nobody I have talked to knows why these two temples do not follow what is considered to be a rule of the main doors opening to the east. I am sure that I will learn why someday. both Wat Lok Molee and Wat Srisuphan are very old, and it seems that older temples follow traditional layouts more consistently.

Wat Srisuphan Main Viharn

This is a good view of the main viharn at Wat Srisuphan (in fact, the only viharn here). The roofline and structure is similar to that at Wat Lok Molee, and is considered to be in the traditional Lanna style (as opposed to Burmese or modern Thai).

The north-facing front entrance to the viharn. The stairway banisters have the dragons, called naga. Behind the stairway, flanking the doors are the green giants or guards, called yaks. Yaks are more common in central Thai temples (Bangkok) than in northern Thai temples, but there are a few around in Chiang Mai, just not commonly. (Having said that, there are yaks at the entrance arch at Wat Lok Molee also...Wat Lok Molee and Wat Srisuphan have a few things in common.)

Inside the viharn is this Buddha icon, I believe to be a model of the Emerald Buddha made of glass.The actual Emerald Buddha is at Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok at the Grand Palace, and not emerald, but a green jade from northern Thailand. The nickname Emerals Buddha refers to the color, not the stone. The Emerald Buddha is of Lanna origin, and was in Lampang for 32 years, then in Chiang Mai at Wat Chedi Luang from 1468 until 1552 when it was moved to the capital of Lao, back to Chiang Mai, and later to Vientiane. In 1779 it was moved to to Siam at the new capital in Thonburi (predecessor to Bangkok) and installed in a shrine close to Wat Arun.

Chao Phra Chakri then took over the reins, founded the Chakri Dynasty of Rattanakosin Kingdom, and adopted the title King Rama I. He moved the capital across the Chao Phra river to its present location in Bangkok, and constructed the new Grand Palace including Wat Phra Kaew within its compound. The Emerald Buddha was moved with great pomp and pageantry to its current home in the Wat Phra Kaew temple in March, 1784.

Around the main worship hall area are these hammered three-dimensional silver-aluminum-zinc alloy scenes telling the story of the Buddha. These are about 1 meter tall by 1 and a quarter meter wide, fairly large. This technique is an example of the work of the artisans working at the temple. This hammering technique is the same as that used for the coverings and detail at the silver ubosot.

The Silver Ubosot

An Ubosot is a building in a Thai Temple complex. An ubosot is the holiest prayer room, also called the "ordination hall" as it is where ordinations take place. The term ubosot is derived from the Pali term uposathagara, which refers to a hall used for rituals on the uposatha days -- the Buddhist Sabbath, which falls four times a month on the full moon, new moon, and eighth day after each.

An ubosot stands within a boundary formed by eight boundary stones which separate the sacred from the profane, and thus differs from a vihan (worship hall). The sema stones actually stand above and mark the limit stone spheres buried at the cardinal points of the compass delineating the sacred area. A ninth stone sphere, usually bigger, is buried below the main Buddha image of the ubosot.

Women are not permitted in an ubosot. There are many stories why, some mention the burying of a sacrificed person beneath the ubosot whose spirits may somehow corrupt a woman. A sign at Wat Srisuphan in oddly translated Thai reads in English:

Beneath the base of Ubosotha in the monastic boundary, many precious things, incantations, amulets and other holy objects were buried 500 years ago. Entering inside the place may deteriorated the place or otherwise the lady herself. According to this Lanna Belief, ladies are not allowed to enter the Ubosotha.

A side view of the ubosot at Wat Srisuphan, now almost completely covered in the hammered aluminum-zinc-silver alloy. When I first sat Wat Srisuphan about 5 years ago, the outside of the ubosot was only about half covered.

The northern main entrance to the ubosot. Very silver with the blue ocean-like stairway.

The inside of the ubosot. More silver alloy, beautifully done.

The back (south) end of the ubosot. The detail is intricate and beautiful.

Now for Dinner

It was a long day of yoga, walking, and temple visiting. A watermelon smoothie sounded good, so I returned to my room, cleaned up, and headed down Tha Phae Road to Street Pizza for dinner and a watermelon smoothie.

And here is the watermelon smoothie and a salad to get started. Mmmm...

Followed by a pepperoni pizza, just the right size for me. A good meal to end a good day in Chiang Mai.














Next: Another Hike up Doi Suthep and Wat Phalad

Return to Wat Lok Molee

Monday, January 16, 2017
Return Visit to Wat Lok Molee

One of my favorite temples is Wat Lok Molee, I think this is one of the most beautiful temples in Chiang Mai. This temple is right along the moat, on the north end about 500 meters east of the northwest corner of the wall, Hua Line Corner. Wat Lok Molee is often overlooked by tourists even though it is so easily accessible and even close to other more popular temples and historic places. 

View of Wat Lok Molee showing the distinctive Lanna-style viharn roofline
with the large chedi in the background.

Wat Lok Molee was important in the history of the Menrai Dynasty. King Menrai founded Chiang Rai and then Chiang Mai in the 1200s and he and his descendants ruled Lanna (the country that included most of northern Thailand before merging with Siam to form Thailand in the 1800s) independently until 1558 when the Burmese took over for about 200 years. The temple Wat Lok Molee was founded in the mid-1300s by King Kue Na, the sixth ruler of the Mengrai Dynasty. In the twilight years of the independent Lanna Kingdom, the large Maha Chedi and viharn of Wat Lok Molee were commissioned in 1527. 

Side view of the main viharn as seen today in its restored state.

This is a side view of the main viharn (worship hall). This is a beautiful teak building, restored in the late 1990s with funding from a film project. I have been unable to validate that story, but have heard it from several sources over the past few years. 

Here is a photo showing the entrance to Wat Lok Molee after passing under the arch and past the two elephant statues guarding the entrance. Almost all Buddist temple viharn main entrance doors open to the east to great the rising sun. The rising sun is symbolic of birth while the setting sun symbolic of death. Wat Lok Molee is unique in that the viharn main entrance doors open to the south. Of all the temples I have visited in Bangkok and Chiang Mai and around both cities, this is the only temple where the viharn doors open to the south. The only one. The only other exception is Wat Srisupan (also known as the Silver Temple) where the viharn doors and the ubosot (ordination hall) doors open to the north. I have asked many people and have gotten no answer about these exceptions. Most people think it to be a rule that is always followed that the viharn doors open to the east, and cannot explain the exceptions.

A closer view of the main viharn at Wat Lok Molee as I walk closer.

The inside of the main viharn is dark, rich, and beautiful teak. The beauty is almost beyond words. I do not understand why Wat Lok Molee is not more of a tourist attraction.

And the beauty extends to the detailed carved and painted ceiling. If you do not look up, you can miss this beautiful ceiling. I'm pretty sure I missed the ceiling the first time I visited Wat Lok Molee 5 years ago. A friend mentioned the ceiling when I told them I had visited the temple, and I had to return to see the ceiling.

The main Buddha icon/statue at the front of the viharn. Peaceful and elegant.

The Maha Chedi at Wat Lok Molee.
This is very tall, and almost 500 years old.
This is the only original structure on the temple grounds.

The maha chedi is a complex structure and quite unique in its many different elements.  The whole structure sits on a square three-tiered base.  Above the base is a stylized square lotus base that supports two rings that have been squared off.  And above that is the main chamber of the chedi occupying the central space, above which are three more rings, topped with a bell shape and finally a golden spire.  The spire is the only part of the chedi to be restored to original condition and its golden umbrellas look new compared with the more worn looking brick and stucco of the rest of the stupa.

The main chamber is the most important part of the structure, interesting in that it contains the cremated remains of King Muang Ketklao and Queen Visuddhadevi.  There are perhaps more Mengrai ashes in the chedi accompanying the two rulers.  The chamber also has a niche on each side that houses a Buddha image.

















I always love visiting Wat Lok Molee, and always stop when I walk by.

Next: Wat Srisupan, The Silver Temple

Hiking Doi Suthep Part 3: Hmong Hill Tribe Village

Saturday, January 14, 2017
Hiking up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Part 3
A Visit to the Hmong Hill Tribe Village

After spending time visiting the temple at Doi Suthep, and descending the 309-step Naga Stairway, we were ready for the hike down. As we passed the lines of taxi-trucks, there were signs advertising going up higher on the mountain to the Bhuping Palace Garden (the gardens owned by the Royal Family) and to the Hmong Hill Tribe village. Both Tom and I were a little drawn to visit the Hmong Hill Tribe village, much more so than the Bhuping Palace Gardens. I have been to the Bhuping Palace Gardens - they are extensive and beautiful, but given that the King passed away less then three months ago, the gardens are quite busy. We hired a driver to take us up to the Hmong Hill Tribe village, about 8-10 kilometers higher up the mountain.

The Hmong is a term given to various ethnic groups who mostly inhabit the high mountainous Northern and Western regions of Thailand, including both sides of the border areas between Northern Thailand, Laos and Burma. These areas are known for their often mountainous terrain which is in some areas covered by thick forests. These Hill Tribes are the largest group of non-Buddist population in Thailand. They are farmers, and some tribes have been very successful in growing coffee and tea, notable the Akha Ama tribe.

The drive to the Hmong Hill Tribe village was slow as after we passed the Bhuping Palace Gardens, we left the main road and made our way farther up the mountain on a one-lane mostly paved road. The village was basically a market for selling much of the same trinkets that are seen in the Saturday and Sunday markets in Chiang Mai. I did not see anything unique or very interesting.

After passing through the market area, we saw this striking garden area. More extensive than I was able to photograph, the garden stretched up the hillside in terraces.

Some of the flowers look similar to the oleanders seen in Southern California.

These appear to be hollyhocks, stalks of bright purple flowers.






















And an extensive field of these blue flowers. Reminds me of a few similar fields of blue flowers I saw in Spain last spring.









After taking our time taking in the gardens (and walking up and down the hillside), we returned to the truck for the drive back to the temple at Doi Suthep.

And then we started the hike down the mountain. As soon as we disappeared into the jungle, the sounds from the traffic disappeared, and we were again in the quiet of the jungle. Hiking down is not as difficult as hiking up, but is still a sweaty activity, and we took is slowly to avoid slipping on the sometime still muddy and slick trail.

Farther down, after passing Wat Palad, the trail is less steep, and therefore less slippery, so we made good progress.
















After we made it back to Chiang Mai, we went to Blue Diamond for an early dinner. There was a Kirtan chanting session set for Wild Rose this evening.

I am in the process of changing where I am staying. In my yoga-based visits to Chiang Mai, I have been staying at the 3-Sis Guest House, a small guest house in the old city owned by three sisters (hence the name 3-Sis). Poppy is one of the sisters, and she is at 3-Sis every day managing daily operations. One of the other sisters, Ice, and her husband Bowl, moved back to Chiang Mai and opened a cafe, shop, and small hotel named "See You Soon" just down the street from 3-Sis. I hung out in the cafe there last year a bit, writing and doing some work. Poppy and Ice thought that I might like to stay part of the time at See You Soon, and they arranged everything.

So before Tom and I headed to hike up the mountain, I had checked out of my room at 3-Sis and left my luggage there. When I returned from Blue Diamond, I learned that my luggage had been moved to See You Soon, and was already in my room there. Very nice. I checked in at See You Soon, got a shower, and went to Wild rose to join about 50-60 people for the Kirtan chanting. It was great fun.

Next: Return to Wat Lok Molee