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Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re now standing in the compound of the Temple of the Reclining Buddha known in famous as Wat Pho.
The name PHO spells P-H-O, PHO is very much known to most Buddhist because it’s the name of a sacred tree (some-like Banyan tree) where in the history the Lord Buddha attained the state of enlightenment underneath.
Wat Pho is considered one of the biggest amongst hundreds of Buddhist temples in Bangkok. There’s no clear evidence to tell us when the temple was firstly built. According to the earliest historical record, historians suggest that the temple has existed here for over 250 years before the founding of both the capitals of Thonburi and Bangkok. Eventually, when King Taksin made Thonburi the capital of Siam on the other side of the river in 1767. The King then ordered renovation to the temple and made this temple a Royal Monastery.
In 1793, after King Rama I found Bangkok for the new capital and built the Grand Palace near by this old temple. The King then ordered to have this temple renovated again and it took seven and a half years to finish. With the passage of 46 years King Rama III commanded a big renovation program again to this temple and that involved restorations and building of many new constructions. The renovation started in 1839 and took 17 years to complete. The renovation occurred in about the same time when there was a great deal of trade between Thailand and China. This is the reason why we see Big Chinese architectural-influences and many other aspects of Chinese decorations shown here in this temple. The halls, the stupas, the pavilions are richly decorated with countless fragments with the recycles of the Chinese-wares.
Now, the whole area of the temple is about 20 acres deviding into two major sections.
One section is in the south over there called “Sangkhawas” located the monks living houses.
This section in the north is called “Puthawas” standing halls and chapels used for the public services.
What really make this temple so famous is because it's the location of an enormous figure of the reclining Buddha placed here in this hall.
Let’s come into the hall and we have to remove our shoes off at the entrance, please follow me.
The Buddha was firstly constructed then the hall was built later to cover. The interior walls of this hall are painted with murals depicting scenes relating to the history of the Buddha.
The building is constructed for containing the important Buddha image, the Reclining Buddha of the reign of King Rama III. This is the largest and most beautiful piece of fine arts of a Buddha image in a reclining position found in Thailand. The mother-of-pearl inlay at the feet of the image is of the Thai-Chinese style, as indicated by 108 auspicious signs portraying natural scenes of both Indian and Chinese influences.
The Pavilion is the library of the Thai traditional massage inscriptions. There are also inscriptions of the first Thai proverbs, Thai literature, and portrait of the Royal Kathin Procession.
Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn, a group of four huge pagodas surrounded by a white wall with Thai-Chinese style sheltered gates decorated with colour-glazed tiles and Chinese rockery guardians. The pagodas consist of Phra Maha Chedi Sri Sanpetdayarn, Phra Maha Chedi Dilok Dhammakaroknitarn, Phra Maha Chedi Muni Batborikharn, and Phra Maha Chedi Song Phra Srisuriyothai.
Nang Songkran is the story involving King Kabilaprom and Prince Thammaban which is shown on the inner walls of the porticos in the reign of King Rama III.
Wat Pho and the Fine Arts Department have cooperated together to establish a museum of Buddha images of different art styles. The images are classified into 3 major categories including Buddhist Art, the Buddha’s Marks and the Buddha’s Attitudes. Wat Pho has been included in the UNESCO Memory of the World (MOW) Programme for 2009. The temple was recognized for the historic inscriptions and hermit statues teaching traditional Thai yoga housed inside it.
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