Thailand - Chiang Rai (Wat Rong Khun)
Wat Rong Khun is better known to foreigners as the White Temple.
It is a contemporary, unconventional, privately owned temple.
Its owner is Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed and constructed it.
Wat Rong Khun is opened to visitors in 1997.
It is open all year round and admission is free.
The original Wat Rong Khun was in a bad state of repair.
Chalermchai Kositpipat, a local artist from Chiang Rai, decided to completely rebuild the temple and fund the project (40 million Baht) with his own money.
The Bridge Of The Cycle Of Rebirth:
The ubosot is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake.
In front of the bridge are hundreds of outreaching hands that symbolize unrestrained desire.
The bridge proclaims that the way to happiness is by foregoing temptation, greed and desire.
Gate Of Heaven:
After crossing the bridge, the Gate Of Heaven, guarded by two creatures representing Death and Rahu, who decides the fate of the dead.
The Ubosot:
It is an all-white building with fragments of mirrored glass embedded in the building's exterior and embodies design elements from classic Thai architecture such as the three-tiered roof and abundant use of Naga serpents.
May 5, 2014, Wat Rong Khun was damaged by the earthquake in Mae Lao that struck the province.
May 7, 2014, an engineering expert team inspected and affirmed that all buildings in the compound were structurally unharmed by the quake.
May 8, 2014, Wat Rong Khun is once again reopened to visitors.
P/S:
(i) Wat is temple in Thai.
(ii) Ubosot is the holiest prayer room, also called the ordination hall.
(iii) Rahu is traditionally held responsible for solar eclipses in Vedic Mythology.
Wat Rong Khun is better known to foreigners as the White Temple.
It is a contemporary, unconventional, privately owned temple.
Its owner is Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed and constructed it.
Wat Rong Khun is opened to visitors in 1997.
It is open all year round and admission is free.
The original Wat Rong Khun was in a bad state of repair.
Chalermchai Kositpipat, a local artist from Chiang Rai, decided to completely rebuild the temple and fund the project (40 million Baht) with his own money.
The Bridge Of The Cycle Of Rebirth:
The ubosot is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake.
In front of the bridge are hundreds of outreaching hands that symbolize unrestrained desire.
The bridge proclaims that the way to happiness is by foregoing temptation, greed and desire.
Gate Of Heaven:
After crossing the bridge, the Gate Of Heaven, guarded by two creatures representing Death and Rahu, who decides the fate of the dead.
The Ubosot:
It is an all-white building with fragments of mirrored glass embedded in the building's exterior and embodies design elements from classic Thai architecture such as the three-tiered roof and abundant use of Naga serpents.
May 5, 2014, Wat Rong Khun was damaged by the earthquake in Mae Lao that struck the province.
May 7, 2014, an engineering expert team inspected and affirmed that all buildings in the compound were structurally unharmed by the quake.
May 8, 2014, Wat Rong Khun is once again reopened to visitors.
P/S:
(i) Wat is temple in Thai.
(ii) Ubosot is the holiest prayer room, also called the ordination hall.
(iii) Rahu is traditionally held responsible for solar eclipses in Vedic Mythology.
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