Wat Hong Rattanaram Ratchaworawihan, or just called Wat Hong Rattanaram ( th, วัดหงส์รัตนารามราชวรวิหาร, วัดหงส์รัตนาราม) is an ancient Thai Buddhist temple located in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

rim the

Khlong Bangkok Yai Khlong Bangkok Yai ( th, คลองบางกอกใหญ่, ; lit: 'Big Bangkok Canal') is a historic '' khlong'' (คลอง; canal) of Bangkok. The current length is 6 km (about 3 mi), through various canals as far as it term ...

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...

. It is classified as the second rank of royal temple and can be considered a temple of Prince

Pinklao Pinklao ( th, ปิ่นเกล้า) (September 4, 1808 – January 7, 1866) was the viceroy of Siam. He was the younger brother of Mongkut, King Rama IV, who crowned him as a monarch with equal honor to himself. Early life Prince Chutaman ...

. This temple built since late

Ayutthaya period The Ayutthaya Kingdom (; th, อยุธยา, , IAST: or , ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is conside ...

by wealthy Chinese named Hong, who was donated funds to build a temple on the banks of the Khlong Bangkok Yai. Hence the names Wat Hong, Wat Chao Sua Hong or Wat Chao Khrua Hong after the benefactor. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, King

Taksin King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew dialect, Teochew: Dên ...

decided to locate his new capital further away from Burma, he chose this area in

Thonburi __NOTOC__ Thonburi ( th, ธนบุรี) is an area of modern Bangkok. During the era of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, its location on the right (west) bank at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River had made it an important garrison town, which is ...

between two canals Bangkok Yai and

Bangkok Noi Bangkok Noi ( th, บางกอกน้อย, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Bang Phlat, Phra Nakhon (across Chao Phraya River), Bangkok Yai, Phasi Charoen, and ...

. He built his palace, Wang Derm near the old fort (

Wichai Prasit Fort The fortifications of Bangkok consist of several series of defensive structures built to protect the city during the late Ayutthaya to early Rattanakosin periods. The earliest structures were built when Bangkok was an outpost of Ayutthaya guardi ...

) and chose to worship at Wat Hong just 500 m (1,640 ft) to the south. During his reign, he also has patronized this temple in the royal support since it was a religious educational centre. Until the reign of King

Nangklao Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam u ...

(Rama III) there was a major restoration of the temple. Within the

ordination hall The ordination hall is a Buddhist building specifically consecrated and designated for the performance of the Buddhist ordination ritual ('' upasampada'') and other ritual ceremonies, such as the recitation of the Patimokkha. The ordination hall ...

, the principal Buddha statue was enshrined, named "Phra Saen", which is a bronze Buddha statue in the Lan Xang art style. Its history was enshrined at one temple in Chiang Taeng ( Steung Treng). Later, King

Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibod ...

(Rama IV) invoke along with Emerald Buddha and enshrined it in this temple. Phra Sean is considered to be a very sacred Buddha statue, there are many people worshiping and vowing. When those who had vowed had achieved the desired results often preferred to make a votive offering on sticky rice,

pla ra ''Pla ra'' ( th, ปลาร้า, ), similar to padaek in Laos, is a traditional Thai seasoning produced by fermenting fish with rice bran or roasted rice flour and salt fermented in a closed container for at least six months. Fermented fi ...

(pickled fish) and boiled eggs. The ordination hall has beautiful architecture with ornate frames for the doors and windows and sculptured doors. The murals of the hall adorn all four walls inside depict the Mahanipata Jataka (Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha), tales of the ten previous lives of

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

. The sermon hall and where Buddha statues are enshrined. The main Buddha statue in this hall is one of

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

from the late Sukhothai period. Originally it was encased in cement, when cement was cracked in the year 1957, it was found that it was actually a golden Buddha statue. Believe that it is a contemporary Buddha statue to the golden Buddha statue of Wat Traimit in Chainatown. The temple there is a shrine in honour of King Taksin located just outside the temple near the Khlong Bangkok Yai. This was built by members of the community in gratitude for the king’s restoration of the temple. As well as a

sacred pool Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleric. ...

that is believed to be a source of

holy water Holy water is water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy or a religious figure, or derived from a well or spring considered holy. The use for cleansing prior to a baptism and spiritual cleansing is common in several religions, from ...

for those who worship to bring water to bath or drink. In the year 1915, the land of the temple was also the location of the Bangkok Yai district office. Before moving to the current location at the Ratchadaphisek road near

Tha Phra Tha Phra ( th, ท่าพระ, ) is a main road intersection in the Wat Tha Phra Subdistrict, Bangkok Yai District in Thon Buri side, Bangkok. Characteristics & history The intersection is the junction of Ratchadaphisek (Inner Ring Road) a ...

intersection in year 1988. Besides, the nearby Itsaraphap MRT station, the extension station of the

MRT Blue Line The MRT Blue Line ( th, รถไฟฟ้า สายสีน้ำเงิน) or MRT Chaloem Ratchamongkon Line ( th, รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร สายเฉลิมรัชมงคล) is Bangkok's third rapid transit li ...

. The main theme of this station is the golden swan, which pays tribute to the majestic Wat Hong Rattanaram and the ceilings and columns of the main terminal are decorated with golden swan iconography. This is because the word "Hong" in Thai means hamsa, a mythical swan according to the beliefs of Thais and

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

and is also a steed of

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

Gallery

file:(2019) วัดหงส์รัตนารามราชวรวิหาร เขตบางกอกใหญ่ กรุงเทพมหานคร (11).jpg, The golden Buddha file:Wat Hong Rattanaram วัดหงษ์รัตนาราม กรุงเทพฯ 05.jpg, Outside the temple file:วัดหงส์รัตนาราม Wat Hong Rattanaram (3).jpg, Sacred pool image:Wat Hong Rattanaram วัดหงษ์รัตนาราม กรุงเทพฯ 01.jpg, King Taksin shrine file:วัดหงส์รัตนาราม Wat Hong Rattanaram (7).jpg, King Taksin statue file:(2019) วัดหงส์รัตนารามราชวรวิหาร เขตบางกอกใหญ่ กรุงเทพมหานคร (5).jpg, Phra Saen image:Wat Hong Rattanaram วัดหงษ์รัตนาราม กรุงเทพฯ 04.jpg, Inside the ordination hall image:วัดหงส์รัตนาราม Wat Hong Rattanaram (8).jpg, Swan-shaped pole, the origin name of the temple

References

{{Tourist attractions in Bangkok Bangkok Yai district category:Buddhist temples in Bangkok category:Thai Theravada Buddhist temples and monasteries category:Registered ancient monuments in Bangkok