Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ( th, วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ, , ) is a
Theravada
''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
Buddhist temple (
wat
A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」 (w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...
) in
Chiang Mai Province
Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province (''changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lam ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. The temple is often referred to as "
Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep (ดอยสุเทพ), is a mountain ("doi") west of Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is in elevation and is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain. The other peak is known as Doi Pui and is slightly higher ().
Doi Suthep is from ...
" although this is actually the name of the mountain where it's located. It is a sacred site to many
Thai people
Thai people ( th, ชาวไทย; ''endonym''), Central Thai people ( th, คนภาคกลาง, sou, คนใต้, ตามโพร; ''exonym and also domestically'') or Siamese ( th, ชาวสยาม; ''historical exonym and ...
. The temple is from the city of
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...
and situated at an elevation of 1,073 meters. From the temple, impressive views of downtown Chiang Mai can be seen.
History
The original founding of the temple remains a legend and there are a few varied versions. The temple is said to have been founded in 1383 when the first
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
was built. Over time, the temple has expanded, and been made to look more extravagant with many more holy shrines added. A road to the temple was first built in 1935.
White elephant legend
According to legend, a monk named Sumanathera from the
Sukhothai Kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ( th, สุโขทัย, , IAST: , ) was a post-classical Thai kingdom (mandala) in Mainland Southeast Asia surrounding the ancient capital city of Sukhothai in present-day north-central Thailand. The kingdom was fo ...
had a dream. In this vision he was told to go to Pang Cha and look for a relic. Sumanathera ventured to Pang Cha and found a bone. Many claim it was
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a 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 born in Lu ...
's shoulder bone. The relic displayed magical powers: it glowed, it was able to vanish, it could move and replicate itself. Sumanathera took the relic to King Dhammaraja, who ruled Sukhothai. The eager Dhammaraja made offerings and hosted a ceremony when Sumanathera arrived. However, the relic displayed no abnormal characteristics, and the king, doubtful of the relic's authenticity, told Sumanathera to keep it.
King Nu Naone of
Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
heard of the relic and bade the monk to bring it to him. In 1368, with Dharmmaraja's permission, Sumanathera took the relic to what is now
Lamphun
Lamphun ( th, ลำพูน, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Lamphun Province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' Nai Mueang of Mueang Lamphun district. As of 2006 it has a population of 14,030. Lamphun lies north ...
, in northern Thailand. Once there, the relic broke into two pieces. The smaller piece was enshrined at
Wat Suan Dok
Wat Suan Dok ( th, วัดสวนดอก, , roughly "flower garden temple"), also known as Wat Buppharam (, ) is a Buddhist temple (Wat) in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. It is a Royal Temple of the Third Class. The temple is on Suthep Ro ...
. The other piece was placed by the king on the back of a
white elephant
A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, sch ...
which was released into the jungle. The elephant is said to have climbed up Doi Suthep, at that time called Doi Aoy Chang (''Sugar Elephant Mountain''), stopped, trumpeted three times, then dropped dead. This was interpreted as an omen. King Nu Naone immediately ordered the construction of a temple at the site.
The name of the Temple (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep) actually explains what the temple has. ''Phra'' entails of an honorific Buddha image, and ''That'' means a relic.
[Beek, Steve Van, and Luca Invernizzi Tettoni. The Arts of Thailand. Thames and Hudson, 1991.] Combining the two tells that there is a relic of Buddha's in the sanctity of the Wat, and in this case it's half of Buddha's shoulder bone. The location of the shoulder bone relic is to be found in the rounded portion of the Chedi right above the octagonal
redented section and below the ringed section.
Visiting the temple
![Wat Phra That Doi Suthep12](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Wat_Phra_That_Doi_Suthep12.JPG)
The wat can be reached by road from
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...
. From the car park at the temple's base visitors can climb 309 steps to reach the pagodas or take a tram. It's also possible to hike up to the temple from the city following the Monk's Trail.
Once inside the temple grounds visitors must be appropriately dressed and must remove footwear. The original gold plated
chedi is the most holy area of the temple grounds. Within the site are pagodas, statues, bells, a museum, and shrines. Aspects of the wat draw from both
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
and
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. There is a model of the
Emerald Buddha
The Emerald Buddha ( th, พระแก้วมรกต , or ) is an image of the meditating Gautama Buddha seated in a meditative posture, made of a semi-precious green stone (jasper rather than emerald or jade), clothed in gold. and about ...
and a statue of the Hindu God
Ganesh
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...
. Views of Chiang Mai can be seen on the far side of the temple.
Architecture of the site
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a gorgeously planned Wat with a story to tell about Buddhism. Once the Naga lined steps are surmounted (the longest Naga balustrade in Thailand), the first site one sees is the White elephant statue commemorating the story behind the Wat placement. The closest entrance to the inner ring is to the left, on the North side of the complex. The immediate view is one of the
chedi towering 79 feet (24 meters). This gold plated spire is very typical of Northern Thailand chedi with its heightened
redented octagonal base, ringed spire, smooth spire, and the tiered
chatra (umbrella)
The ''chhatra'' (from sa, छत्र, meaning "umbrella") "jewelled/precious parasol" is an auspicious symbol in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.
The ''chhatra'' in various traditions
According to Hindu mythology, it is the emblem of Varuna, ...
at the top. The structure is greatly influenced by
Sukhothai art; however, the
chatra
Chatra is the headquarters of Chatra district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.
History
Chatra was the “headquarters” of Ramgarh district in the 18th-19th century. The renowned reformer, Raja Rammohan Roy, was ''sheristadar'' in Ramgarh di ...
isn't a Thai influence, but rather an aspect that came from two centuries of Burmese occupation.
The tiered and angular shape of the chedi is found all around Thailand is an aspect of Buddhist architecture.
The tiers represent the level of heavens that one must ascend in order to achieve Nirvana as well as the hierarchy associated with a monarchy. The angular shape and sloping appearance are more related to the feeling that Thai architects wished to relate. In Threvada Buddhism, the main focus is to rid oneself of unwholesomeness, and to do that there is a focus on peace, lightness, and floating.
[Hays, Jeffrey. “Thai Religious Architecture: Concepts, Temples, Symbols and Parts of Temples.” Facts and Details, factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Thailand/sub5_8e/entry-3260.html.] If the chedi was just its plain shapes of an octagon and triangle, it would appear dense and static. The
redented look, near parabolic slope, and golden cover of the chedi creates a feeling of weightlessness of the structure.
This same concept can be seen with the . The weightlessness for the and the surround structures comes primarily from the roof aesthetic. The aesthetic that comes into play here is the toying of geometry and separating similar shapes. This particular has a two tiered roof with the different sections being at different angels. The lower tier is at a flatter angle to replicate a stouter more tense look, while the next tier is at a quite steep angle that creates a more elevated and relaxed look. This separation is to represent the freedom from attachment which is the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
The white stucco and incredibly ornate pediment greatly assist with this lightweight feel and separation, but the roof provides the most dynamic movement of the building due to its size and composure. The pediments are typically the most decorated parts of the building that express the grandeur and status of the temple. At each corner of the roof tiers there's a flat ornamental
Naga
Naga or NAGA may refer to:
Mythology
* Nāga, a serpentine deity or race in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions
* Naga Kingdom, in the epic ''Mahabharata''
* Phaya Naga, mythical creatures believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong Riv ...
and the large pointed pieces at the peak of the roof are called .
The same Buddhist theme from the exterior also makes its way to the interior with many different factors. The first is that the walls and columns all slant inward to the center of the building. This is to help with the structural integrity of the building, but to also make the feeling of the room ascending. The interior is also greatly decorated with murals all over the walls. The murals are typically the story of Buddha's life and travels but also include Hindu aspects as well.
The inside is of the building is typically quite dark because the main lighting comes from the narrow vertical windows and the fact that the murals and all of the indoor decoration are darker materials. The narrowness of the windows is for structural concerns, but to also help with the ascension feel because they are actually trapezoids that are wider at the base. The interiors at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep contains myriads of Buddha statues that come in all different styles and materials just like the outside courtyard.
The layout of the complex shows bi axial symmetry around the chedi with the main and small slightly off the east-west cardinal plane. The cardinal directions are important to Buddhism and it is said that if there isn't a body of water around, like in this case, then the main should face the rising sun. This explains why the main is on the west side of the complex. Outside of the square courtyard the placement and design of the surroundings is due to the topography of the mountaintop. The viewing spot to see Chiang Mai is a propped cantilever with around a 15-foot drop over the edge. Even looking at the wooden and the monk's residence further down the hill, they both exist on the north-south plane pointing towards the chedi. Everything on the site points inward towards the iconic chedi indicating its significance to the wat.
Issues with politics and religion
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is considered to be one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in Thailand due to its relic as well as the influence from Chiang Mai being the center of the Lanna Kingdom back in the 14th century. In fact the wat can get 120,000 visitors per month, with the numbers being higher during holidays like Songkhan and more especially Visakha Bucha Day when local people climb the mountain and sleep on the esplanade of the temple to commemorate the birth of the Buddha. Most of these visitors are from Thailand, Singapore, China, and India and they consider themselves "pilgrim-tourist" because they pay homage to the site but also indulge on the surrounding attractions. Tourism is always going to be a huge part of the wat and because of the economics of this, political actions will always come around. This first begins with
Khruba Siwichai
Khruba Siwichai ( th, ครูบาศรีวิชัย, also spelled Sriwichai) was a Thai Buddhist monk born in 1878 in the village of Ban Pang, Li District, in Lamphun Province of northern Thailand. Siwichai is best known for the buildi ...
who oversaw building the road in 1935. He was a huge part of the Buddhist culture in this region because of his great merit and dedication to the culture but also the building projects he took on. At the turn of the 20th century, the Thai Buddhist authorities were attempting to centralize and integrate the loosely conformed northern Buddhist leaders to more of a national hierarchical order. Siwichai was one of the main speakers against this and became a symbol of the religious and societal freedom of the northern culture. His spirit could be seen again in the 1980s when there was talk of a cable car being installed to the wat instead of using the road. This caused a huge debate and put into question the sanctity of the wat. Part of the Buddhist culture is the pilgrimage to wats and by introducing this device, would it take away from that aspect? The government and the locals battled long and hard over who it would truly benefit and the religious aspects, but eventually the locals rallying support led to the plan being scrapped.
[Evrard, Olivier, and Prasit Leepreecha. “Monks, Monarchs and Mountain Folks.” Critique of Anthropology, vol. 29, no. 3, 8 Sept. 2009, pp. 300–323., doi:10.1177/0308275x09104657.]
Gallery
File:Thailand Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Dragons on Gates.JPG, Naga on gates of the temple
File:Chiang mai stone snake.jpg, Stone snake near the gates
File:Thailand Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Dragon Decoration.JPG, Naga decoration
File:Thailand Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Golden Mount.JPG, Golden mount at the temple
File:Thailand Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Golden Mount with Buddha Statues.JPG, Golden mount at the temple
File:Thailand Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Buddha Statue.JPG, Golden Buddha statue at the temple
File:Thailand Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Green Glass Buddha Statue.JPG, Green glass Buddha statue
File:Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Golden Buddha, Doi Suthep, Thailand.jpg, Golden Buddha
File:Wat Phra That Doi Suthep 2, Doi Suthep, Thailand.jpg, Circumambulation
See also
*
Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep (ดอยสุเทพ), is a mountain ("doi") west of Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is in elevation and is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain. The other peak is known as Doi Pui and is slightly higher ().
Doi Suthep is from ...
*
Buddhist temples in Thailand
There are a total of 41,205 Buddhist temples ( Thai: '' Wat'') in Thailand since last update. This is confirmed, of which 33,902 are in current use, according to the Office of National Buddhism. Of the 33,902 active temples, 31,890 are of the ...
*
Doi Suthep National Park
*
Thai Temple Art and Architecture
Thai temple art and architecture is the art and architecture of Buddhist temples in Thailand. Temples are known as ''wat''s, from the Pāḷi ''vāṭa'', meaning "enclosure". A temple has an enclosing wall that divides it from the secular world. ...
References
External links
Doi Suthep, Tourism Thailand
{{Authority control
Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep (ดอยสุเทพ), is a mountain ("doi") west of Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is in elevation and is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain. The other peak is known as Doi Pui and is slightly higher ().
Doi Suthep is from ...
Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Thailand
Thai Theravada Buddhist temples and monasteries
Buddhist relics
14th-century Buddhist temples
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1383