The past few weeks I have been doing pilgrimage in Chiang Mai for the first time, an important Buddhist site in North Thailand with hundreds of ornate and stunning Buddhist temples (Wats) on every street. It is my first time to this region of Thailand and I can honestly say it is one of the most blissful, stunning, sensual places I have ever visited as a woman and a Buddhist. Access to the most amazing Thai food on every street corner, boutique hotels, a river with fresh flower market daily, and of course hills and unbelievably stunning Buddhist temples.
In the first of a series of articles about this magnificent town in Thailand, I give a brief overview of its history and some photos of the main Wats I visited. Photos never do a place justice but for now, here are some photos I took of some of my favourite temples in Chiang Mai itself, Doi Suthep (a wat at one of the high mountains next to Chiang Mai), Wat Phra Singh (the Lion Buddha temple), Wat Sri Suphan (the silver temple) and the endless stunning flowers around every street corner!
Buddhist ‘man-only’ temples and the ‘impure’ menstruating women
One of the first things that struck me while staying in Thailand were some of the many public temples (not monasteries) were ‘men only’ including the famous ‘silver temple’. Reasons given for this were various, the main one being that because women ‘menstruate’ it is considered dirty and corrupts the temple (even when they are not menstruating!). Hard to believe that such outdated, sexist and deeply offensive patriarchal views are alive and kicking. Watching both laymen and monks enter these ‘sacred places’ while the ‘mother’ women whose menstrual blood gave them life itself stand outside was sad and bizarre.
It seems Thai Buddhism has some way to go before female equality for women and the nuns is achieved, although there are now full ordained nuns in Thailand. More on that in the next post!
The village city of Chiang Mai and the old city walled settlement
Chiang Mai, largest city in northern Thailand and the third largest city in the nation after metropolitan Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima. It is located on the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River, near the centre of a fertile intermontane basin at an elevation of 1,100 feet (335 m). It serves as the religious, economic, cultural, educational, and transportation centre for both northern Thailand and part of neighbouring Myanmar (Burma). Once the capital of an independent kingdom, the city also has strong cultural ties with Laos.
The settlement, founded as a royal residence in 1292 and as a town in 1296, served as the capital of the Lanna Thai kingdom until 1558, when it fell to the Myanmar. In 1774 the Siamese king Taksin drove out the Myanmar; but Chiang Mai retained a degree of independence from Bangkok until the late 19th century.
In contrast to the normally densely populated Asian city, Chiang Mai has the appearance of a large village—orderly, clean, traditional, and almost sprawling. The older part of town, particularly the 18th-century walled settlement, is on the west bank of the river; it contains ruins of many 13th- and 14th-century temples. The modern east-bank portion is a more open area. Two bridges cross the broad Ping River. Chiang Mai is a flourishing tourist and resort centre. Phu Ping Palace, the summer home of the Thai royal family, is nearby.
Buddhist Universities
There are several Buddhist universities in Chiang Mai, which specialise in courses on Buddhism, Pali and Buddhist philosophy. One university is situated next to a lovely man-made lake at the foot of the Doi Suthep hill, which I visited briefly before going up for my second visit to the temple on top of Doi Suthep, for more on that temple, see below.
The oldest Wat in Chiang Mai – Wat Chiang Man
The first Wat/temple I visited when I arrived in Chiang Mai was the oldest Wat there, Wat Chiang Man. It was built by Mangrai in 1297 CE as the first temple of Chiang Mai on the location of Wiang Nopburi, a fortified town of the Lawa people which had been used by King Mangrai as a camp during the construction of his new capital city Chiang Mai:
Chedi Chang Lom – the ‘Elephant Chedi‘ is the oldest construction within the temple complex. The square base supports a second level which has the front half of 15 life-sized brick-and-stucco elephants emerging from it. The elephants seem to carry the upper levels of the building on their backs. The gilded upper part of the chedi contains a bell shaped relic chamber directly underneath the pinnacle.
Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phan Tao
Another important and stunning Wat in the centre of the old city of Chiang Mai is Wat Chedi Luang.
The current temple grounds were originally made up of three temples — Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin. The construction of the temple started in the 14th century, when King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury the ashes of his father in the place. After 10 years of building time it was left unfinished, later to be continued after the death of the king by his widow. Probably due to stability problems it took until the mid-15th century to be finished during the reign of king Tilokaraj. It was then 82 m high and had a base diameter of 54 m, at that time the largest building of all Lanna. In 1468, the Emerald Buddha was installed in the eastern niche. In 1545, the upper 30 m of the structure collapsed after an earthquake, and shortly thereafter, in 1551, the Emerald Buddha was moved to Luang Prabang.
In the early 1990s the chedi was reconstructed, financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government. However the result is somewhat controversial, as some claim the new elements are in Central Thai style, not Lanna style. For the 600th anniversary of the chedi in 1995, a copy of the Emerald Buddha made from black jade was placed in the reconstructed eastern niche. The icon is named official Phra Phut Chaloem Sirirat, but is commonly known as Phra Yok.
My first visit there was in the daytime, see photos below. On the important Yipeng full moon festival of lights from 27th-28th November (the full moon day), there was a laser light show projected onto the ancient stupa, more on that in another post! Here is a reel I created of both Wats in the evening, and the evening light show.
Wat Phan Tao
Wat Phan Tao is an ancient Temple that sits right next to the sacred Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai town. It is known for its exquisite Lanna-style ordination hall (Wihan) entirely made of teak wood, which served as a throne hall during the reign of King Mahotara Prateth. It is now where the sacred Phan Tao buddha image is enshrined.
Wat Palad and Doi Suthep Wat
Another trip worth making that can be done in a couple of hours is to the Wats in the Suthep area of Chiang Mai, which offer a stunning view of the city of Chiang Mai at night. You can go with a tour group or with a red public taxi van for around 60 to 100 Baht.
The first Wat before the top is Wat Palad, with a stunning city view, staircase and stupas:
Doi Suthep during the evening
After Wat Palad, one arrives at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is on top of a hill (around 1,060 metres (3,478 ft)) forming Doi Suthep. This Buddhist place of worship dates back to the 14th century. It is an important venue for the devout and a legend featuring a white elephant is connected to this revered site. There are views of Chiang Mai city and its surroundings from the top of this mountain.One can walk the steps up, or take an elevator if it is too hot/humid.
Wat Phra Sing (1345) houses Phra Sing, the most venerated Buddha figure of the north
The origins of this statue are unknown but, according to legend, it was based on the lion of Shakya, a statue since lost which used to be housed in the Mahabodhi Temple of Bodh Gaya (India).
Wat Phra Sing (1345) houses Phra Sing (the Lion Buddha), the most venerated Buddha figure of the north. Construction on Wat Phra Singh began in 1345 when King Phayu, the fifth king of the Mangrai dynasty, had a chedi built to house the ashes of his father King Kham Fu. A wihan and several other buildings were added a few years later and the resulting complex was named Wat Lichiang Phra. When, in 1367, the statue of Phra Buddha Singh was brought to the temple, the temple complex received its present name.
The origins of this statue are unknown but, according to legend, it was based on the lion of Shakya, a statue since lost which used to be housed in the Mahabodhi Temple of Bodh Gaya (India). The Phra Buddha Singh statue is supposed to have been brought, via Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka), to Ligor (present day Nakhon Si Thammarat) and, from there, via Ayutthaya, to Chiang Mai.
There are two more Buddha statues in Thailand which are claimed to be the Phra Buddha Sihing: one is housed in Wat Phra Mahathat in the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat and another one the Bangkok National Museum.
From 1578 to 1774 the Burmese ruled Lanna and in this period the temple was abandoned and fell into serious disrepair. It was only when King Kawila assumed the throne as King of Chiang Mai in 1782, that the temple was restored. King Kawila had the ubosot built and the chedi enlarged. Later successors restored the Wihan Lai Kham and the elegant Ho Trai (temple library).
The whole temple complex underwent extensive renovations under the famous monk Khru Ba Srivichai during the 1920s. Many of the buildings were again restored in 2002.
Night-time scenes, dance and Asian banker at Wat Prha Singh
Another stunning temple in the same grounds houses this Buddha statue and life-size models of well-known Thai Buddhist monks, no female statue though!
Here is a reel I made of my visit there one evening, where I spontaneously walked into a dance show attended by an eminent and wealthy Thai director of a big Thai bank. Here is a reel of the dance by stunning Thai women, including one particularly sensual one where they offered red rose petals.
Wat Sri Suphan (the ‘silver temple’) – where women are not allowed inside
Wat Si Suphan (the Silver Temple) was built in the reign of King Mueang Kaeo of Mangrai dynasty in 1500 (2043 B.E.) by consecration of Phrachao Ched Tue or Phra Phutthapatihan Buddha image. The later construction of the ordination hall and Phra Wihan Borommathai Chedi took place in 1509, when the ceremonial site of the hall was established together with the reestablishment of the Buddha image. However, the old structure is now replaced by the silver ordination hall due to dilapidation. The architecture is built in Lanna style of masonry and the aluminium-and-silver decoration over delicate carving. This three-dimension art portrays stories of Buddhism, dharma puzzles, and the history of the temple with purposes not only to preserve the religion, conserve the local wisdom of silverware, but also to boast the pride of Lanna kingdom for generations to come.
The temple managers/owners forbid women entry, but allow lay men and monks to enter, regardless of their background. Reason being? Women menstruate! As I was not allowed to go inside due to my ‘dirty’ menstrual blood, the life-giving force of all humans in the womb (including men), here is a photo of the inside of the temple from a male photographer. More on that and other issues related to Buddhist women in Thailand in the following second post, here.
Silver Temple – Night time scenes light show
Another evening I went there, I saw a wonderful traditional Thai music and dance show, here is a short video reel I made of the dancing and some photos below:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1018665179394496