Wat Rong Khun – the most unusual temple in Thailand

Walk through the magical world of Wat Rong Khun will cause You a storm of emotions. The most unique temple in the Kingdom of Thailand — the White temple. Unusual idea called for Chalermchai Kositpipat, an artist who was famous for his religious paintings. But this temple is not just a tribute to Buddhism. It is indeed a work of art that is only about two decades. Open to visitors the White temple in 1997.





In his architectural work Chalermchai re-opens the subtleties of Thai art for the modern world. When moving on the site, You will find yourself in the surreal world of the Buddhist teachings artist. The entrance to the temple is decorated with frescoes depicting traditional Buddhist motifs. Whimsical sculptures and architectural elements fill the landscape.





Every detail of Wat Rong Khun carries deep religious symbolism — although admittedly most Thais do not know the meaning of many characters. Chalermchai abandoned the traditional Golden flowers and chose color of the temple is white, symbolizing the purity of the Buddha. Mirrors embedded in the structure reflect light, symbolizing wisdom of the Buddha that shines throughout the Earth and the Universe.

Most of the temple relate to the desires, greed and passions, who is winning the rise through the Buddhist teachings. To get to the main hall of the temple, You cross a threshold guarded by demons, and You must pass on a bridge over an ocean of ghostly hands, symbolizing the cycle of death and rebirth. The building of the temple symbolizes the realm of the Buddha and Nirvana.

Today, the construction of complex White Church is not finished. After completion it will have nine buildings: an existing temple, the hall of relics, a meditation hall, art gallery and living quarters for the monks.





The bridge of the "cycle of rebirth": the path to the main building in an unusual complex is via a bridge over a small lake. In front of the bridge hundreds of hands, which symbolize unrestrained desire. The bridge proclaims that the path to happiness is opened only after the victory over temptation and greed. Near the lake stand two very elegant Kinnari — half-man, half-bird creatures from Buddhist mythology.

Gate of Heaven: after crossing the bridge, visitors come to "the heavenly gate" protected by two creatures, of Death and Rahu, who decide the fate of the dead.





Ubosot: the main building is a white building with fragments of mirrored glass embedded in the exterior. The Ubosot embodies the design elements of classic Thai architecture, such as three-tiered roof and abundant use of Naga serpents. And inside You will find a shock: the decor is rapidly moving from pure white to fiery and bewildering. The frescoes depict the swirling orange flames of the demon, some of the frescoes depict Western idols such as Michael Jackson, Neo from the Matrix, Freddy Krueger and the Terminator.

Image of nuclear war, terrorist attacks, and oil pumps all the devastating impact of humans on the Earth. The presence here of Harry Potter, Superman and Hello Kitty confuses the message somewhat, but the overall moral is clear: people are wicked.





Gold building: a structure that stands out because of its color. This building Lounges. Another very ornate structure, this Golden building is the body, while the white Ubosot is of the mind. Gold symbolizes the concentration of people in worldly desires and money. The gold building, according to the architect, should encourage people to pay attention to morality and religion, not of material goods.

The white temple is a great work of art that combines morality, religion and modern values. For many visitors, the message Chalermchai Kositpipat remains unclear, because such a mix of the intricacies of Eastern religion and modern values of the Western world introduces them into confusion. That is why there are many guides who can answer all questions and to explain the unusual symbolism of a Thai architect.published

 

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

Source: mif-facts.com.ua