Wat Xieng Thong (Temple of the Golden City), Luang Prabang

Wat Xieng Thong ("Temple of the Golden City") is a Buddhist temple (vat or wat) on the northern tip of the peninsula of Luang Prabang, Laos.

King Setthathirat ordered the construction of Wat Xieng Thong’s sim (ordination hall) in 1560, and the compound remained under royal patronage until 1975. Like the royal palace, Wat Xieng Thong was placed within easy reach of the Mekong. The haw tai (Tripitaka library) was added in 1828, and the haw kawng (drum tower) in 1961.

Along with Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham, this was the only Luang Prabang wat spared by the 1887 Black Flag Haw sacking of the city. The Black Flag’s leader, Deo Van Tri (a Thai Khao or White Thai from the north Vietnam province of Lai Chau), had studied here as a monk earlier in his life, and he used the desecrated, if not destroyed, temple as his headquarters during the invasion.

The sim represents what is considered classic Luang Prabang temple architecture, with roofs that sweep low to the ground.

Entering through the southeast entrance.
This entrance is the land side entrance. The opposite entrance, from the northwest, is the river entrance.

At the entrance by the river there is a ceremonial staircase that goes from the river to the temple.

Central courtyard of the temple.
On the left side are the monks' dwellings. On the right side is the sim (ordination hall).

Further to the right is the funerary carriage chapel.

Funerary carriage chapel

Funerary carriage chapel seen from the southwest.
The building and funerary carriage are the work of Pae Ton.

The funerary carriage chapel is located east of the central courtyard.

Funerary carriage chapel seen from the northwest.

Carved wooden panels above the main door.
The carved wooden panels above the main door depict the main heroes of the epic Ramayana.

The Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic from ancient India, one of the two important epics of Hinduism, the other being the Mahabharata.
The epic, narrates the life of Rama, a prince of Ayodhya in the kingdom of Kosala. The epic follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest urged by his father King Dasharatha, on the request of Rama's stepmother Kaikeyi; his travels across forests in the Indian subcontinent with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana; the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana, the king of Lanka, that resulted in war; and Rama's eventual return to Ayodhya along with Sita to be crowned king amidst jubilation and celebration.
Phra Lak Phra Lam is a Lao language version, whose title comes from Lakshmana and Rama. The story of Lakshmana and Rama is told as the previous life of Gautama buddha.
See more at Ramayana - Wikipedia and Phra Lak Phra Ram - Wikipedia.

Sita undergoing Agni Pariksha.
In this detail, located on the right side of the door of the funerary carriage chapel, we can see Sita undergoing Agni Pariksha (a fiery ordeal) through which she proves her chastity before being accepted by Rama.

In the Ramayana, Sita – the consort of Rama (the prince of Ayodhya and an avatar of the god Vishnu) – is seized by Ravana and imprisoned in Lanka, until she is rescued by Rama, who slays her captor.
Sita undergoes Agni Pariksha (an ordeal of fire) by which she proves her chastity before she is accepted by Rama.
While some texts mention that Maya Sita is destroyed in the flames of Agni Pariksha, others narrate how she is blessed and reborn as Devi Radha or the goddess Padmavati.
The Maya Sita motif saves Sita – the chief goddess of Rama-centric sects – from falling prey to Ravana's plot of abduction and safeguards her purity.
See more at Maya Sita - Wikipedia.

Hanuman showing devotion towards Rama and Sita.
On the left side of the funerary carriage chapel door we can see four figures. Two haloed figures are standing. Two figures are kneeling on the floor. The figure that is kneeling on the left side is a monkey with his hands in a sign of devotion (bhakti).

The Ramayana narrates that the monkey-god Hanuman, a devotee of Rama, was sent by Rama to seek Sita and eventually succeeds in discovering her whereabouts in Lanka; where she meets with him.
Hanuman is presented as the exemplary devotee (bhakta) of Rama and Sita.
The Hindu texts present him as someone who is talented, strong, brave and spiritually devoted to Rama. The Rama stories such as the Ramayana and the Ramacharitmanas, in turn themselves, present the Hindu dharmic concept of the ideal, virtuous and compassionate man (Rama) and woman (Sita) thereby providing the context for attributes assigned therein for Hanuman.
See more at Hanuman: Attributes - Wikipedia and Bhakti: Buddhism - Wikipedia.

Sita holding the golden deer Maricha.
The left panel of the door that opens into the interior shows an image of Nang Sida (Sida), breasts bare and covered in jewels, holding the golden deer Maricha that she had seen in the forest and that she wanted to capture.

In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Maricha is a rakshasa, who was killed by Rama, the hero of the epic and an avatar of Vishnu. He is mentioned as an ally of Ravana, the antagonist of the epic. His most notable exploit is his role in the kidnapping of Sita, Rama's wife.
Cursed to be a rakshasa along with his mother Tataka and brother Subahu, Maricha initially led his life terrorizing sages. He was defeated by Rama at the behest of the sage Vishvamitra. He tried again to kill Rama, but had to run for his life again. Ultimately, Maricha assumed the form of a golden deer and helped Ravana kidnap Sita.
See more at Maricha - Wikipedia.

Sita persuading Rama to capture the deer.
On the right panel of the door, Sita poses coquettishly with Phra Ram (Rama). With one hand raised, she tries to persuade him to capture the deer, which will lead to the fall of both of them, while Rama embraces her tenderly, with his gaze sadly turned towards Maricha, as if filled with an ominous presentiment.

Sita persuaded Rama to get her the deer, dead or alive. If caught, she said it could be bred as a pet and taken back to Ayodhya as remembrance of their 14 years exile.
Rama said that this deer would die at his hands that day to comply with Sita's wish, or, if it was a magical rakshasa like Maricha – who killed kings and harmed sages – as Lakshmana had said, then too it was his duty to kill the beast.
See more at Maricha - Wikipedia.

Inside the funerary carriage chapel.
Inside is an impressive funeral carriage crafted by local artisan Thit Tanh, standing 12m high, and various funeral urns for the members of the royal family.

The richly carved and gilded wooden royal burial urn resembles a jar inside which the dead king would have been placed in the fetal position before his cremation. Two smaller urns contain the remains of his ancestors.
The ashes of King Sisavang Vong, the queen and the king’s brother, however, are not interred here but at Wat That Luang at the southern end of Luang Prabang.

Questioning the king.
To ask questions to the king we use Chien Tung sticks.

Kau chim, kau cim, chien tung, "lottery poetry" and Chinese fortune sticks are names for a fortune telling practice that originated in China in which a person poses questions and interprets answers from flat sticks inscribed with text or numerals.
In Thailand, kau chim is commonly known as seam si (alternatively spelled siem si, siem see).
The papers contain lyrical notes that describes your life at the present time with the purpose of helping you reflect on how you can be better. It is important to highlight that despite the name, the papers do not actually predict your fortune or future.
The tradition is very similar to o-mikuji, which is practised at Japanese shrines with the key difference being that o-mikuji is more superstitious and is purchased with money.
See more at Kau chim - Wikipedia and O-mikuji - Wikipedia.

Northeast corner

Water buffalo sculpture.
Between the funeral carriage chapel and the drum tower is this sculpture of a water buffalo.

In Chinese tradition, the water buffalo is associated with a contemplative life.
See more at Water buffalo: In culture - Wikipedia.

Drum tower.
The drum tower is between the boat shelter (left) and the sacred tree (right).

Boat shelter.
The boat shelter is against the wall next to the Mekong River.

Large nipple gong.
A nipple gong has a central raised boss or nipple, often made of different metals than other gongs with varying degrees of quality and resonance.

They have a tone with less shimmer than other gongs, and two distinct sounds depending on whether they are struck on the boss or next to it. They are most often but not always tuned to various pitches.
Nipple gongs range in size from 6 to 20 inches (15 to 51 cm) or larger. Sets of smaller, tuned nipple gongs can be used to play a melody.
Nipple gongs are used in Chinese temples for worship and Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia.
See more at Gong: Nipple gong - Wikipedia.

Ordination hall (Sim)

Sim seen from the southeast.
The Sim is the central shrine hall of a Laotian temple. Wat Xieng Thong's Sim is composed of nine cascading roofs and is decorated by gold stenciling.

The roofs are a central element of the structure, sweeping downward in an elaborate array.

Sim seen from the east.
The gable of the main portico is supported by four black and gold rectangular columns, two large and two smaller.

Above the double-arched gable decorated with gilded and carved decorations, there is the tympanum. This is supported by capitals in the shape of lotus petals topping the two main columns. The tympanum is decorated with two golden Dharma wheels on a red background, and a rectangle located above frames a third wheel.
The edge of the roof is covered with golden motifs, while the lower part is red supported and covered by other golden Dharma wheels.

Roof centerpiece (Dok so fa).
Along the center of the roof is the Dok so fa, small pagodas covered in gold that hook upwards to the sky. The number of pagodas and overall detail of this floral sculpture signifies the relative importance of a Laotian temple.

The Dok so fa can be translated from Lao to English as “jutting outward to the sky”. This decorative piece is meant to represent the Buddhist universe.
At Wat Xieng Thong, there are multiple individual spires that cascade upward from the left and right side up to a center spire that stands above all the rest. This central spire represents the sacred mountain of Mt. Meru and the other spires below it show the rest of the universe as they come into and go out of existence through infinity.
The representation of the Buddhist universe is just one layer of the Dok so fa, this has a double meaning. The upward movement from each lower tower to the one above it and finally reaching the central, highest tower is also intended to remind the Buddhist practitioner of the path to achieving Enlightenment. At its core, the Buddha's teaching to his followers is that the cessation of suffering can occur through maintaining the “Middle Way” and actively using the 8 principles in your spiritual practice - one must invoke the right understanding, the right intention, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. When looking at the Dok so fa in Wat Xieng Thong and counting each tower - whether on the left or right side - each set of towers leads upwards to the central tower in 8 steps. The Dok so fa is then a reminder for practitioners to follow the principles of spiritual practice that the Buddha taught in order to achieve the ultimate goal – Enlightenment.

Back of the building.
At the back of the building there is a mosaic on a red background of the tree of life with silver, turquoise, blue, violet and green colors. Its details are put into value with the clarity of the sunset.

This mosaic was created by Thao Sing Kèo, a local artist in the 1960s, at the same time as those of one of the chapels of the enclosure, the red chapel, and those of the throne room of the Royal Palace, commissioned by Savang Vatthana.
Its image, the motif of the tree of life, is recurrent in Southeast Asia and is a symbol in the cosmology of axis mundi, the link between the heavens, the earth and the underworld.
Trees are also symbols of the unity of the universe, with their roots underground and their branches stretching toward the heavens.
Other legends surrounding this tree motif include that of the two hermits who marked out the territory of the future city near the tree of life.
This mosaic with naive charm, framed by two round black and gold columns, has the tree and its thick branches as its center.

Tree of life.
At the foot of the tree sits a rather strange-looking tiger. There is also a stag running, a cow and her calf lying on the ground, birds fluttering, and a pilgrim walking with a cane. These representations would be taken from Laotian fables.

At the level of the lowest branches are two magnificent peacocks, whose symbolism is important in Hinduism. In the Rig Veda, sacred texts dating from 1200 BC, the steeds of Indra, god of lightning, rain and war, are said to have a mane of peacock feathers.
The Ramayana also alludes to the metamorphosis of the gods into animal form in order to escape the cruel Ravana. Indra would have transformed into a peacock. The pattern of its feathers revealing thousands of eyes gives it the power to kill snakes. Swallowing the snake's venom would have given it its colorful plumage.
Above the peacocks, other birds are perched on branches adorned with pretty leaves and at the top of the tree are kinnari.
Even higher up stands a golden Buddha, arms at his sides, with a purple and gold stupa behind him and, on either side, worshipers on their knees supplicating.

Sim north wall.
On the north wall there is a small sculpture of the head of an elephant, the god Ganecha, in silver mosaic.

In the Lao New Year, Pi Mai, this elephant head serves as a holy water fountain. The water that comes out of it comes from the spraying of the main sculpture of the Buddha inside the Sim. The water is poured into the tail of a hanglin, a long wooden naga, and comes out through its mouth. (See below.)
The inhabitants collect this water and take it to their homes so that the new year will be prosperous.

Main entrance door to the temple.
As if the visitor was not dazzled enough by the exterior, the interior, although dark and lit only by candles and dim bulbs, is filled with other golden images.

The walls and ceiling, supported by cylindrical and rectangular columns, are covered with stenciled designs.
Although the gold leaf has been replaced with gold paint, these images still radiate in the dim light.

Inside the temple.
The ceiling is decorated with golden Dharma wheels in black squares. The corners of the squares are decorated with lotus motifs which stand out like the protrusions of medieval cathedrals.

Floral, plant and geometric motifs form backgrounds for numerous anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, some half-beasts, half-men and others half-birds, half-men, kinnari.
Myths and legends are represented, such as the tales of King Chanthaphanith, a simple betel nut merchant who came to trade in Laos and who became king.

Three Worlds (Traiphum).
Images of the Traiphum are also present. The Traiphum, literally meaning "Three Worlds", is an important doctrinal tradition within Theravada Buddhism.

In the heavens there are small palaces where the Buddha sits in a meditation position, while the celestial deities appear higher up, Rama travels in a magnificent horse-drawn carriage, he is protected by a parasol.
On the land, golden trees display delicate branches, and intricately detailed palm trees are scattered; men, standing or kneeling, are alone or in groups of two.
The underworld shows humans punished in horrible ways: crucified, burned in cauldrons of boiling liquids, cut into pieces, whipped or hanged, but always represented with great delicacy of line. These images, of course didactic, aim to warn pilgrims of the consequences of sin.

Main Buddha statue.
Main Buddha statue at Wat Xieng Thong, surrounded by figurines. It is common practice in Luang Prabang to place numerous effigies on or near the altar.

There are other statues of Buddha standing in the corridor.
When new statues are brought in, the old ones are moved to a nearby chapel.

Trough for holy water (Hanglin).
Take note of a long wooden gutter in the rafters, shaped like a mythical serpent, and notice how it works. It is used in Lao New Year celebrations.

Water is poured into a container on the serpent's tail, runs along the trough and gushes from its mouth, bathing an image of Buddha housed in a wooden structure near the altar.

Standing Buddha chapel.

Standing Buddha chapel (Wihaan).
The pediment of the standing Buddha chapel is richly decorated with, in the center, colored glass inlays forming a lotus.

Two small kinnari statues are placed on either side of the base of the pediment.

Reclining Buddha chapel

Reclining Buddha chapel (Red chapel).
Next to the chapel of the standing Buddha is the Red Chapel, named after French explorers. It houses a reclining Buddha. His dress rises slightly upwards at the level of his feet and one hand supports his head.

This statue was taken to Paris for the International Colonial Exhibition of 1931, then was brought back to Vientiane where it remained until 1964, before being reinstalled in the Red Chapel.
The exterior walls are decorated with a mosaic created in the 1950s to celebrate the Buddha's access to nirvana, 2,500 years ago. The motifs are inlaid glass with shimmering colors on a pink background. They were made in the same style as the mosaics in the throne room of the Royal Palace. Although the colors are bright, they are extraordinarily delicate in a most charming naive style.
The tops of the walls represent the sky, with Buddhas seated in shrines.
Further down is the terrestrial world represented by houses on stilts, chickens and other animals as well as people running or playing ball, scenes of daily life among trees and flowers.

Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness shrine

Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness shrine.
Buddha holds his right hand downward in the earth-touching gesture (bhumisparsha mudra) with which he calls the earth goddess to affirm that he is entitled to attain enlightenment following his triumph over Mara, the destroyer.

This act was a key moment in the life of the Buddha, and thus this pose and hand gesture have been used repeatedly for depictions of the Buddha in art.

Tripitaka library

Tripitaka library (Hor tai).
The Tripitaka library was added in 1880. The library, or Hor tai, houses Buddhist manuscripts. One of the most revered statues in Luang Prabang, the Phra Maan Buddha statue, rests inside. The inhabitants come to invoke him when they want to have children.

Tipitaka or Tripitaka, meaning "Triple Basket", is the traditional term for ancient collections of Buddhist sacred scriptures.
The Tripitaka is composed of three main categories of texts that collectively constitute the Buddhist canon: the Sutra Pitaka (Basket of Discourse), the Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline), and the Abhidhamma Pitaka (Basket of Higher Doctrine).
See more at Tripiṭaka - Wikipedia.

Western stupas

Stupa behind the Tripitaka library.
The Nirvana Stupa refers to the death of the Buddha when he was 80 years old.

It symbolizes the Buddha’s complete absorption into the highest state of mind.
The Nirvana Stupa is characterized by its circular bell-shaped dome and usually not ornamented.

Octagonal stupa.
The octagonal stupa has an animal at each cardinal point.

The octagonal stupa is generally the Stupa of Reconciliation.
This stupa commemorates the Buddha’s reconciliation of the disputing factions within the Sangha which had been divided by the enmity of his cousin Devadatta.
Buddha reunited the Sangha at the Veluvana bamboo grove at Rafagriha, and the local inhabitants of the kingdom of Magadha constructed a stupa in this design.
The reconciliation stupa is characterized by its four octagonal steps with equal sides.
Furthermore, various symbolic meanings are given for the four levels of eights-sided steps, which total thirty-two in number.

Lotus Stupa (Kraduk Pathum).
The Lotus Stupa, also known as the Stupa of Heaped Lotuses or Birth of the Sugata Stupa, refers to the birth of the Buddha.

“At birth Buddha took seven steps in each of the four directions” (East, South, West, and North). Most noteworthy, each direction lotuses sprang, symbolizing the Four Immeasurable: love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.
The four steps of the basis of this stupa are circular, and it is decorated with lotus-petal designs.
Occasionally, seven heaped lotus steps are constructed. These refer to the seven first steps of the Buddha.