chiang mai temple mania

Quick Facts about Chiang Mai

Location: Northern Thailand
Highlights: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, Night market
Sustainable activities:
- Sustainable elephant project: Elephant Nature Park, they are also looking for volunteers.
- Yoga: The Yoga Tree, Yoga Mind Yoga Body



In Chiang Mai we visited three temples and accidentally bumped into 10 other temples. That wasn't very difficult, as there are over 300 temples in Chiang Mai (4). I think, the temple density is even higher than the church density in Roma. (Approximately 150.000 people live in Chiang Mai, so 1 temple for 500 people. 2.600.000 people live in Roma and according to some estimations there might be up to 4.000 churches in Roma, so 1 church for 650 people.)

Wat Chedi Luang

One of the most significant temples in Chiang Mai is Wat Chedi Luang. In the 15th century it was 82 m high, but after an earthquake the structure collapsed. Now it's "just" 60 m high (6). I find it thrilling, that there are statues and banners of the Thai zodiac signs. They are closely related to the Chinese zodiac signs, but follow the Thai lunar calendar (2).

I'm a snake.

Click here for further information about the Thai zodiac signs.

Since the 23th of July (1), Buddhist monks have been practising Vassa, the three-month retreat during the rainy season (6). It is said, that Buddha came up with this rule, because the plants on the fields grow during the rainy seasons and he didn't want the monks to step on the plant sprouts (5). During Vassa, monks stay at their temple to study, meditate and teach (3).

Thai zodiac banners

Still, other daily duties have to be fulfilled, e.g. restoration. At Wat Chedi Luang we were able to watch a young Buddhist monk restoring a golden statue. With a plastic glove on his hand and an observing old lady in his back, he was rubbing some gold paste on the statue.

Monk restoring statue

(All photos were taken by my mom.)

Click here to learn more about the daily life of a Buddhist monk in Thailand.




List of Reference


1 RATANAGIRI, ARUNA 2012, 2013 Buddhist Calendar, URL http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma6/2004cal.html, (accessed by 5th of August 2013).

2 ROSE, MIKE 2013, Thai Zodiac Signs, URL http://www.thaisignlanguage.com/thai-zodiac-signs/, (accessed by 6th of August 2013).

3 THAI WORLD VIEW, Rain retreat, URL http://www.thaiworldview.com/bouddha/ceremon8.htm, (accessed by 5th of August 2013).

4 WIKIPEDIA 2013a, Chiang Mai, URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Mai, (accessed by 6th of August 2013).

5 WIKIPEDIA 2013a, Khao Phansa, URL http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khao_Phansa, (accessed by 5th of August 2013).

6 WIKIPEDIA 2013b, What Chedi Luang, URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Chedi_Luang, (accessed by 6th of August 2013).

7 WIKIPEDIA 2013c, Vassa, URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassa, (accessed by 5th of August 2013).