The Silver Temple in Chiang Mai
For something truly spectacular in Chiang Mai, visit the Silver Temple. Constructed over 10 years, it stands as an exceptional work of art.
Wualai Road Temple stands out for its easy accessibility south of the historic city wall as well as its captivating artwork adorning its walls.
Entrance
Wat Sri Suphan, in addition to being a beautiful temple with exquisite silver decorations, serves as an important hub of education and community life. It houses a school, silverware learning center and workshop where visitors can learn how to create their own silver jewelry pieces.
As you approach the Wua Lai Road temple entrance, you’ll be welcomed by beautiful wooden and silver statues depicting various religious figures and mythical creatures – most are Buddhist in nature; others depict other religions or mythical creatures altogether. Additionally, images of former King Bhumibol Adulyadej can also be found here.
Dedicated specifically to honor its royal patron, Wat Sri Suphan was given its current name during his reign – thought to honor all his royal blessings on both city and province alike. It became commonly known as Wat Sri upon completion.
The main structure of this temple is the ubosot, constructed during King (Phaya) Kaew or Mueang Kaew’s reign in 1500, according to an inscription on its nearby stele. Nine years later, an ordination hall and chedi were added.
Wat Sri Suphan stands apart from many temples in Thailand in that its interior is off limits to women due to the fact that its ubosot contains holy relics which could be disturbed by female visitors.
On the walls of an ubosot you will find exquisite gilt paintings depicting Jataka stories and life events of Buddha, with some banners featuring animals of the zodiac hanging from its ceiling. Most ubosots were constructed using nickel and aluminum rather than pure silver for their construction; repousse and chased work was done extensively to add decorative patterns onto them.
Wat Sri Suphan stands as one of Chiang Mai’s most remarkable temples, boasting generations of dedication from local Thai people who have dedicated themselves to its construction and upkeep. If you want to witness its splendor first-hand, make sure you book your trip soon – make it worth your while and plan your visit now!
Ordaining Hall
Wat Sri Suphan is more than a temple: it serves as a hub for Buddhist education and learning. Within its walls is an ordination hall or ubosot which symbolizes monks transitioning to monastic life; typically decorated with fine mural paintings and ornate structures.
The building features a three-tiered, gilded roof indicating it was constructed as part of an official temple (community temples typically feature single or double-tiered roofs). Furthermore, this roof has been further embellished by rows of carved nagas and chofa finials that seem to elevate it towards heaven.
Inside an ordination hall is a shrine with a small Buddha statue that sits upon an elaborate throne that recalls Mount Meru, home to Buddhist deities. Its presence here underscores how central kings were in developing Thailand’s early religious architecture.
Phra Buddha Trilokachet, or as it’s commonly known in Thai, stands out amongst the crowds of religious devotees at an ordination hall as one of its hallmark features. Originally called Phra Sri Sartsada, this bronze cast Buddha image was later given its current moniker by Thai King Rama III to commemorate his success in banning opium from his kingdom. Surrounding this central figure are 80 attendants depicting his disciples (known in Thai as sangsungsungs).
At an ancient tradition dating back centuries, young boys would formally ordain as monks before entering a monastery for some period of time, either temporary (such as weeks or months), or full time. Once seeking marriage partners their families often ask how long they spent as monks; as more they learn from Buddha’s teachings the better their husbands and fathers should be. It remains an integral part of Thai society today that young men choose this route prior to marrying and raising a family.
Buddha Images
Wat Sri Suphan stands out for its striking silver decorations, both inside and outside the temple. The intricate designs feature figures representing everything from Buddhist mythology and zodiac animals to rural life and even scenes from Buddha’s life itself – truly mesmerizing sights you could spend hours wandering around taking in every beautiful detail of this captivating place!
Wat Sri Suphan was constructed in 1502 and can be found just south of Chiang Mai’s city walls near its popular weekend market. This stunning temple stands out with its unique appearance due to its shiny coat of silver that sparkles brightly under sunlight. Additionally, there are various silverworking workshops on site which help preserve these skills used during its creation.
Visit a temple and explore its grounds before visiting its ubosot, or ordination hall. One of few places in Thailand where men only can enter, due to beliefs that allowing a female presence would lessen its sacredness and force monks to break their religious vows by entering, but don’t let this stop you; there’s plenty to see and do here nonetheless, making it worthwhile visiting.
Wat Sri Suphan offers more than an ornate and sacred ordination hall – it features numerous smaller pagodas, chedis and stupas as well. There’s even an intriguing Buddha footprint hidden near its entrance which may be hard to spot without some prior knowledge.
One of the many attractions of visiting Wat Sri Suphan Temple in Chiang Mai is that its tourist numbers tend to remain relatively low compared to similar locations. This allows you to wander freely around and take photographs without too many people getting in your way or blocking your view. Anyone interested in Thailand’s rich culture and heritage should make time for Wat Sri Suphan when in Chiang Mai; just make sure that you bring along a camera as well as comfortable shoes!
Relief Plates
Wat Sri Suphan offers much more than meets the eye. Local artists have painted this temple with bright and intricate relief plates depicting rural life, cities of the world and seven wonders from traditional Lanna culture – these plates serve to protect one from evil spirits and sorcerers who would cast curses or spells against you.
Blake employed both the stepped-biting and repainting techniques when creating his America plate, yet there are subtle distinctions in its creation compared to its counterparts in Songs. This could be caused by technical difficulties with it such as physical (such as bad acid) or spiritual ones ( such as doubt about design of print). Correlating these etching signatures with patterns of ledge and basin marks may help us learn more about their making process.