Part 2: Theoretical Frameworks and Relevant Documents
1. Wat Chaiyo Worawihan
The temple’s location and general information
Wat Chaiyo Worawihan is located at No. 13 Chaiyo Sub-district, Chaiyo District in Ang Thong Province. It is located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, approximately 18 kilometers away from Mueang sub-district, on Ang Thong-Sing Buri route. To the north of this temple there is a village, to the south is a public thoroughfare, to the east is the Chao Phraya River and to the west is a highway road No. 309. The site of this temple is a low area on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. The buildings inside the temple compound are comprised of 1.) a group of assembly hall and ordination hall is standing on the same compound which is surrounded by the lower wall. 2.) a Square-based stupa with twenty indented corners stands in front of the group of assembly hall and ordinational hall. 3.) a pavilion (Sala Kan Parian) which is opposite the the group of assembly hall and ordinational hall. 4.) a praying hall is in the middle of a group of residences for monks. 5.) a group of residences for monks 6.) a bell tower stands in front of a group of residences for monks. 7.) a crematorium (Men) which stands behind a group of residences for monks. 8.) a new assemble hall of Buddha’s footprint 9.) a new assembly hall of
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Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi) which stands nearby the group of assembly hall and ordination hall. 10.) Phrapariyatidhamma school and 11.) Wat Chaiyo primary school.
Historic Value
This temple is the second-class royal monastery belonging to the Mahanikaya Sect.
Formerly it was a small ordinary temple which there was no evidence regarding the date construction. However, it is believed it might be constructed in the Ayutthaya period because of the surrounding area and the characteristics of nearby temples such as Wat Sakuna and Wat Lamut. Later in the reign of King Rama IV, this temple was noted when Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi) a revered monk of Wat Rakhangkhositaram in Thonburi constructed a large seated Buddha image in the posture of meditation made of white plaster. Wat Chaiyo Worawihan has been become an important temple for Thai history when King Rama V went to worship the Buddha image and had Wat Chaiyo renovated in 1887 but the vibration from ramming piles of the new assembly hall (Viharn) caused the large Buddha image to collapse. The king Rama V then commanded Chao Phraya Rattanabordin (Boon-Rod Kalayanamit), the Ministry of Interior in the reign of King Rama V, to build a new assembly hall and ordination hall. Moreover, the king Rama V also appointed Phra Ong Chao Praditworakarn to build a new large Buddha image following the pattern of the large Buddha image of Wat Kalayanamit. The new Buddha image has the lap width of 16.10 meters and the height (from the topknot to feet) of 22.65 meters and was graciously named “Phra Mahaphutthaphim”.
Aesthetic Value
The temple has been renovated since 2011 because the great flooding in 2011 causes many damages in the temple’s compound. Thus, there are four buildings inside the temple which are not changed much from this renovation. The aesthetic value of these four buildings is described as following:
Ordination Hall and Assembly Hall
The architectural design of ordination hall and assembly hall of Wat Chaiyo Worawihan is magnificent. The ordination hall and assembly hall are joined structure together. A group of ordination hall and assembly hall stands inside a low wall and surrounding by four small pavilions. The ordination hall stands in front and faces to the river. The ordination hall stands upon a raised foundation. The boundary makers are incorporated into the ordination hall’s wall
and columns. The ordination hall is smaller than the assembly hall and similar in design. The ordination hall is a tall roof and has two tiers. There is a roof over the portico in front. There are only two entrance doors in the front. The pediment of ordination hall is covered in stucco to represent The Seal of the Lion”, the symbol of Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Phra Keow or pointed crown, the royal insignia of King Rama V. The columns along the porch and corridors are rectangular in design. One stairway in the front leads up to the ordination hall, and there are two stairways at the back of ordination hall. The windows and doors are in the shape of arch form which are in Gothic style. Door and window niches are decorated with Phudtan floral motifs in stucco. The exteriors of doors and window panels are decorated in Lai Rod Nam, or water-rinsed patterns. The interior panels are covered with paint in Chinese style.
Inside the ordination hall, the principle Buddha image sits upon a pedestal in a cross legged meditative posture, surrounded by several other standing Buddha images in Pacifying the ocean posture. Above the principle Buddha image, there is a sever-tiered parasol. On the interior walls of ordination hall are beautiful mural paintings including the gathering of the Deva (guardian spirits) and scenes of the Lord Buddha’s chronicle. The mural painting at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan was made by an artist who lived during the reign of King Rama V. It is a particularly interesting work because the artist has managed to create image similar to Western style perspective. During the reign of King Rama V, great numbers of Western people came to Siam, bringing with them their culture and society. Siamese craftsmen and artists adopted Western methods and incorporated them into painting. Traditionally, figures in Thai painting are placed on the same plane, all the same size, regardless of their supposed position in space. The new perspective system is a new way of demarcating spatial relations. Figures were enlarged to indicate that they stood nearer to the viewer; others were diminished to represent a more distant object. Moreover, the composition of scenes is excellent, with Western perspective devices used show space and distance. The colors are romantic, lovely, bright and clean. Notable for their exceptional beauty, these paintings constitute an outstanding expression of the reign of King Rama V. In depicting the beautiful scenery of mural paintings at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan, the artist has painstakingly portrayed mountains, rice fields and shadowy trees in the distance. On the far horizon, hazy curved lines of mountains appear across the upper part of a pale, almost whitish blue, evening sky. The artist’s choice of colors and perspective method recreate the geographic setting and
enliven the atmosphere of the painting. Therefore, the paintings at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan are also a national treasure.
Figure 1 The boundary stones at Wat Chaiyo (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Figure 2 The mural paintings inside the ordination hall (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
The assembly hall of Wat Chaiyo Worawihan is connected with the ordination hall.
The assembly hall is larger than the ordination hall and similar in design. The assembly hall is a very tall roof and has four tiers. There are four breaks in each two top tiers and three breaks in each two low tiers. Moreover, there are four a hipped lower tier on each side. There are two
(a) (b)
entrance doors in the front and two doors at the back. The pediment of ordination hall is covered in stucco to represent The Seal of the Lion”, the symbol of Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Phra Keow or pointed crown, the royal insignia of King Rama V. The windows and doors are in the shape of arch form which are in Gothic style. The exteriors of window panels are decorated in Lai Rod Nam, or water-rinsed patterns. The exteriors of door panels are decorated in black-and-gold design depicting Chinese door guardians. The scene of Lord Buddha’s Life and western floral pattern are shown in the stained glass window on the arch above the entrance doors. There are rectangular columns inside the assembly hall. The arch windows can be seen above the rectangular columns inside the assembly hall. Inside the assembly hall, the principle Buddha image sits upon a low pedestal in a meditative posture. The principle Buddha image named “Phra Mahaphutthaphim”, its lap width of 16.10 meters and its height (from the topknot to feet) of 22.65 meters. This Buddha image appears more humanlike by omitting the cranial protuberance and the robe is pleated robe. The molded statue of Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi) from Thonburi are kept inside the assembly hall.
(a) (b)
Figure 3 Phra Mahaphutthaphim (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Square-based stupa with twenty indented corners
A white stupa of the Rattanakosin period on a square-base with twenty indented corners stands outside a lower wall and it locates in front of the ordination hall of Wat Chaiyo. It
is on the northeastern side of the temple because the ordination hall faces to the east. This stupa illustrates the special characteristic of the Rattanakosin period that is, its bell-shaped part is small and decorated with floral decorations.
Figure 4 A white stupa
(Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
(a) (b)
Figure 5 A stained glass windows (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
(a) (b) Figure 6 Joining structure
(Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
A western-influenced bell tower
A bell tower of Wat Chaiyo Worawihan houses a bell that is struck to announce the hour and the start of religious ceremonies. This bell tower is built near the residences of the monks. It was built in the reign of King Rama V of Bangkok. The tower is a square shape and it has two levels. The roof structure of this bell tower is in western style.
Figure 7 A two-levels bell tower (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Social Value
Today, the temple is the community’s center of the people in Chiyo District for worship, community meetings, education, cremations and enshrining ashes of the deceased. It is also one of the nine temples in Ang Thong that are well-known for Thai Buddhist pilgrimage.
“Phra Mahaphutthaphim” Buddha image and the molded statue of Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi) are the most revered object in Ang Thong, Moreover, In 1887, King Rama V went to worship the Buddha image and ordered to renovate Wat Chaiyo Worawihan. Therefore, his royal command for renovating this temple and the temple itself represent a memorial to King Rama V for the Chaiyo Distirct’s communities, the people in Ang Thong Province and nearby provinces. There is a monument of King Rama V which is the replica of the Equestrian Statue of King Rama V, in the Royal Plaza, Dusit District, Bangkok. 23 October of every year is a national holiday in Thailand as it marks “King Chulalongkorn Day” or known in Thai as “Wan Piyamaharaj” It is the memorial day of the passing way of King Rama V, otherwise known as King Chulalongkorn. Many people in Ang Thong including the government officers in Ang Thong show their repects for the King Rama V’s monument by placing wreaths at this temple on Chulalongkorn Day.
Figure 8 The Statue of King Rama V (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)