Saturday, January 7, 2023
Exploring south of old Chiang Mai city – Wat Phuak Chang

After feeling as if I might be coming down with a cold Thursday night, I basically took Friday off and rested most of the day. Today, Saturday, I cancelled a workout at the O2 Gym with Ning, and also cancelled my participation in the “Tai Chi and Yoga” workshop at Wild Rose Yoga this afternoon, preferring to stay low-key. I have been very active, pushing myself almost every day, and decided to rest for a coule of days. By midday, I was a bit restless, and headed out for a walk to explore more of the Hai Ya area south of the Chiang Mai old city.

Wat Phuak Chang

When I walk to the O2 Gym, I pass by Katam Corner, the southwest corner of the old city wall, and go down Sridonchai Road, passing the entrance to Wat Phuak Chang. Walking past the entrance, it is almost possible to miss it as it blends in as if part of a long wall. From across the street, it is also not prominent, partially obliterated by the many communication and maybe power cables:

The other entrance might be the “main” entrance, it is difficult to tell, since neither are prominent or well-signed. Here is the other entrance on Rangang Road:

Walking in from the first entrance on Sridonchai Road, I realized I have been here before, maybe three or four years ago. Annd my first impression is that everything here seems clean and newly renovated. Immediately to my right was this very nice open-air sala or pavilion, like everything else, looking very new or very recently renovated.

Turning more to my right, looking down the open-air corridor, almost like a cloister, the atmosphere is peaceful with this view:

Then turning to the left from the open-air pavilion and I am in this very nice courtyard, peaceful and garden-like with several benches on which to sit, maybe to meditate. On weekdays, this would not be so peaceful with the noise from the school on the grounds. The garden courtyard is dominated by this large gate:

Through the gate is this open-air pavilion with a striking very dark green Buddha statue and only room for one or possibly to people to worship. Unclear why such an elaborate and large gate was built, but the Buddha statue is striking:

This is just to the side of the viharn (worship or assembly hall). Walking back through the courtyard to the entrance to the viharn, the entrance steps are at the sides of the front. The large wall might be a barrier to reduce the noise from the school directly opposite from getting inside. Hard to tell – the school was not in session today, and the viharn doors were closed so I could not enter to asses the noise.

This is definitely in the Lanna style with tiered rooflines, roof sweeping low on the sides, the gable ends decorated with the naga creatures, and the entrance guarded by very large and elaborate naga. Walking up the steps to the entrance, I see on the oposite side of the barrier an artistic depiction of things in the sky:

At first I thought this to be a seascape, but then noticing the flying dragon and flying elephant, it was clear this was to be the sky. Since the viharn was closed, I made my way back down the stairs and to the side of the viharn. This building, for which I can associate no purpose, also very new looking, was in front of me:

Walking past the new-looking building I came to the ho trai (library or document repository) in which important documents for the temple are stored. Quite obviously in the same design and color scheme as the building without a known purpose:

I took the photo, but did not know it was a Ho Trai until I did more research on the temple. Typically, the entrance to Ho Trai are guarded by mom creatures, and here there are thewada.

The chedi is also relatively newly renovated, quite clean and almost stark in appearance, immediately oposite the Ho Trai. The mosaic bell-like top part is quite nice, and stands out in contrast to the nearly all-white base.

Just to the west of the chedi, I noticed this interesting group of some kind of old-looking urns on shelves in the garden-like foliage at the back of the temple grounds:

I found no reference to these urns in my searching the internet to learn about this temple. I also found no information about the temple’s age or history. And, I saw no other person while I was there, although at what I think of as the back entrance, I did see a few cars and a couple of motorbikes, so there are people here somewhere. When I walk by the entrance on weekdays on my way to the O2 Gym, I do hear children’s voices, so I do know that the school is busy on weekdays. I was here on a Saturday, it was very, very quiet.

I left from the “back” entrance onto Rangang Road.

Next: South of the old city 2 – Wat Daowadung