Tour to Wat Phra Singh

Wat Phra Singh the sophisticated, historic, with a beautiful Lord buddha image

Chiang Mai's mainly venerated wat, Phra Singh temple attracts pilgrims and holidaymaker for its resident Buddha and its vintage Lanna art and buildings. Traveler should costume modestly.

Phra Singh temple is haply the largest and most interesting, although it may not seem so at first look . At entering the main gate, you're greeted by a large and dusty parking area. Across the lot is a great prayer hall (litany hall) with an intricately carved front. This is your first clue that there is more here than there might become visible. The altar in the large chapel is charming, though rather standard for Thai wats these days. We were a bit amused by the plethora of "account books" spread about on the reasonable side of the altar (behind the columns in the picture we're afraid). In any temple that gets wayfarer, there is almost always a donation box with a guest book for you to write your name and gobbet donated in. Well, in this temple there have been at least half a dozen boxes, each with a dissimilar intent - repair of the wat building, electrical energy, taxes, etc. and so each with its own account book. At making a donation to one or more intent, you then have to write around for the proper book to write it down in.

Wat Phra Singh was created in 1345 by King Pha Yu for the ashes of his faher, Ruler Kham Fu. It may have been the primary monastery to house the Emerald Lord buddha, that later resided in Chidi Luang temple and is now enshrined in Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. The wat is named for the Lord buddha statue it housed in 1367, the Phra Singh (Lion Buddha). The temple-monastery knock down into disrepair as Chiang Mai's population declined in the 18th century, but repairing began in the early 19th century under Chao Kawila. The labor continued under his successor, Chao Thammalangka, who commissioned the murals in Viharn Lai Kham.

Phra Singh temple points of interest
Viharn Luang

The largest construction in the wat is the Viharn Luang. The original viharn was made towards the end of the 14th century, but was replaced by the current structure in 1925. This spectacular viharn houses a very highly venerated Buddha statue named Phra Chao Thong Tip. This gold and copper images of a seated Lord buddha was cast in 1477.

Viharn Lai Kham

One of the great model of Lanna style structure is the Viharn Lai Kham. This viharn or assembly hall was made at the end of the 14th century to house a very highly honored Buddha sculpture named Phra Singh Lord buddha. The very majestic exterior of the Viharn Lai Kham is ornamented in typical Lanna gold and ochre colors. The viharn made from teak wood has a 3 tiered roof line, the lower edges of that are ornamented with chofahs, a decorative beautification that resembles the shape of a very thin bird. The inside of the viharn is at least equally charming as the exterior. The back wall of the viharn with the Phra Singh Buddha images sitting in the centre is covered with fantastically detailed, intricate Lai Kham, which is red lacker attractive with gold leaf.

Ho Trai

The Ho Trai is the wat library, where ancient Buddhist scriptures are kept back. The library that was built towards the end of the 15th century is a very exquisite wooden building built on a high stone base to indemnify the manuscripts from flooding and pests. The base is richly adorned with carvings of Devata figures, a sort of guard angels. The wooden top building is covered with glass mosaics and gilded lacker works. The stairs leading to the Ho Trai are guarded by large mythical animals.

Phra Singh Buddha

The Phra Sihing or Phra Singh Buddha image is considered specially sophisticated. It is one of a rare series of "lion" style images. The features of this style are said to be similar to those of a lost "Lion of Sakyas" images, which come from the Pala school in Bodhgaya, India. Every year on April 13, Songkran Day, the sculpture is paraded on Chiangmai streets for local people to sprinkle scented water at.

This wat should not be missed out on when visiting Chiang Mai. There is a couple of small temples you can loaf into and it's nice to see the monks walking around too. The environment is very peaceful. You'll find benches surrounded by attractive green vegetation you can relax on and dear signs with nice quotes on, attached to trees. If you have an hour, or even half an hour free, then I'd direct visiting this temple.

How to go?: Situated in the old town wall, at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road, the wat’s signature Lanna-style roofs and impressive viharn (assembly hall) invite people. For a great Chiang Mai day trips with guided that includes a tour to Wat Phra Singh and other important temples in City town please contact Chiang Mai Tour Ageny in the city.

Access charge & opening time: The temple usually is open daily from 6 am until 5 pm. Admission is free.