Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang (Thai: วัดเจดีย์หลวง, lit. temple of the big stupa or temple of the royal stupa) is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The current temple grounds were originally made up of three temples — Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.[1]

Chedi Luang stupa at night
Wat Chedi Luang Wora Wihan written in Lanna script

History

The construction of the temple started in the 14th century, when King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury the ashes of his father there. After 10 years of building time it was left unfinished, later to be continued after the death of the king by his widow. Probably due to stability problems it took until the mid-15th century to be finished during the reign of king Tilokaraj. It was then 82 m high and had a base diameter of 54 m, at that time the largest building of all Lanna. In 1468, the Emerald Buddha was installed in the eastern niche. In 1545, the upper 30 m of the structure collapsed after an earthquake, and shortly thereafter, in 1551, the Emerald Buddha was moved to Luang Prabang.[2]

In the early 1990s the chedi was reconstructed, financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government. However the result is somewhat controversial, as some claim the new elements are in Central Thai style, not Lanna style. For the 600th anniversary of the chedi in 1995, a copy of the Emerald Buddha made from black jade was placed in the reconstructed eastern niche. The icon is named official Phra Phut Chaloem Sirirat, but is commonly known as Phra Yok.

Buildings
City pillar shrine

Also on the temple grounds is the city pillar (Lak Mueang) of Chiang Mai, named Sao Inthakin. It was moved to this location in 1800 by King Chao Kawila; it was originally located in Wat Sadeu Muang. He also planted three dipterocarp tree there, which are supposed to assist the city pillar to protect the town. A festival in honor of the city pillar is held every year in May and lasts 6–8 days.

In a wihan near the entrance to the temple is the Buddha statue named Phra Chao Attarot (Eighteen-cubit Buddha), which was cast in the late 14th century. On the other side of the chedi is another pavilion housing a reclining Buddha statue.

Wat Chedi Luang hosts monk chats every day[3] - tourists are invited to speak with monks (usually novices) and ask them anything about Buddhism or Thailand.

  • The funeral pyre for Chan Kusalo in the shape of a nok hatsidiling
  • The cremation of Chan Kusalo was held on the evening of January 18, 2010
  • The wax figure of Chan Kusalo inside the vihan of Wat Chedi Luang
  • Wat Chedi Luang in January 2014
  • Monks chanting inside the viharn
  • Wat Chedi Luang at dusk
  • The interior of the City Pillar Shrine

References
  1. Michael Freeman. Lanna: Thailand's Northern Kingdom. p. 74. ISBN 978-9748225272.
  2. 'Wat Chedi Luang: Temple of the Great Stupa', in: Forbes, Andrew, and Henley, David, Ancient Chiang Mai Volume 4. Chiang Mai ,Cognoscenti Books, 2012. ASIN: B006J541LE
  3. "Monk chats: How to find a friendly Buddhist monk to talk to in Thailand".

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