Category Archives: Temples

Wat Mahathat (Ayutthaya, Thailand)

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From Bang Pa-in Palace, our tourist bus next traveled, 10 kms., to the very heart of the city of Ayutthaya.  Here, we dropped off at Wat Mahathat (Temple of the Great Relics) in Ayutthaya World Heritage Historical Park, perhaps the most striking of all of the temples in the city. Wat Mahathat was said to have been built in 1384 by King Rachatirat as a symbolic center  to enshrine a relic of the Buddha although others say it was more likely built during the reign of King Boromaraja I (1370-88). The temple was also the residence of the Sangaraja, the Supreme Patriarch or leader of the Kamavasi (City Dwelling) sect of Thai Buddhist monks.

Wat Mahathat

During the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Wat Mahathat was set on fire by Burmese invaders. The monastery was restored and remodeled many times in the later Ayutthaya period, until it finally collapsed on May 25, 1904. Only the symmetrical laterite base of the main prang (Khmer-style tower), with staircases on the 4 sides, and some of its upper structure remains. There are rows of headless Buddhas and traces of rows of columns that once supported the roof structure of the verandah that enclosed the chedi.

The Much-Photographed Buddha in a Tree

Scattered around the temple are some important remains of variously-shaped prangs and chedis, in particular an octagonal chedi with a truncated spire in the Ceylonese style. Nearby, the head of a still much-revered statue of the Buddha lies on the ground. The much photographed stone head of one Buddha is entwined in the roots of a Banyan tree.  Although only partially restored, the existing ruins are still vast and imposing, giving us an insight into what was once a most important religious center.

Octagonal Chedi

As in most architecture of the early period of Ayutthaya, Wat Maha That consisted basically of a large, 46 m. (150 ft. ) high central prang surrounded by 4 subsidiary prangs at the 4 inter-cardinal points, standing on a raised square platform. Around 1625, the top portion of the main central prang collapsed, but was restored and heightened by some 4 m. (13 ft.) in 1633. In 1911, the main prang collapsed again and only the foundation of the main prang remains at present.

Base of Central Prang

East of the main prang is the rectangular, 40 m. by 20 m. Wihan Luang (Royal Assembly Hall), orientated towards Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak. The vihara had a front porch (east) which could be reached by 3 staircases. There was also an entry into the hall from both sides. Behind the main pedestal were two exits leading down to the gallery. The multi-tiered roof of the viharn was supported by 2 rows of columns. The hall contained mural paintings of the Vessantara Jataka. Wihan Luang has undergone several restorations in the past as well as in recent times.

Wihan Luang (Royal Assembly Hall)

West of the main prang is the rectangular Phra Ubosot (Ordination Hall).  The hall had a double entry to the west and two exits on the sides, near the main pedestal which contained the presiding Buddha image. The hall was surrounded by an inner wall called kamphaeng kaew (literally “crystal wall”), forming an inner court which gave access to the, gallery. Outside and around the ubosot were 8 boundary stones or marker slabs (bai sema) at the 8 cardinal points in order to demarcate the sacred area of the Sangkha (Buddhist brotherhood).

Phra Ubosot

In 1956, a secret chamber was uncovered in the ruins; among the treasures found inside were a solid gold lion sitting in a fish-shaped container decorated with a gilded motif and filled with other gold accessories, gold jewelry, a gold casket containing a relic of the Buddha, and fine tableware.

Wat Mahathat: cor. Chikun Road and Naresuan Road, Tha Wasukri sub-district, Ayutthaya, Thailand.

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace (Ayutthaya, Thailand)

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On our second day in Thailand, we decide to go out of the city and visit the old Thai capital of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We made our travel arrangements with a  travel agency based near our hotel lobby at the ground floor. The 60-km. trip, via an airconditioned tourist bus, took just 1 hr.  Our first stop, upon reaching Ayutthaya, was the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, also known as the Summer Palace.

Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

This palace complex, located along the bank of the Chao Phraya River, was originally constructed by King Prasat Thong  in 1632 but, after the sack of Ayutthaya in 1767, it lay empty and overgrown throughout the late 18th century and early 19th century.  King Mongkut (Rama IV) began to partially restore the site in the 1850s. Most of the present European-style buildings were constructed between 1872 and 1889 by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

Entry Promenade

Today, the palace remains largely open to visitors, as King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his family uses it only rarely for banquets and special occasions. However, as at all royal sites, proper dress was required and Grace and Cheska had to rent colored polo shirts to cover their shoulders. The grounds are not too large to be covered on foot. From the entrance, we walked along a formal entry promenade.

Ho Haem Montien Devaraj (Golden Palace of the God King)

The buildings, very European in design, are laid out along a long rectangular, artificial and ornamental lake lined with formal landscaping. The lake serves to divide the “public” outer area of the palace from the inner private areas. Along the route, we passed the Ho Haem Montien Devaraj (Golden Palace of the God King) or King Pasart Thong Shrine. This Khmer-style, stone prasat (residence of a king or god with a corncob-shaped super-structure ), under a banyan tree, was built by King Rama V in 1879 to replace an old shrine built by villagers as an offering to King Prasart Thong of the Ayutthaya period.

Saphakhan Ratchaprayun (Exhibition Hall)

On the left bank of the lake is the colonial-style, 1-storey, Neo-Classical style  Saphakhan Ratchaprayun (Exhibition Hall).  Originally built for the King’s brothers, it now houses a small museum covering the history of the palace.

Warophat Phiman (Excellent and Shining Heavenly Abode)

The one-storey Warophat Phiman (Excellent and Shining Heavenly Abode) was King Chulalongkorn’s residence and throne hall. It is richly decorated in turn-of-the-century European aristocratic style, with quirky Thai touches here and there.  Its audience chambers and anterooms are decorated with oil paintings, commissioned by King Chulalongkorn in 1888, depicting significant events in Thai history and scenes from Thai literature.  The private apartments of this building are still used by the king and his family whenever they reside in the palace.

Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian (Garden of the Secured Land) Residential Hall

Opposite the lake, to the east, is the 2-storey, elaborately-constructed Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian (Garden of the Secured Land) Residential Hall, considered the principal building in the palace complex.  Completed in 1877, this  building  was built from wood and decorated with mahogany furniture ordered directly from Europe. However, it was destroyed by fire during the restoration in 1938. Its modern reconstruction, tinted alternately in dark and light green, has a more “Paris Metro” Art-Deco feel to it. Its balcony is similar in design to that of a Swiss chalet. The building is still occasionally used by the royal family and is not open to the public.

Krajome Trae

At the end of the promenade, the lake took on a more natural shape and, from a circular Spanish-style pavilion (Krajome Trae), we saw the “signature piece” of Bang Pa-In, the gracefully elegant Aisawan-Dhipaya-Asana Pavilion (The Divine Seat of Personal Freedom) in the middle of the lake. The only example of classical Thai architecture within the palace, it was built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1876 and has 4 porches and a spired roof. From Krajome Trae, we fed the fishes with pieces from a previously paid for loaf of bread.

Aisawan-Dhipaya-Asana Pavilion (The Divine Seat of Personal Freedom)

Opposite the Krajome Trae is the Devaraj-Kunlai (The God King Goes Forth) Gate, the principal entrance to the Inner Palace.  It is connected to the Varobhas Bimarn Mansion (located in the Outer Palace) by a covered bridge with a louvered wall from which the court ladies could look out without being seen themselves.

Devaraj-Kunlai (The God King Goes Forth) Gate

The highlight of our visit was the opulent, Chinese-style Phra Thinang (Royal Residence) Wehart Chamrun (Heavenly Light), the only royal residence open to the public.  Constructed in the Chinese Emperor style and made entirely of materials imported from China, it took 10 years to build and was completed in 1889.

Phra Thinang (Royal Residence) Wehart Chamrun (Heavenly Light)

It was a royal offering to King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce represented by Chinese merchant Phraya Choduk Ratchasetthi (Fak) as a token of the long-lasting brotherly relationship between the Thai and Chinese peoples. King Chulachomklao usually made a royal visit here during the cool season.

Phra Thinang – Interior

Here, we had to remove your shoes to enter.  Full of red, gold, dark woods and inlaid mother of pearl, it has a stupendous dragon sculpture inside carved from camel bone and a Chinese-style throne room at the ground floor. the upper storey houses an altar enshrining the name plates of King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn with their respective queens.

Before returning, we climbed the 112-step spiral staircase up the 30 m. high, 3-storey and brightly painted Ho Withun Thasana (Sage’s Lookout), built in 1881, following in the footsteps of King Rama V who, when residing in Bang Pa-In Palace, used this hall as the place to get the bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. This hall was constructed in the form of a tower between Utthayan Phumisathian and Wehat Chamrun.  Only the first two floors are open to the public.

Ho Withun Thasana (The Sages Lookout)

Back at the entrance, we returned the shirts and bought some soft drinks and snacks (10-20 baht) before boarding our bus.

Bang Pa-In Palace: Bang Pa-In District, Ayutthaya, Thailand. Open daily, 8 AM-4 PM.

Wat (Bangkok, Thailand)

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After our short visit to Wat Traimit, we all returned to our van and moved on to our next stop, the 80,000-sq. m. (20-acre) Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn), the largest in Bangkok and, technically, the oldest wat, being built around 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand’s capital.

Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn)

However, the present temple bears virtually no resemblance to its original structure as it was almost entirely rebuilt by King Rama I when the capital was moved to Bangkok. Wat Pho also holds the dual honors of having Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha image and having the most number of Buddha images.

One of Wat Pho’s 4 Entrances

The temple complex, with more than 20 buildings and structures, is walled in on 4 sides with entrances at each side. We entered the complex via the entrance at Chetuphon Road which  splits the grounds of the temple into 2, the northern section generally being the only one most people go to.

Gate Guardians at the Sheltered Gateha

Standing on both sides of the sheltered entrance gate are the gate guardians lan than nai tvarapala, fierce-face Thai-Chinese style rock giants wearing a tight suit of armor and holding a weapon in one hand. Several Chinese statues also line the outside of temple buildings, a reflection of the Chinese influence during the reign of King Rama III.

Inner Wall of the Vihara of the Reclining Buddha

After paying the admission fee, we first visited the Vihara of the Reclining Buddha or Phra Buddhasaiyas (Viharn Phranorn).  We had to remove our shoes and sandals before doing so.  The inner wall of this vihara is decorated of the mural paintings of “Mahawong” (Historical annals of Ceylon) above the windows; and the “13 Savida Atadagga Disciples (Priestess),” “10 Upasaka Atadagga Disciples” and “10 Upasika Atadagga Disciples” between each window.

Detail of Mural Painting at Inner Wall

Inside, we were highly impressed by the gold-plated Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddhasaiyas), made of stuccoed bricks gilded with gold leaves and designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana.  Its dimensions were indeed huge,  being 46 m. long and 15 m. high. The soles of the 3 m. wide and 5 m. long feet and the eyes are exquisitely engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration of 108 auspicious lakshanas (characteristics) of the true Buddha.

Reclining Buddha

We also visited the Phra Uposatha, the ubosot (main chapel or assembly hall) and the heart of the temple.  It was built, in Ayutthaya style, during the reign of King Rama I and reconstructed and enlarged during the reign of King Rama III.  All the hardwood windows and doors have crown–like spires and colored glazed tiles.  Double marble boundary walls (kampaengkaew), surrounding the main chapel, have 8 sheltered gates and 8 sculpted boundary stones (bai sema). The outer side of the kampaengkaew is decorated with carved stones portraying natural scenes of mountains, trees and animals.
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Phra Uposatha (Main Chapel))

Inlays of mother–of–pearl, on the outer side of the entrance door panels, depict episodes from the Ramakien (the Thai version of the world famous Ramayana Indian epic) while, on the inner side, are painted specimens of ecclesiastical fans of rank which are presented to the monk sovereigns.

Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn

It is enclosed by 394 bronze Buddha images. Outside the ubosot, there are 152 marble slabs depicting the second half of the epic Ramakian story.  Inside is the Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn, a seated Buddha image on a 3-tiered pedestal called Phra Pang Smadha (Lord Buddha in the posture of concentration).  Some of the ashes of King Rama I are kept under the pedestal.

Row of Buddha Images at Phra Rabiang

We also took time to explore the large grounds of the temple which contains more than 1000 Buddha images, most taken from the ruins of deserted temples of the former capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. The Phra Rabiang is a double cloister surrounding the courtyard of the chapel.  Connected by 4 main direction viharas, its gallery is lined with hundreds of Buddha images.

Phra Buddha Lokanart Sartsadajarn

The image of Pang Marnvichai (Enlightened Lord Buddha under the Bodhi Tree) and the 10 m. high bronze Buddha image, Pra Buddha Lokanart Satsadajarn, which was brought from Wat Phra Sri Sanpej in Ayutthaya, is in the East Vihara. The inscription of Wat Pho’s establishment is also kept here.

Pang Nak Prok (Buddha Under the Naga’s Hood)

The image of “Lord Buddha Preaching the First Sermon to the Five Disciples” is in the South Vihara, the image of Phra Paleylai in the North Vihara and the image of Pang Nak Prok (Buddha Under the Naga’s Hood) in the West Vihara.  The inner side cloister contains 150 Buddha images while another 244 images are located on the outer side, all brought from the northern provinces during the reign of King Rama I. Today, all Buddha images are covered with gold leaves and provided with large glass frames to protect them from birds, bats and dirt. Posted on all columns along the cloister are Thai prosody framed in 100 stone inscriptions by the order of King Rama III.

Phra Mondob (Scripture Hall)

Nearby is the Phra Mondob (Scripture Hall), built during the reign of King Rama III.  It is walled in and has displays of Buddha statues, old ceramics and glassware, tripitaka (teachings of Buddha) and traditional Thai books written on palm leaf manuscripts. It is crowned with a gabled tetrahedron decorated with multicolored Chinese ceramic bowls.  There are porticoes at the 3 directions of the Mondob. The library is also impressively decorated with figures and pagodas made of porcelain, in much the same way as Wat Arun, across the Chao Phraya River.

The 4 Chedis of Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn

Also near here is the Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn, a group of 4 huge, 42 m. high chedis (round pagodas), constructed to honor the reigns of the first 3  Chakri kings (2 for King Rama III): King Rama I (Phra Maha Chedi Sri Sanpetdayarn, green), King Rama II (Phra Maha Chedi Dilok Dhammakaroknitarn, white), King Rama III (Phra Maha Chedi Muni Batborikharn, yellow) and King Rama IV ( Phra Maha Chedi Song Phra Srisuriyothai, dark blue).

Bell Tower

Also around the grounds are 91 massive chedis, of varying sizes, along with chapels, rock gardens, an array of different types of statues, inscriptions, bell towers and resident fortune tellers.

Wat Pho: Chetuphon Rd., Phra Nakhon (Rattanakosin) District, Bangkok, Thailand.Tel: 662-226-0335  and 662-226-0369. Open daily, 8 AM-5 PM.

How to Get There: airconditioned buses 6, 8 and 12 all stop near Wat Pho.  The Tha Tien express boat pier is also very near. Ordinary buses 1, 25, 44, 47, 62 and 91 stop along Maharat Rd.; and bus 44, 47 and 91 along  Thaiwang Rd. on the north side of Wat Pho, south of Wat Phra Kaew. Wat Pho is also just a short river crossing away from Wat Arun.

Wat Traimit (Bangkok, Thailand)

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The next day, we were scheduled for our half day city tour. After breakfast at the hotel, we were picked up by our Thai lady guide at the hotel lobby and we boarded our tourist van at the driveway.  Our first stop, at the end of Chinatown’s Yaowarat Rd. (near Hualampong Railway Station), past the Odeon Circle (dominated by the huge, symbolic Chinese gate), is the relatively plain looking Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha. This was the second such visit for me and Grace and a first for Jandy and Cheska.

Chinatown Gate

After paying the 40 baht admission fee for the4 of us, we climbed a flight of steps to get to the third level of its impressive chapel which was just opened last year (February 14, 2010). Here, perched high atop a 4-storey, marble-clad ziggurat and in the mara conquering attitude, is the 5.5-ton, 10-ft. (15.75 ft. from the base to the top of the crown) high  Golden Buddha, the largest, solid gold (about 83%) Buddha image in the world.

Wat Traimit

On the second level of the chapel is a museum on the history of the Golden Buddha and the method of casting golden Buddha statues. The first level houses the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Center which preserves the history of the Chinese immigrants in Bangkok and Thailand.

The Chapel Housing the Golden Buddha

The Golden Buddha, an excellent example of the gracious Sukhothai style, has an unusual and colorful history.  It was cast sometime in the 13th century and was, at some point,  covered in plaster lacquer and stucco to hide the valuable icon from the besieging Burmese. Apparently everyone forgot about what was hidden beneath. A member of King Rama III’s court had the statue moved to Bangkok and installed inWat Phraya Krai along Charoen Krung Rd., Yannawa district near the Taksin Bridge and where the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is today. That temple fell into disuse, was completely abandoned around 1931 and demolished in 1957.

Golden Buddha

In 1955, when the image was being hoisted by a crane to its present location at into its new home at Wat Traimit, the cable broke, dropping the statue into the mud and chipping off some of the plaster, thus revealing the gold underneath. Bits of the plaster as well as the old pulley and rope used to hoist the Buddha are on display in the interpretive center below the chapel.

Wat Traimit: Traimit Rd., Samphanthawong District, Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand.  Tel : 0 2225 9775. Open daily, 9 AM-5 PM.

How to Get There: Take the Metro to Hua Lamphong MRT Station.  From there, the temple is just 300 m. away. You can also take Bus No. 4, 7, 21, 25 and 501.

Bukit China (Melaka, Malaysia)

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From St. Peter’s Church, our tourist bus proceeded next to Bukit China (“Chinese Hill”). Bukit China is believed to be the largest Chinese cemetery outside China, filled with 5,000 to 12,000 small and big graves with many tombs dating back to the Ming Dynasty.

Chinese Cemetery at Bukit China

During the peak of the Malacca Sultanate, the Chinese Emperor gifted Sultan Mansur Shah with a princess named Hang Li Poh, the great granddaughter of the Yongle Emperor, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Her vast entourage of 500 sons of ministers and a few hundred handmaidens settled here.

Poh San Teng Temple

At the southwestern foot of Bukit China is beautiful Poh San Teng Temple (translated as “Precious Hill”), built in 1795 by her ancestor Chua Su Cheong. The temple is dedicated to Tua Pek Kong (also called Fu De Zheng Shen), the guardian deity of the land and of the 12,500 graves on the nearby Bukit China. Because of its other name San Poh Kong Temple, it is often incorrectly assumed that the temple is associated with Admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He), a Ming-dynasty navigator. In fact, there is no evidence of Cheng Ho’s involvement in the history of the temple.

Founding Stelae

An inscription on a stela commemorating the founding of the temple reads: “Bukit China is the place where early traders from China were buried. Many Chinese traders came to this country with high expectations of success. Sadly, some died before fulfilling their dreams. Without a family with them, there was no one to pray for their souls. As such, the Chinese Kapitans initiated prayers on their behalf. However, these were always hampered by strong winds and heavy rainfalls because there was no proper shelter. So in 1795, after Chua Su Cheong had been appointed the Chinese Kapitan, he looked into this problem faced by the community and initiated the building of a temple at the foot of Bukit China, to ensure that the prayers for those buried in Bukit China would not be interrupted.”

Perigi Rajah (King’s Well)

Hang Li Poh’s followers also built, adjacent to the temple’s entrance, a well in 1459 that is said to have never dried up, even during droughts. Called Perigi Rajah (“King’s Well”) or Hang Li Poh’s Well, it is believed to be the oldest existing well in Malaysia and was the main source of fresh water for the city from the 15th century onward. The well was later poisoned by the Sultan of Malacca causing the death of 200 Portuguese soldiers. This was repeated in 1606 by the Dutch and in 1628 by the Acheenese.  Today, the well was turned into a wishing well and many believe those who toss coins into the well will return again to Melaka.

Chin Swee Caves Temple (Genting Highlands, Malaysia)

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After our long stopover at Batu Caves, we returned to our van and continue along the ascending road up to Genting Highlands. Along the way, we made a toilet stopover at the mist-shrouded Chin Swee Caves Temple. Cheska and I decided to make a short 15-min. tour of the temple, wrapping ourselves in our jackets as it was very cold outside.

Chin Swee Caves Temple

This 28-acre Taoist temple was built from 1976 to 1994 (at a cost of RM12 million) by the late Genting Berhad founder and gambling magnate Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lim Goh Tong.  He discovered this serene site (similar to the Chin Swee Crag back in Penglai Village, where Tan Sri Lim was born in Fujian, China) when he started building the first hotel in Genting Highlands.  Taking 18 years to complete, it was officially opened on March 29, 1994.

Nine-Color Dragon Wall of Luck

Just after the entrance gate is the Nine-Color Dragon Wall of Luck.  It has 9 dragons, in different dispositions and shades of colors, painted on the wall.  In Feng Shui, 9 dragons represent longevity. Each dragon, representing different kinds of luck, can bestow blessings on people and symbolized good fortune, vitality and strength.

Statue of Kuan Yin

The sprawling temple complex, surrounded by lush emerald green jungle, has huge statues of a serenely sitting Buddha and a standing Kuan Yin and a smaller statue of the standing Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong.

The 9-Storey Pagoda

The 9-storey pagoda, overlooks the 5-storey, ornately decorated Buddhist Temple, is decorated with thousands of Buddhas covering the entire inner wall, from the ground floor to the top. There are thousands of “blessing lamps” for temple devotees to dedicate to those they want blessed by the Buddha.

The 5-Storey Buddha Temple

The aptly named Sky Terrace (Place for Heavenly Offering), a large, 35,000 sq. ft. square at the base of the statue of Kuan Yin, has an excellent panoramic view of the cloud-sheathed valley below and the layers of hills beyond from its observation deck.

View of the Cloud-Sheathed Valley Below

How to Get There: The temple is accessible by shuttle buses from Genting Highlands Resort or by taking the Awana Skyway cable car to the Temple Station at the bottom of the hill.

Batu Caves (Selangor, Malaysia)

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From the Royal Selangor Pewter Factory, we returned to our van and moved on to nearby Batu Caves, a series of caves and cave temples within a limestone hill. One of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, the caves, discovered in 1892, are located 13 kms. (7 miles) from Kuala Lumpur.

Lord Murugan Statue

Outside the main cave is the world’s tallest statue of Lord Murugan (a Hindu deity for whom the temple is dedicated), standing at 42.7 m. (140.09 ft.) high. Costing nearly 24 million rupees, it is made of 1,550 cu. m. of concrete, 250 tons of steel bars and 300 liters (800 gallons) of gold paint brought in from neighboring Thailand.

The Magnificent but Quite Steep, 272-step Stairway

Me, Grace and my kids Jandy and Cheska all gamely climbed the magnificent but quite steep 272 steps (luckily there were landings along the way where we can catch our breath and admire the view at the same time) leading up to the 100 m. high and 400 m. long Cathedral Cave (or Temple Cave), the main cave (there are 2 others) where the Murugan Temple is located.  The huge chamber is lighted by daylight from several holes in the ceiling.

Cathedral Cave (or Temple Cave)

Along the steps and within the cave are numerous, naughty, playful and sometimes aggressive long-tailed macaque monkeys. The temple is the focal point of the colorful Thaipusam (on a full moon day between January 15 and February 14), the annual Hindu festival of repentance.

Lord Murugan Temple

Batu Caves: Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia.  Tel:  +60 3 2287 9422.

How to Get There: The easiest way to get to Batu Caves is by Komuter train (RM2.00, one way) from KL Sentral station. You can also take a taxi (RM20.00-25.00) from KL Sentral, the Bus 11/11d from Bangkok Bank Terminus (Near to Pudu Raya Terminus) or Bus U6 from Titiwangsa.

The Temple of Heaven (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After our buffet lunch at the Sunshine Café at He Ping Li Hotel, we all returned to our airconditioned coach and proceeded, to the Temple of Heaven (literally the Altar of Heaven).  This 273-hectare, magnificent, grand and colorful complex of sacrificial buildings (the largest in the world), a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1998), was built from 1406-1420 AD and is situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing.  During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the complex was visited by the emperor for annual ceremonies of prayer to the God of Heaven for good harvest.

The Temple of Heaven

Upon alighting our coach, we entered the complex via the South Gate then walked along the Long Corridor (Chang Lang).  Walking along this covered walkway, with its 72 bays, took us past the Sacred Kitchen, Butcher House (Zaisheng Ting) and the Sacred Warehouse (ShenKu), where sacrificial animals (slaughtered at least 200 steps away from the altar) were kept and prepared before the rituals.

The Long Corridor

The temple’s most recognizable building, at the north end, was the majestic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an impressive 38-m. high and 30-m. diameter wooden building that sits on a large, circular 3-tiered white marble plinth (called the Altar for Grain Prayers). Its cone-shaped, blue roof is crowned with a gilded knob.  The magnificently decorated hall itself was built without using a single nail, truly a feat that required a high level of craftsmanship.

The Magnificent Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Inside the hall, with its large south facing ceremonial throne, are 28 tall pillars, each made from a single tree trunk.  The 4 pillars along the inner circle represent the 4 seasons, the 12 pillars along the middle circle the 12 months, and the other 12 pillars along the outer circle represent the 12 shichen, the ancient Chinese counting standard (1 shichen equals 2 hours, 1 day being divided into 12 shichen). The black, yellow and green colors of the inner roof represent, like everything in the altar, the Earth and the Heaven.

Interior of Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

We exited the park via the East Gate.

A-Ma Temple (Macau)

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A-Ma Temple, situated on the southwest tip of the Macau Peninsula, halfway up the western slope of Barra Hill, is one of the oldest and most famous Taoist temples in Macau. Also known as Barra Temple, Tianhou Temple, Juehai Temple, and Zhongjue Buddhist Temple, it is dedicated to A-Ma (meaning “Honored Mother”). Also called Mazu or Tin Hau, she is a much-revered Taoist goddess who is also the patron of seafarers and fishermen and the Queen of Heaven. In fact, the name Macau is thought to have been derived from A-Ma-Gau (meaning “Bay of A-Ma”).

A-Ma Temple

The temple was originally built in 1488 during the Ming Dynasty but the oldest surviving structures date to 1573. The temple was damaged by fire in 1974 and restored in 1975. It was once again restored in 1987, 1996 and 1997 by the Cultural Institute.  In 2005, the temple became one of the designated sites of the Historic Center of Macau enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The temple consists of a prayer hall, 4 pavilions (Hongren Hall, Zhansuo Hall, Zhengjue Hall and Kun Iam Hall) and courtyards built into the boulder-strewn hill and connected by winding paths through traditional moon gates and miniature  gardens. It is believed that the Hongren Hall has the longest history in the complex.  Across the temple is the Maritime Museum.

Three of the temple’s 4 pavilions are dedicated to A-Ma and contain some fine statues of the goddess together with a model of a junk with cannons, brass vessels and chapels to Buddhist and Taoist gods. On boulders are carved red characters invoking the gods or repeating a prayer.

Couplets Engraved in Stone

The temple’s main prayer hall, at the roadside, is also called First Palace of the Holy Mountain.  First built in 1605 and rebuilt in 1629,  this granite structure has lattice windows and up-pointing roof ridges. and there are other pavilions and altars ranging up the hillside and connected by a flight of steps.

Aside from us tourists, there were also a lot of devotees thronging to this temple, giving thanks to A-Ma and praying for good fortune by making offerings and burning lots of incense. We all entered the temple through the Memorial Arch.  At the entrance is a large boulder with a colored relief of a lorcha (a traditional sailing junk of the South China Sea).

Carved Red Characters

Winding paths connect the different shrines of the complex.  We first reached the Hongren Hall (the Great Mercy Hall or Hall of Benevolence), dedicated to A-Ma.  At its gate are couplets engraved on stone.  Believed to have been constructed in 1488, its 4 walls are made of granite and brick and the altar is placed under a roof covered with green glazed roof tiles and ornamental roof ridges. Some relief engravings, such as water monsters and fairies, are found on the wall beside the altar.

Burning Incense

Further ahead is the Hall of Avalokitesvara (Goddess of Mercy), constructed in a simple style using mainly using bricks and stone.  The Zhengjiao Chanlin, a Buddhist hall, is tastefully designed, both in  size and architectural style. Within it is a shrine to A Ma and a resting area with yingshan roofing.  The Kun Iam Hall, a plain brick structure distinguished by beautiful flush gable tiled roofing called yingshan, has spectacular views from the upper gardens.

The festival of A-Ma takes place on the 23rd day of the 3rd moon (April or May). Firecrackers, to scare away evil spirits, are exploded in the entrance courtyard to greet tour groups and lions dances are performed here on weekends.

A-Ma Temple: Rua de São Tiago da Barra. Open Mondays to Fridays, 10 AM-4 PM, and Saturdays, 10 AM-1 PM.  Closed on Sundays. Admission is free.

Bell Church (La Trinidad, Benguet)

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From the strawberry farms, Bernard, Rodel, Jandy and I proceeded to the Bell Church.  Right before the Welcome Arch of La Trinidad, we espied, on a hillside, a cluster of ornate Chinese-style temples and pagodas.  On the right, we entered a large arch with 2 dragons facing each other, then traversed a narrow alley leading up to the temple.  Once inside, we parked the Revo at a spacious parking lot alongside a terraced wall filled with Chinese prints.

Bell Church
The terraced wall filled with Chinese prints

Built by the early Chinese settlers in Baguio and Benguet, this temple is run by the Bell Church Inc. that believes in a amalgam of Buddhist, Taoist, Confusian and Christian doctrines.  The church, guarded by fu dogs, has ornate gateways topped by ephemeral dragons, a towering pagoda with curliqued roofing, windows guarded by stone Buddhas and bells.

Rodel and Jandy posing beside a Chinese deity

Posing beside a fu dog

Bell Church: Km. 3, Brgy. Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet. Open 6 AM-5 PM.

How to Get There: Take a jeepney at the corner of Magsaysay Ave. and Bonifacio St. in Baguio City.