Wat Sung Men
| Wat Sung Men | |
|---|---|
วัดสูงเม่น | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Theravada Buddhism |
| Sect | Mahanikaya |
| Location | |
| Location | Sung Men Subdistrict, Sung Men District, Phrae Province |
| Country | Thailand |
| Geographic coordinates | 18°03′41″N 100°07′15″E / 18.06139°N 100.12083°ECoordinates: 18°03′41″N 100°07′15″E / 18.06139°N 100.12083°E Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Unknown |
| Completed | 1840 CE (founded); Visungkhamsima granted 1933 |
Wat Sung Men (Thai: วัดสูงเม่น) is a historic Buddhist monastery of the Mahānikāya sect located in Sung Men Subdistrict, Sung Men District, Phrae Province, northern Thailand. Founded in 1840 CE, it is renowned as one of the most important centres for the preservation of Lanna palm-leaf manuscripts and for its distinctive Lanna-Burmese architectural style.[1]
History
Wat Sung Men was established in 1840 CE (CS 1202) and received its official wisungkhamasima (consecrated boundary) in 1933.[2] In older Lanna texts the temple is called “Wat Sung Men Kaeo Kwang” because of its once-vast grounds and historical importance. For centuries it served as a major religious and educational centre where princes and nobles from the Lanna and Lan Xang kingdoms came to pay homage to its collection of the Tripiṭaka and to study both secular and religious subjects.
Architecture and notable features
- Ubosot: classic local Lanna style with Burmese-influenced decorative elements. It rests on 16 lacquered pillars painted black and green, decorated with golden vine motifs. The roof is covered with glazed terracotta tiles and the gables are carved with beautiful nāga and floral designs.
- Principal Buddha image: known as Luang Pho To, a large image in the Māravijaya (subduing Māra) posture.
- Hexagonal chedi: contains relics brought from Myanmar in 1840 by the revered monk Khruba Kanjana Aranyawasi.
- Ho trai (scripture library): houses one of the world’s largest and best-preserved collections of palm-leaf manuscripts. In 2016 UNESCO awarded the temple’s manuscripts (especially those of Khruba Kanjana Aranyawasi) the title Memory of the World – Documentary Heritage at the regional level.[3][4]
Annual traditions
Every January the temple holds the festival known as “Tak Bat Tham – Tan Khao Mai – H Hing Fai Phra Chao” (Exposing the Dhamma to the Sun – Offering New Rice – Warming the Buddha with Fire). Palm-leaf manuscripts are aired in the sun, villagers offer freshly harvested rice, and fires are lit in front of the Buddha images so that the statues “will not feel cold” – a practice believed to bring great merit.
References
- ↑ "วัดสูงเม่น". Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
- ↑ "วัดสูงเม่น". Office of National Buddhism. Archived from the original on July 2025. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "ย้อนมรดกธรรม ชมคัมภีร์ใบลานสมบูรณ์มากที่สุดในไทย ที่ "วัดสูงเม่น" จ.แพร่". MGR Online.
- ↑ "วัดสูงเม่น ตำบลสูงเม่น อำเภอสูงเม่น จังหวัดแพร่". Ministry of Culture. Archived from the original on 2023-02-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
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