More Chiang Mai Attractions
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008. After visiting Doi Suthep and the Night Market, it was time to visit the sites inside the old Chiang Mai city walls. We started our tour at the Tha Phae gate, which traces it’s history back to about 700 years ago when Chiang Mai was founded. The name “tha phae” roughly translates to “raft landing,” which means this was likely an important city gate for trade. Unlike the city walls we visited in Xi’An, China, all that remains of Chiang Mai’s city walls are a few collapsed sections at each corner and a couple of gates. Still, collapsed or not, the city wall was quite large – 3 or 4km on a side, I would guess. It was (and still is) surrounded by a moat fed by the river. It’s a nice layout for the old part of the city.
Sara and Jason smiling at Tha Phae gate in Chiang Mai.
We walked from Tha Phae Gate to the center of the old city and saw, arguably, the most impressive temple in all of Chiang Mai. Known as Wat Chedi Luang, it contains the remnants of a huge chedi (chedi – a large structure containing a relic of Buddha) that partially collapsed during an earthquake in the sixteenth century (I think – going from memory). Even though the chedi is half as large as it once was, it is still quite impressive.
Wat Chedi Luang, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The chedi partially collapsed during an earthquake, but it’s still a very large and impressive structure.
We enjoyed a “monk chat” while visiting Wat Chedi Luang. We spoke with a young monk – late teens or early 20’s – who answered our questions about monks and Buddhism. The most fascinating part of our talk was that our monk didn’t seem like he was going to be a monk much longer. He seemed ready to leave the temple and join the Thai Army and fulfill his compulsory service requirement. He even voiced some interest in a military career.
It’s hard to contemplate, but this young man has been a monk for years. His parents weren’t able to support him, so they dropped him off at the temple in Chiang Rai to become a “novice,” or young monk. He was given a free education by the older monks in the temple, and his food and other essentials were donated by the local community. He owed his life to his religion, but he seemed perfectly willing to leave the monastery behind. What’s more, he made a point to emphasize the fact that Buddhist monks are free to come and go as they wish – there is nothing compulsory (or expected) about their service to the temple.
Whatever your faith, you have to admire a religion that offers education and shelter to a young man with no strings attached.
There was a frightfully disturbing experience that I had shortly after our monk chat. While speaking with the monk, Sara and I learned that one of the most esteemed and enlightened monks in all of Thailand died about 4 months ago, and that people were still coming to visit him each and every day. I took that to mean people were visiting a memorial. Not exactly. Imagine a partially embalmed body made to sit upright by some unseen supports so that it appears to be in a state of deep meditation. Imagine that this body is also slowly rotting in a tropical climate. It was such a vile smell coming from the temple that contained this body that I had a hard time setting foot inside. Not to mention the creep factor.
I think this speaks more to my squeamishness than anything else, but I was disturbed. Still, it is their custom and it must be respected. I would just rather respect it from a distance. Sara was feeling a little stuffed up that day, so she couldn’t smell what I smelled and therefore believes I over-reacted.
I don’t think so.
