The Wat Xieng Thong found at the tip of the Luang Prabang peninsula is one of Laos most beautiful and richly decorated temples.
The Wat is a Royal temple built by King Setthathirath in 1559 on the banks of the Mekong river. It is one of the few temples that was not destroyed during the Black Flag Army invasion of 1887.
There are two entrances to the temple. The road entry is through an elaborate gateway topped with a circular stupa. The Mekong river entry used to be the main entry point in previous centuries. It was the entry that the King used when he arrived by boat from the Royal Palace. A long, broad stairway from the Mekong river leads to the temple; near the top are two large white lions guarding the grounds.
The sim
The Wat Xieng Thong’s most impressive building is the sim, the temple’s congregation hall. Both the sim’s exterior and interior are very extensively decorated with intricate gold stencilling on black lacquer.
The impressive structure is built in the Luang Prabang style, its sweeping roof extending almost to the ground. The roof consists of a large, 3 tiered central section flanked by several 2 tiered sections. On top of the central part is a gilded “Dok so faa”, an ornamental element consisting of 17 miniature stupas covered by 7 tiered parasols.
The gable is decorated with carved and gilded floral motifs and Dhamma wheels on a red lacquer background. The front portico’s roof is supported by four black and gold stencilled columns. The façade under the portico is black lacquer with gold stencilling of deities, mythological animals, scenes from the Jataka tales and floral motifs. The temple’s exterior walls are decorated with gold stencilled deities, Apsaras and kinnaree.
The sim’s back wall contains a colorful mosaic of the tree of life on a red background, made in the 1960’s. In the top of the picture is a standing Buddha, at the bottom of the picture are a man walking and several animals including a tiger and two peacocks. On either side of the mosaic is an intricately carved, gilded entrance door.
The sim’s interior is as impressive as its exterior. Large stencilled teak wood pillars support the roof; its walls are stencilled in gold on black lacquer with floral motifs, animals, scenes of daily life and Jataka tales. One of the walls contains a depiction of the Heavens with the Buddha and several deities, the Earth with people and trees, and the Hells with pictures of people receiving punishments for their sins. Seated on an elaborate pedestal is the principal Buddha image in the Bhumisparsha mudra, surrounded by many smaller images.
Tree of Life on the sim’s back wall
Name
Wat Xieng Thong
Date
1559
Location
Between Khem Khong road and Sakkaline road
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang