Explore the Beliefs of Buddhism in the White Temple of Chaing Rai

Chiang Rai is home to some of the most beautiful temples,one of which is commonly referred to as the White Temple. The architectural structure of this stunning artwork instantly captivates your attention. Wat Rong Kun, (White Temple), attracts a remarkable number of tourists on a daily basis and it's easy to see why. The ornate designs paint a serene image of the Buddhist way of life. Not only is it intricately designed, but it tells a story and uses the architecture to represent the Buddhist belief system.

The History

The original White Temple was in desperate need of repair towards the end of the 20th Century. Unfortunately, funds were not available to renovate it, however, fortunately for us, a local artist took it upon himself to reconstruct it. Chalermchai Kositpipat decided to use his own time and funds to give the temple a total makeover. He undertook the refurbishment as his own personal project and opened it to the public for all to appreciate. He has dedicated years to the project in order to create the ultimate offering to Lord Buddha. To date he has spent over 40million Thai Bhat (€1,061,126) on this work of art, and he's not finished yet. While the project looks to be complete, Kositpipat has indicated he has much more he wishes to add and estimates the work will not be complete until approximately 2070.

Wat Rong Kun

As we pulled up outside the temple our eyes were instantly drawn to the snow white structure surrounded by a crowd of visitors. The air was filled with a buzz of appreciation as people took in the surroundings and posed for pictures. As you examine the scenery more closely a story begins to unfold in the form of the project.

Our tour guide explained to us the symbolism of the structure in association with the Buddhist lifestyle. The temple itself is situated on and surrounded by a bed of water. The water symbolises the purity of the temple. At the base before the bridge we see a collection of sculptures depicting outstretched hands. The trees around the area are decorated with gargoyle style heads hanging from the branches. These depictions of horror are used to create the idea of hell. It is believed that the outstretched hands represent greed and lust. The bridge connecting the base to the temple is described as our journey from hell (the place of greed and lust) to heaven ( a place tranquility and purity). The bridge is said to be our rebirth away from the temptations of hell. This is believed to be a symbol of overcoming a life of material possessions and rejection of a sinful life in place of a life of serenity.

The temple walls adorned with mirrors represents Buddha's teachings being reflected onto others. The pure white colour used throughout the structure sybolises the purity of life away from hell. As you cross the bridge you will be required to remove your footwear as a mark of respect.

After taking in the breathtaking beauty of the the temple we explored the surrounding grounds.

The golden building with intricate designs caught my attention but this was not a place of worship as I assumed, it was the public toilets. I usually wouldn't be fond of a public toilet in Thailand but this was like no other and I'll explain why. The opulent gold fixtures and trimmings decorating this building create an image of wealth and prestige. When viewed in contrast to the pure white colour of the temple it suggest this is not a random design. The fact that the toilets are situated away from the temple and close to the outstretched hands and hanging heads, I feel this is supposed to be viewed in conjunction with the sculpture. The depiction of wealth displayed in the design of this building and its location close to the depiction of hell suggests the idea that we are preoccupied by money, wealth and greed, to the point were we are never satisfied. We constantly have our hands outstretched looking for more and figuratively drive ourselves to our death with discontent and constant lust for more. We destroy ourselves morally and ethically in exchange for material possessions and in the hope of gaining a higher social status.Yet, when we cross over to the purity of the white temple we see that life does not have to be all about what we have and how much we have. Our life can be just as beautiful and just as important without the gold trimmings.

This artwork really made me think about how I live and allowed me to explore the teachings of Buddha and the concept that worldly possessions will not bring peace and happiness. I have learned this lesson in my exploration as a backpacker. Living on a minimal budget makes you see that constantly spending your money on material possessions wont necessarily bring you happiness. It might make life easier but it wont make it better. Right now, the things that bring me happiness are new experiences. While some of these inevitably cost money, my money is much better spent having these experience than frivolously buying new clothes and handbags. Of course money is important in society, and of course it is needed to have many experiences, but it is not the most important aspect of life.

General Information

Admission to the temple is free for Thai people or 50Bhat for visitors ( a whole €1.33). While donations to the project are graciously accepted, the creator has indicated they cannot exceed 10,000 Bhat as he will not be influenced by large donors. This rejection of wealth is in keeping with the theme of the project and the beliefs of the Buddha lifestyle.

The White Temple is located about 25 minutes away from the Blue Temple which is also worth exploring. You can easily explore both temples in one day (and I recommend you do). I will post a piece about my trip to the Blue Temple in the coming days.

I strongly recommend a trip to Wat Rong Kun in Chaing Rai. Whether you like architecture, art, religion or culture, this temple is definitely worth a spot on your bucket list.