Anek Kuson Sala (อเนกกุศลศาลา)

Thai. ‘Many good deeds pavilion’. Chinese-Thai museum at the compound of Wat Yahn Sangwarahrahm Woramahawihaan in Huay Yai district of Chonburi province. In Tae Chew-Chinese, it is called Ta Pu Yie and in Mandarin Tan Fu Yuan (淡浮院) . In Thai it also known by the name Wihaan Sian, which means ‘abode of the gods’, with Sian (Xian) being the immortals of Chinese legend. It was constructed in 1988 by Sanga Kulkobkiat, who was granted 7 rai of land at the Wat Yahn temple compound. Its intention is to demonstrate Chinese and Thai mix of cultures, by exhibiting artifacts and valuable items, including large bronze images from the different Chinese dynasties, a copy of the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors (fig.), an enormous bronze statue of the ‘Eight Immortals Crossing the Ocean’ (fig.), Thai Art Exhibition Rooms, several Chinese and Thai style Buddha images and many other sculptures and bronze images. Among its outdoor collection of statues are about 60 life-sized, as well as some larger and some smaller sculptures carved from granite, including Imperial Guardian Lions with a height of 3.5 meters and weighing 22 tons, said to be the largest in the world (fig.). The official opening took place on 24 December 1993 by his Majesty the King. At that time around 220 million baht was spent on its construction and installation, most of the money collected from donations. The Chinese government gave 328 valuable items for permanent exhibition and the museum frequently adds new items to its collection. Sanga Kulkobkiat was also a main leader in the construction of the Tan Fu Yuan complex in the Chinese province Guandong, a twin of Thailand's Anek Kuson Sala, located in Yan Feng Hongshan Forest Park in Chaozhou City. See also MAP, TRAVEL PICTURE (1) and (2), and WATCH VIDEO. 回