Fo Guang Shan Thai Hua Si (佛光山泰華寺, โฝวกวงซันไท่หัวซื่อ, ฝอกวงซันไท่หัวซื่อ)

Chinese. ‘Buddhist Light of Mount Tai Hua Temple’. Name for a Thai-Chinese Mahayana Buddhist temple in Bangkok (fig.), named after Tai Hua Shan (太華山), i.e. the ‘Great Flower Mountain’ near Xi'an (fig.) in Western China. The large complex has a paifang-style entrance gate which is topped by traditional Chinese-style roofs, that are always curved upward (fig.) as it is believed in feng shui that straight lines attract evil, whereas curved lines ward off evil spirits. Above the eaves near the corners, these roofs are topped with Chinese Imperial roof decorations, i.e. a number of mythical animals, in this case three, preceded by a man riding a feng-huang, a mythical bird similar to a phoenix, whereas at the tail of the procession is a dragon. These rows of decorative roof ridge statuettes of mythical creatures are used to protect the building, as well as to indicate the importance of the building and the person living in it, or in case of a temple, of the deity to whom it is devoted. The traditional roofs are completed with interlocking brackets known as dougong (fig.), which are typically used in ancient Chinese architecture and form a structural network that joins the pillars to the frame of the roof, and are fitted together using a click and lock system, without the need of glue or nails, nor wedges. Behind this decorated archway lies the main building, surrounded by a well-maintained feng shui-style landscaped garden with Chinese rockery (fig.) and a small artificial waterfall. The main building fully encloses a large elevated courtyard which can be accessed by a wide staircase that is guarded by two stone Imperial Guardian Lions (fig.). Typical with Chinese-Taoist temples, a depiction of Mi Le Fo, i.e. the Smiling Buddha, an obese Chinese monk who became the god of happiness and wealth, is placed at the entrance hall, facing the entry. Here, he is portrayed on a bas-relief panel in the company of 100 children, of whom he is the patron (fig.). He is also known as Huan Xi Fo and Budai, is associated with Angaja, and in Taoist temples is typically seated back to back with a standing image of Wei Tuo, whereas in the front, he is flanked by the Four Heavenly Kings (fig.), two on either side. They are elaborately carved with great detail and set up in 2 small side rooms with decorative latticed screens and of which the entrances are in the form of gilded Moon Gates (fig.). In the northwestern garden side, on the outside of the enclosed courtyard, is a 5-storey octagonal pagoda. Whereas the odd number of storeys, corresponds to the yang principle of the yin-yang concept, i.e. the bright aspect, which relates to the Buddhist Enlightenment, the eight corners of the pagoda refer to the Eightfold Path in Buddhism. Positioned symmetrically opposite of this, the northeastern back garden features a tall gilded statue of Kuan Yin, the goddess of Mercy, on an elevated platform with an golden lotus flower. The outer edge of this base, which doubles as a building, is surrounded by similar yet smaller statues of Kuan Yin. The entrance to this base is guarded by two Chinese lions and the area surrounding it is lined with granite, man-sized, carved statues of Kuan Yin in different poses. There are also statues of this and other Taoist and Buddhist deities scattered around the complex. The temple's stunning rock garden features a large statue of Kuan Yin, as well as a hall dedicated to this Chinese goddess of mercy, inside an octagonal Chinese-style pavilion in stone with an upwardly curved roof. A similar hexagonal pavilion with red pillars and an orange roof, located in front of the main building, houses a seated Buddha image. The temple's main hall features the three Trikaya Buddhas (fig.) in wood, flanked by the wooden statues of two luohan, whilst niches in its walls display life-sized intricate wood carved statues of sixteen arahats. See also MAP, PANORAMA PICTURE, and TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7), and WATCH VIDEO. 回