| |
| |
|
Outdoors Information |
|
|
|
The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok - the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya
The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old Chinese building within a community on the Chao Phraya River where time seems to have stood still for the last 200 years. The site originally had two shrines built in the reign of King Taksin (1767 - 1782) by his Chinese supporters. The dilapidated buildings were torn down in the reign of King Rama III (1824 - 1851) and rebuilt to house Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy. Today, the Kuan Yin Shrine is in the care of a local Chinese family living in the area. In Thai, the goddess of mercy is known as Jao Mae Kuan Im. Kuan Yin, an ancient Chinese goddess, embodies the virtues of love, kindness, compassion and forgiveness, a legend that goes back to 300 BC. The youngest daughter of a Chinese king, she was blessed with virtue and spurned her corrupted father's greed for wealth and power. When she rejected his order for an arranged marriage, he drove her out of their home. Rejected, persecuted and exiled by her father, she dedicated her remaining years as a nun healing the sick and destitute and as a savior of shipwrecked sailors. When her father was mortally ill, she sacrificed her eyes and arms for the antidote to save him. Her selflessness earned her eternal worship and the Kuan Yin Shrine became a Chinese cultural heritage. The early Chinese immigrants to Bangkok continued the tradition and built a shrine for the goddess of mercy on the Chao Phraya River near where they lived. An elevated walkway, a recent addition, runs from the pier along the riverbanks and a small footbridge with a red arch links the walkway to the main gate of the shrine. At the end of a small red-tiled courtyard is the period Chinese structure housing the Kuan Yin Shrine. Images of classical Chinese characters are engraved on the front walls and above the opened main door, two fiery dragons ride the crest of the roof, glaring down fiercely. The wooden doors in the sidewalls leading to the inner quarters behind are closed. Inside the shrine, painted walls of Chinese warriors and old red Chinese lanterns hanging from the rafters create a mood reminiscent of ancient China, a mood seemingly unchanged over the years in the Kuan Yin Shrine. A smaller altar with several Kuan Yin statues stands in the open yard in the center of the shrine. In the main altar, in the covered area to the rear, a metre-high gold statue of Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy, sits serenely facing the Chao Phraya River. It's not a busy shrine on non-festive days. The occasional worshipper comes in to pray and pay respects as the day goes lazily by. Life on the river is quiet except for a few children playing by the pier and the odd fisherman. Meanwhile, in the Kuan Yin Shrine, the goddess of mercy, gazes benignly at the bustling river beyond as the riverboats go streaming by. The Kuan Yin Shrine is one of the many Bangkok Shrines in the old city. The Kuan Yin Shrine is one of the legacies that make up the rich cultural milieu of Bangkok. This article first appeared in Tour Bangkok Legacies, a historical travel site on people, places and events that shaped the landscape of Bangkok. The author, Eric Lim, is a free-lance writer who lives in Bangkok Thailand.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Campsite Meal Planning and Recipe Hello Again,Today we will be talking about meal planning. Meals are one of the most memorable aspects of any camping trip and if one meal is a disaster you will never hear the end of it. Kerala Backwaters - Gently Down the Stream The quaint little balcony was large enough to accommodate two cane chairs, a table and little else. To reach it we had to climb over the ledge of our bedroom window and since the projection had no protective railing we had to be careful not to trip or fall over into the water below. Hiking Trails Mt. Washington Valley NH - Trekking trails USA Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NHThe highest mountain in the northeast state of New Hampshire, at 6288 feet, Mt. Gambling Isnt the Only Thing to do in Las Vegas Do you think the only thing to do in Las Vegas is gamble? Would you believe that there are a multitude of great hiking trails in a place where all-you-can-eat casino buffets are par for the course? Southern Nevada is chock full of great hiking trails ready to be discovered. Hiking areas near Las Vegas include: Red Rock, Mt. My Five-Ounce Sleeping Bag Okay, it wasn't quite a sleeping bag. However, it was only five ounces, and it kept me warm as the temperature dropped to the low forties on the bank of the Manistee River in Michigan. A Review of Inflatable Boat Manufacturers There are many manufacturers of inflatable boats on the market today. Included below is an overview of each of the key manufacturers. Navigating on the Mountain, in Water, or in Woods there is an eTrex Unit For You Truly a small wonder, the eTrex takes the best features of a 12 parallel channel GPS receiver and put them into a six ounce package that is only four inches high and two inches wide. The result is a unit that will literally fit in the palm of your hand. Mystic Seaport Captured - Links to Our Past Guide, Part 3 Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known as The Museum of America and the Sea, the seaport is an entertaining journey through 19th century nautical life. Boondocking America Boondocking is fun! Boondockers go anywhere they want, at any time they want and at any speed they want! If you are a member of Loners on Wheels (LoW) or any other single RV'ing group you will want to boondock at least some of the time.Boondocking provides an almost perfect way to see America for little housing costs. San Diego Beach Hikes - Cardiff to Carlsbad San Diego offers a bevy of interesting hikes. With the average home price being around $500,000, they better be interesting!To unwind, I typically stop on my way home from work to hike from Cardiff to Carlsbad on the beach. Top Five African Safari Destinations Any vacations in Africa will not be complete without going on a safari to experience the wild animals and the peace and tranquillity of the bushveld.But there are literally hundreds of national parks and wildlife areas in Africa that you can travel to. Solo Backpacking Have you ever gone solo backpacking? If you have, you'll probably agree that it isn't a matter of it being better or worse than backpacking with friends. It's just a different activity altogether. The Great Outdoors is to be Explored and Loved in all its fullness The thing with enjoying the great outdoors is seeing aspects of life that you do not normally see during your normal weekly activities. The familiar sea breezes, the smells of spring flowers, the winter winds, fantastic views from mountain tops and so much more. Ultralight Backpacks - The Lightest Why ultralight backpacks? Devotees of ultralight backpacking know you reduce your packweight most by concentrating on the "big three;" backpack, shelter, and sleeping bag. Forget those 6-pound backpacks, 9-pound tents and 5-pound sleeping bags. Dancing With Whales We've all heard about whalewatching from boats or shore, and a few companies are now offering the possibility of actually swimming and snorkeling with whales in the wild. Is this a good thing?Some whalewatching operators in the Kingdom of Tonga, South Pacific islands, advertise the possibility of swimming and snorkeling with humpback whales during the cetacean's annual migration from July to October. Viewpoints on Whale Watching in Hermanus! If you're looking to spot a whale, the first few things you'll hear people say is:"Hermanus has the best land-based whale watching in the world" and "You're sure to see hundreds of whales breaching from the waters off the rocky cliffs to the West" or "You'll definitely see them lob tailing from the vantage point of the golden beaches to the East".And this indeed is a fact. Inflatable Pontoon Boats Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and in fact designed several models. The one that has been produced the most is a three-tube model of unparalleled maneuverability and load bearing capacity. Hiking Shoes Versus Hiking Boots Hiking shoes versus hiking boots? Hiking shoes win. Okay, next issue? No, really. Shark Attacks! How Common are They? Where do They Occur? Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could have turned into a disaster: He was attacked by a seven-foot bronze whaler shark while surfing about 100 yards out from Sydney's Bronte Beach.Fortunately, the man, Simon Letch, stayed calm and "shoved the board at [the shark] like a barge pole. Taking an Alaskan Cruise - What to Pack Packing in general can be a hassle. But when going on an Alaskan cruise, it can be even harder because of the colder weather.
|
| home | site map | Ocean Photography |
| © 2006 |
