The Surreal White Temple |
The Wat Rong Khun is an unorthodox
Buddhist temple in Thailand. Building of this unusual building started
in 1997 by Thai painter-architecht Chalermchai Kositpipat, and was
immediately dubbed 'The White Temple'.
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The luxurious temple is a blend of
traditional architecture that combines surreal elements together, and if
you ever get to visit, you'll be hard-pressed not to be impressed...
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The main building is painted all in
white to symbolize the purity of the Buddha. It is covered with a mosaic
of mirrors, and lights up in the sun, which gives it a holy look. |
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But around the building, the
atmosphere is a lot less holy. Complex statues of demons and skulls,
severed heads hanging from trees and other strange objects, promise the
traveler an otherworldly experience.
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The main building is part of a 12
acre compound that is home to 9 different buildings. But to get to the
main building, you'll need to cross a bridge over a creepy moat that has
arms coming out of it, symbolizing desire.
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The surreal experience doesn't stop outside, but continues within. |
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If you thought to be welcomed by
statues of Buddha and white angels, you'll be surprised to discover huge
wall paintings taken from western popular culture.
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Instead of battling demons,
Chalermchai Kositpipat decided to take scenes of epic battles between
good and evil, and put it in a buddhist context. That is why we see
paintings of batman, superman and even Keanu Reevs as Nemo from The
Matrix movies.
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And in the middle of this chaotic
mess, sits the serene image of the buddha, surrounded by golden flowers
and hovering angels in a heavenly kingdom.
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The white temple was built to serve as a learning and meditation center for people, and there's no doubt it gives much inspiration, as to what kind of inspiration, I cannot say... |
vendredi 10 octobre 2014
The Surreal White Temple
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