WAT PANAN CHOENG

Wat Pananchoeng predates the founding of Ayutthaya. The temple is Buddhist but also has a Chinese character in side and around it are numerous Chinese Temples for numerous Chinese Gods and other Deities.

 Built in 1324, some 26 years before the city of Ayutthaya was officially founded, the temple must have been partly connected to early settlements in the area. The area where Phra Phanan Choeng was built, has been home to a large Chinese community, settled on both sides of the Chao Phraya immediately south of the city in an area presently known as Bang Kaja (Bangkacha) since times prior the establishment of the Ayutthaya in 1351. 

The viharn contains the oldest, largest and most beautiful Buddha image of all, the Phra Chao Phananchoeng. It is 14.25 meters wide and 19 meters high. The shape of face and broad facial features confirm that this Buddha image is of the period of second generation U Thong style Buddha images.

 

The Buddha image - made of brick and mortar and covered with stucco - sits in the classic posture of Subduing Mara. It measures (approx) 14 meters at the lap and 19meters in height including the ornament above the head. 

Thai people call it “Luang Phor To” or “Great Reverend Father”, Chinese or Thais of Chinese origin call it “Sam Po Kong”. It is one of the largest, oldest, beautiful and revered Buddha images of Thailand.

Thai's offering orange fabric to cloth the Buddha

The ordination hall contains three Buddha images all in the posture of subduing Mara.Two images are assumed to have been built during the Sukhothai period around 1357.They were covered with stucco, lacquered and gilt, probably to hide their value from the Burmese invaders in 1767. In 1963 during a cleaning process, the stucco came off and the metal became visible. One image is in gold measuring a width of 145 cm and a height of 190 cm.) The second one is made from an alloy of copper, silver and gold and measures at width 170 cm and at height is 228 cm. The third image in the middle of the pedestal is an Ayutthaya stucco image covered with gold (width 182 cm - height is 256cm). 

The ubosot has beautiful mural paintings although from recent times.Thai people revere this Buddha and pray to it for good luck.

 

The vihara located parallel and to the north side of the ordination hall has a Buddha image in the subduing Mara posture and also very nice Chinese mural paintings.