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{{Short description|Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand}}
[[Image:Wat Chiang Man (I).jpg|thumb|Phra Chedi (right) and Phra Wihan (left) in 2022]]
'''Wat Chiang Man''' ({{langx|th|วัดเชียงมั่น}}, [[Northern Thai language|Northern Thai]] − sometimes also written as ''Wat Chiang Mun'') is a [[Thai temple art and architecture|Buddhist temple]] (Thai language: ''[[Wat]]'') inside the old city (which is contained within the [[city walls]] and [[moat]]) of [[Chiang Mai]], in northern Thailand.

==History==
Wat Chiang Man was built by [[Mangrai]]<ref name=Coedes>{{cite book|last= Coedès|first= George|authorlink= George Coedès|editor= Walter F. Vella|others= trans.Susan Brown Cowing|title= The Indianized States of Southeast Asia|year= 1968|publisher= University of Hawaii Press|isbn= 978-0-8248-0368-1}}</ref>{{rp|209}} in 1297 [[Common Era|CE]] as the first temple of Chiang Mai on the location of Wiang Nopburi, a fortified town of the [[Lawa people]] which had been used by [[King Mangrai]] as a camp during the construction of his new capital city Chiang Mai.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chiangmainews.com/indepth/details.php?id=373|title = Latest Chiang Mai News - daily news, headlines, articles & breaking stories}}</ref>

==Sights==
[[Image:MapWatChiangMan.jpg|thumb|Plan of Wat Chiang Man]]
*'''Chedi Chang Lom''' - the 'Elephant [[Chedi (temple)|Chedi]]' is the oldest construction within the temple complex. The square base supports a second level which has the front half of 15 life-sized brick-and-stucco elephants emerging from it. The elephants seem to carry the upper levels of the building on their backs. The [[gilded]] upper part of the chedi contains a bell shaped [[relic]] chamber directly underneath the pinnacle.
*'''Main Wihan''' - the larger of the two {{Transliteration|th|italic=no|[[vihara|wihans]]}} was renovated in the 1920s by the monk ''Khru Ba Srivichai''. The building houses a large {{Transliteration|th|italic=no|[[mondop]]}} structure for an [[altar]] surrounded by [[Buddha statue]]s. One of the standing Buddha's has the year 1465 CE engraved on its base, which would make it the oldest statue of the [[Lanna Kingdom]]. It is also the oldest statue of Thailand which shows the Buddha with an [[alms]] bowl. The [[façade]] of the {{Transliteration|th|italic=no|wihan}} features gilded carvings of [[Kirtimukha]] in between flower and plant motives.
*'''New Wihan''' - the smaller of the two {{Transliteration|th|italic=no|wihans}} houses two important statues of the Buddha which, due to their protective powers, are regarded as the ''[[Palladium (mythology)|Palladium statues]]'' of Chiang Mai:
** The '''Phra Sae Tang Khamani''' is also known as the 'Phra Kaew Khao' or 'Crystal Buddha'. This 10 cm tall statue is carved out of a clear [[quartz]] crystal. According to Oliver Hargreave,<ref>Oliver Hargreave: Exploring Chiang Mai, City, Valley & Mountains</ref> the statue was crafted around 200 CE for King Ramraj of [[Lopburi]] and brought to the [[Hariphunchai]] Kingdom (present day [[Lamphun]]) by Queen [[Jamadevi]] in 662 CE. It was only transferred to Chiang Mai by King Mangrai in 1296 after he had conquered Lamphun. As it survived the pillaging of that city, the statue is thought to protect against disasters. However, Carol Stratton<ref>Carol Stratton: Buddhist Sculpture of Northern Thailand</ref> dates the statue as having been created in the 15th century based on its style characteristics. The gold covered wooden base and golden [[Baldachin|canopy]] are later additions donated by King [[Inthawichayanon]] of Chiang Mai in 1874. Together they contain more than 6 kg of gold.
**The '''Phra Sila''' statue is a stone [[stele]] depicting a standing Buddha whilst taming the elephant [[Miracles of Gautama Buddha#Taming the elephant|'Nalagiri']] in [[bas-relief]]. The temple states that the statue originated from India before being transferred to its present location. However, others believe the statue originated from [[Ceylon]] (present day [[Sri Lanka]]) and might date from either the 8th or 10th century CE depending on the source {{citation needed|date=January 2017}}. Due to the religious belief that the statue has rain-giving powers, this statue features prominently in the [[Songkran (Thailand)|Songkran]] festival at the end of the dry season.
*'''[[Ubosot]]''' - in front of the ubosot one can find a stone stele from the year 1581 CE. This stele contains the oldest mentioning of the founding date of Chiang Mai: the 12th of April, 1296 CE at 4 am. It also mentions that the ubosot was commissioned by King Mangrai and that Phya Saen Luang had it restored in 1571. The present building was built in the 19th century.
*'''[[Ho Trai]]''' - the Temple Library (scripture depository) of Wat Chiang Man is of a fairly plain design when compared to the Ho Trai belonging to ''[[Wat Phra Singh]]''. It is a wooden building set on top of a high plastered brick base. Most temples in Chiang Mai do not feature a Ho Trai.
*'''Lotus Pond''' - as with Ho Trai, temple ponds do not feature at most Chiang Mai temples. Both Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man have one.

== See also ==
* [[Thai temple art and architecture]]

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Chmwchiangman0506b.jpg|Ubosot
Image:Chmwchiangman0506c.jpg|Former Ho Trai (Temple Library), a new one is now in the lotus pond
Image:005 Ho Trai from Side (9203433957).jpg|The new Ho Trai building
Image:Chmwchiangman0506a.jpg|Wihan: the Phra Sila Buddha is housed inside the [[mondop]] behind the gates
Image:Chmwbuppharam0005-a.jpg|A mural from [[Wat Buppharam, Chiang Mai]], depicting the inauguration of Wat Chiang Man
Image:ChediChangLomDSCN4185.JPG|Wat Chiang Man, the ''Elephant chedi''
</gallery>

== References ==
<references/>
* Carol Stratton: ''Buddhist Sculpture of Northern Thailand''. Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai 2004, {{ISBN|974-7551-63-2}}
* Oliver Hargreave: ''Exploring Chiang Mai, City, Valley & Mountains''. Within Books, 3rd print, 2002. {{ISBN|974-86437-7-8}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai}}
*[http://www.mahidol.ac.th/thailand/chiang.html Wat Chiang Man, the first royal temple of Chiang Mai] - Page created by [[Mahidol University]]

{{coord|18|47|37.81|N|98|59|20.36|E|type:landmark_region:TH|display=title}}

[[Category:Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai|Chiang Man]]
[[Category:13th-century Buddhist temples]]
[[Category:13th-century establishments in Thailand]]

Wat Chiang Man - Revision history

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