🇱🇦 THAILEX VDO Wat Wisunarat and Wat Aham: Guardians of Luang Prabang's Spiritual Heritage

Wat Wisunarat (ວັດວິສຸນະຣາດ), also known as Wat Visoun (ວັດວິສຸນ), is the oldest functioning temple in Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ), Laos, originally constructed in 1513 during the reign of King Wisunarat (ວິສຸນະຣາດ, 1501-1520). This temple exemplifies the earliest Lao architectural style, marked by simplicity and uniformity, with multiple roof layers extending around its perimeter. Its sim once housed the sacred Prabang Buddha image until 1707 and was renowned for its intricate wooden craftsmanship, as depicted in 19th-century engravings. Though the original structure was destroyed during the 1887 Haw invasion, it was reconstructed between 1896 and 1898, incorporating traditional designs with modern materials like brick and plaster. A highlight of Wat Wisunarat is its iconic That Pathoum (ທາດພາທູມ), commonly called That Makmo (ທາດໝາກໂມ), i.e. ‘Watermelon Stupa’, named for its rounded dome, which reflects Sinhalese influence. Originally built between 1514 and 1515, it was similarly rebuilt after the Haw invasion. Today, the temple serves as a museum of religious art and remains a site of cultural significance, featuring ancient Buddha statues and artifacts alongside its historical architecture. Nearby, Wat Aham (ວັດອາຫາມ), the 'Monastery of the Blossoming Heart,' was constructed in 1818 during the reign of King Manthatourath (มັນທະທຸຣາດ, 1817-1836). Reflecting the Luang Prabang style, its sim is understated, with a triple-layered roof and symmetrical porches, while its vibrant interior features murals illustrating Buddhist teachings and scenes of Luang Prabang’s past. Statues of Ravana and Hanuman, central figures of the Ramayana and its Laotian counterpart Phalak Phalam, guard the temple, alongside two stylized stucco tigers. The site of Wat Aham holds deeper historical and spiritual resonance, as it was once a shrine to the guardian spirits of Luang Prabang, Pu No (ພູນອົງ) and Na No (ນາອົງ). These spirits, enshrined by Fa Ngum (ຟາງຸມ), the founder of the Lan Xang kingdom (ລານຊັງ), coexisted with Theravada Buddhism. However, King Photthisarat (ພົດທິສະຣາດ)’s suppression of animist practices in 1527 brought conflict, leading to calamities believed to be the spirits’ retribution. The shrine was later rebuilt, and for centuries, Wat Aham symbolized the coexistence of animism and Buddhism. By the mid-20th century, the physical shrine to the guardian spirits was removed, but their presence endures symbolically through two banyan trees on the temple grounds. Wat Aham also served as the residence of the Supreme Patriarch of Laotian Buddhism in the 19th century and remains culturally significant today, particularly during festivals such as Boun Pi Mai (ບົນປີໃໝ່), when the guardian spirits’ masks are featured in traditional ceremonies. Together, Wat Wisunarat and Wat Aham stand as enduring symbols of Luang Prabang’s spiritual heritage, reflecting the city’s deep intertwining of Buddhist and animist traditions, its resilience through historical upheavals, and its cultural significance in contemporary Laos.
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