Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan

Wat Phanan Choeng is an ancient and significant temple in Ayutthaya, renowned throughout the country, especially for its large Buddha image known as Luang Phor To or the Chinese Sam Poh Kong, which has been revered by both Thai and Chinese Buddhists for a long time. It is common to see a large number of people visiting this temple to pay respects to Luang Phor To. History of Wat Phanan Choeng: The temple has a long history, built before the establishment of Ayutthaya, with no clear evidence of its founder. The Northern Chronicles state that King Sai Nam Phung was the creator, and he named it Wat Chao Phraya Nang Choeng. In the Royal Chronicles of Luang Prasert, it is mentioned that the Buddha image named 'Phra Chao Phanan Choeng' was established in the year 1867 B.E., 26 years before King U-Thong founded Ayutthaya. Points of Interest: Luang Phor To, or the Buddha Tri Ratna Nayok, is a late U-Thong art style Buddha image in the victorious Mara posture, with a lap width of 14.20 meters and a height of 19.20 meters, made of gilded stucco. This Buddha image is considered an ancient symbol of Ayutthaya since its founding. The Old Ayutthaya Chronicles of Luang Prasert Nititad state that it was built in 1868 B.E., 26 years before King Ramathibodi I established Ayutthaya. As Ayutthaya was about to fall, it was recorded that the large Buddha image at Wat Phanan Choeng miraculously shed tears. Luang Phor To is highly revered among the Chinese community, who refer to it as 'Sam Poh Kong.' Besides Thais, many people of Chinese descent visit and worship regularly every year. Golden Buddha Images in the Ubosot: The Ubosot of Wat Phanan Choeng houses three significant Buddha images: a golden Buddha, a stucco Buddha, and a Naga Buddha. The golden Buddha is a Sukhothai-era image made of pure gold, with a lap width of 3 elbows and a height of 4 elbows, shining brightly. The central image is an Ayutthaya-era stucco Buddha with a lap width of 4 elbows and a height of 5 elbows. The Naga Buddha, also from the Sukhothai era, has a reddish hue, with a lap width of 3 elbows and a height of 5 elbows. It is said that the golden and Naga Buddhas were accidentally discovered to be made of gold, as they were originally covered in stucco to look like ordinary stucco Buddhas. This was likely done to prevent theft or destruction for gold during the imminent invasion of Ayutthaya. The Buddhas were disguised with stucco while it was still wet, sculpted with patterns and features such as the face and hair, to mislead people into thinking they were not made of gold. Later, when the stucco chipped off revealing the gold underneath, the stucco was carefully removed, and the golden Buddhas were enshrined in the Ubosot of the temple.