The Blue Temple is called that because it is blue. Very blue. Everything is blue.
I like blue.
In 1996, the local community initiated the project, wanting to replace an old abandoned temple which stood on the site.
Very common theme in Chiang Rai.
Formally, to people who are not tourists and understand things, this is called Wat Rong Suea Ten, which means temple of the groove or ditch of the dancing tiger.
Apparently there were tigers in this area in the old days, and they used to jump across a ditch with water in it. So the villagers decided to call their village Rong Suea Ten. Or that is what the museum tells you.
Construction did not start until 2005, and the main building did not open until 2016.
Local artist Phuttha Kabkaew learned from Charlermchai Kositpipat while he worked on Wat Rong Khun (White temple we discussed earlier).
Fancy fact, he is known as “Sala Nok,” which is a northern Thai title for artisan.
The Blue Temple follows the same ‘neo-traditional’ style of Buddhist art Chalermchai pioneered.
That means lavish, ornamental, and psychedelic imagery.
It certainly does the psychedelic part well.
Honestly, I liked this one and other than the fact it is blue, I have no idea why. It is smaller than the white temple, and a lot of it has been damaged by tourists I assume. Bits of sculptures broken off and some concrete bits have fallen off.
It is in what appears to be a parking lot with a lot of vendors around it, so screams tourist attraction, not temple, and in fact it is listed on several internet sources as tourist attraction before it is listed as a temple.
It is smaller than the white temple grounds, and I don’t believe I saw a single blade of grass, even though there were flowers here and there.
But I still liked it. I think it was the fact it was blue.
Pictures are perhaps the best way to talk about this temple, so check out the picture page.
The chedi, or the blue building in the foreground of picture above, is Phra That Kew Kaew Chula Mani. It is the chedi of this complex and is 20 meters high. Supposedly it contains relics from the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, Sangaraja Sakolmaha Sangkha Prinayok.
This is inside the viharn. The buddha figure is called Buddha Rajamongkol Bodhi Trilokanat, and is 6 meters tall. It is also a relatively recent Buddha from 2008.
I did get to ‘throw sticks’ for a fortune here. You put sticks in a cup and shake it. The first numbered stick to fall out is your fortune.
There was a neat museum and a painting I liked inside. Cannot find a match for it anywhere, but it was neat to see.
They have a coffin fund for the monks. Apparently it is a big need here, so they had an animated skeleton who rocked back and forth and chanted when you put money in that box.
Really a lot of the vendors here were the same as in other temples. The clothing vendor who will sell you long pants and long shirt to cover so you can go in. The water seller. The food booth, and most of the rest were ways to make merit.
You can pay to pray at your day of the week Buddha. You can get a fortune. You can pray to your zodiac sign. You can get a blessing from a skeleton monk. You can buy flowers, incense, food offerings for the monks or to make prayers. You can even buy a silver card they will put on a roof tile or something to support the maintenance fund.
It is entirely the same, yet entirely different than the church I grew up in. Yes, the church always needs and requests more money, but I make a donation once a year, or a donation to a fund, or something like that. Here, if you want to pray, you pay.
Same thing because you are supporting the structure and body of the religion. Different because here it is nickel and dime, and at home it is write a check.
I am sure there is more made here because they also have the tourist income, but I’m not sure I prefer it. It is simply different.
And different is fine. It is just different.
