Ubosot of the Emerald Buddha

The ubosot housing the Emerald Buddha

 
The ubosot (ordination hall) housing the Emerald Buddha is actually the only original building in the temple. It was built at the same time as the temple in 1783 to 1785. Like most of the buildings in the compound, the ubosot's exterior is finished in colored mirror tiles and gilt carving. The eaves are lined with bronze bells which tinkle is the slightest breeze.

Entry to the chapel is on the east side. The doors are inlaid with mother-of-pearl designs from the Ramakian, the same epic which illustrates the gallery. Inside, the Emerald Buddha sits high up on a gilt alter. The image, which was carved from a solid piece of green jadite, not emerald, is 66 centimeters (26 inches) tall and about 48 centimeters (19 inches) across at the lap. The image has three golden 'costumes' which are changed with the seasons by His Majesty the King or one of his children.

On either side of the high alter are screens which create a private area for the royal family when visiting the temple. In front of the Emerald Buddha are several other Buddha images placed there by the kings of the dynasty. The two lowest images were placed there by the present king. One in 1987 on his sixtieth birthday, and the other in 1988 when he became the longest reigning Thai monarch.

Note that you must remove your shoes to enter the ubosot, and no photography is allowed inside the chapel.

Photo Gallery

For more pictures of the Ubosot of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, see our online photo gallery.

History of the Emerald Buddha

A copy of the Emerald Buddha in Chiang Rai

Like many revered Buddha images, the Emerald Buddha has a mysterious past. Nobody knows when or where it was made, although it is stylistically similar to images popular in northern Thailand. The image was discovered in 1434 when lightening cracked open a chedi in a Chiang Rai temple now also known as Wat Phra Kaeo. When discovered, it was covered in plaster and the abbot of the temple kept it in his quarters until the plaster started to flake off, revealing the jade underneath.

Hearing of the discovery, the King of Lanna dispatched some soldiers to bring the image back to Chiang Mai. However, the elephant sent to carry the image refused to take the road back to Chiang Mai (Buddha images are often thought to have such powers over their movement). Seeing this, the escort took it as a sign and re-routed to Lampang.

Eventually, a later king seems to have 'convinced' the image to come to Chiang Mai, where it was enshrined in Wat Chedi Luang. But in 1552 the line of Lanna kings was interrupted and filled by the crown prince of Laos. However, after just a short time he returned to Luang Prabang to take the throne, taking the Emerald Buddha with him. The image was later moved to the new Lao capital of Vientiane, where it stayed for more than 200 years.

In 1778, while in the process of reuniting Siam after the sacking of Ayutthaya, King Taksin dispatched General Chakri on a punitative expedition to Laos, where he took Vientiane in 1779. Chakri bought the Emerald Buddha back with him, and when he later became King Rama I, he built the temple to house the image.