The Blue Temple is immediately recognizable for its brilliant shade of
rich sapphire. The temple walls, roof, and surrounding statues are all
covered in this gorgeous hue, an unusual decorative choice in a country
where most temples are made of gold. This color is symbolically
associated with purity, wisdom, and the lack of materialism that
Buddhists aspire to.
The temple is a fascinating fusion of traditional Buddhist values and
classic Thai architecture with extremely contemporary design choices.
This modernism makes sense — the Blue Temple was designed by Putha
Kabkaew, a student of the artist who built the eccentric White Temple.
The Blue Temple History
The Blue Temple is known in Thai as “Wat Rong Suea Ten”, or “Temple
of the Dancing Tiger”. Another ancient temple once stood here, and
tigers are said to have roamed freely over the grounds when it was
abandoned nearly a century ago. The Blue Temple as it exists today is
brand new by comparison. The local village decided to rebuild the temple
in 1996 and began the project in 2005. Construction was officially
completed in 2016, but The Blue Temple is still considered a work in
progress.
Compared to its “older siblings”, the White Temple and the Black
House, the Blue Temple is a lesser known tourist destination, and far
less busy. This is changing quickly, though, so now is a good time to
take a tour here.
Exterior Architecture
Together with its calming cerulean color, the Blue Temple is adorned
with gleaming gold trim and surrounded by blue and gold statues of
magical Buddhist beings and mythological characters.
The stairs to the main entrance are guarded by naga serpents, whose
tails ripple with detailed scales and twist and whirl around in
entrancing elegance. The temple windows are protected by an angelic
figure, posing proudly on a pedestal with feathered wings spread wide, a
staff grasped behind its back. Brightly colored Yakshas, or female
nature spirits, wait nearby to keep the temple safe from evil.
Just behind the temple, a Buddha statue stands in an abaya-mudra
pose, emitting an air of calmness and inviting visitors to relinquish
fear and anxiety.
Inside the Blue Temple
Inside, the Blue Temple is a kaleidoscope of colour and patterns,
with elaborate and unbelievably intricate paintings completely covering
every surface. Like most Thai temples, the walls depict stories of the
life of the Buddha, but these have been painted in a particularly modern
style. Much of this art is mounted in ornate gold frames which fit
tastefully with the rest of the theme. Even the ceiling is spectacular,
embellished with patterns so extraordinary they are almost psychedelic.
The centerpiece of the space is a seated Buddha statue, made of shiny
white porcelain that looks eerie and blue in the reflection of the
room. Powerfully framed by columns, he sits with one hand pointed to the
ground, a representation of the moment he achieved enlightenment.
After experiencing the peace of the enlightened Buddha statue, the
room’s exit is a bit jarring. The wall around the doorframe is painted
to be a representation of Hell, and the doorway itself is the gaping
mouth of a demon.
Walk out to the mouth of Hell back into the outside world, where vendors await selling blue ice cream on hot days.
