Sim, Wat Pho Si Chiang Kien

Terrain

General Condition

Wat Pho Si Chiang Kien Located in the middle of the ancient city of Ban Chiang Kien. The temple is surrounded by houses of Ban Chiang Kien community, the important ancient site of the temple is Sim. which is still in good condition have been well taken care of and is still in use today.

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Huai Kha Kang, Chi River

Geological conditions

The temple is located in a sedimentary plain carried by the influence of the Chi River Valley during the Holocene period. which is part of the Korat Plateau.

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

According to the history book of temples throughout the kingdom, volume 12 (Department of Religious Affairs, 1993) states that Wat Pho Si Chiang Kien was established in 1892 and was granted Wisung Kam Sima on October 10, 1914 as a temple under the Maha Nikaya Sangha, which the villagers call each other. That Wat Ban Chiang Kien, originally Wat Pho Si, Ban Chiang Kien, was located next to Ban Chiang Kien School on a hill of land that the villagers called Non Wat Kao. which used to have excavated Buddha images and terracotta amulets in this area Later, the Department of Highways built the Maha Sarakham - Roi Et road to cut through. separate the temple and the school Villagers therefore moved the temple to its current location, which is the land donated by the villagers. As for the old Non-Wat area, nowadays it has become a private gardening land (Department of Fine Arts, 2021). Ancient sites within the temple are Sim

Sim's construction history

Sim, Wat Pho Si Chiang Kien Construction began in 1924 by the villagers who hired a Vietnamese craftsman named Thong. But the villagers often call it Kaew Thong who moved from Ubon Ratchathani. Skilled in building construction Stucco work and other art works for the construction work for 45 baht. It takes about 10 years for this building to be completed in 1933. The construction took a long time because it was an ongoing construction. part by part according to the amount of money the villagers have donated

The construction in the first period in 1924 was the construction of the Sims building that was brick and mortar. galvanized shingle roof structure After that, around the year 1933, a balcony line with a cantilever roof was built around the building to stay inside. Making the balcony able to walk around Year 1982 Repaired the zinc roof by replacing the old roof that was damaged and thatched a new one. as well as decorated the roof with blue flowers as well as repainting the Sims building and decorated with stucco patterns around the building, copied from the original designs in B.E. 1999 The village headman and village philosopher, Mr. Buri Katiyawong, led the Tai Ban to fix the rotten leaves and the wooden eaves. By keeping the traditional moldings patterns. These latter ten are still used to support religious activities from the past to the present.

The main material for the construction is bricks, obtained by goldsmiths and villagers helping to excavate clay from the Huai Kha Khan bank, which looks like clay mixed with limestone. Then fermented and mixed with rice husk or straw. Make a rectangular cube measuring 4 x 8 inches and burn it in a nearby clay kiln. Today there are still traces of the brick kiln.

As for the mortar used in the plastering and molding of the building's wall decorations Made from using lime, a natural material that can be found locally, and then pounded thoroughly, mixed with Yangbong (the name of the tree), clean water and crushed shells. Marinate the ingredients until it is ready to use.

Architectural features

Sims of Wat Pho Si Chiang Kien at present are rectangular shaped buildings with three rooms facing the east. Approximate size of the building, width 4 meters, length 8 meters, and height 5 meters, the whole building is brick and plaster, the overall shape of the building is folk style. A bowl shape on a square base The base of the Sim building consists of a chopping board base, an inverted cornice, and a wooden base that forms a square around the base. Next up is a plexiglass base, plexiglass, chicken breast and a 2-layer board face supporting the building with a square around the lower wall.

The roof is shingled with stacked wooden boards, the manila gable roof is made of bricks to support the roof structure as a load-bearing wall. Designed as a curved arc system There is a curved opening according to the structure. This is a construction technique that is widely used by Vietnamese craftsmen in Isaan. Influenced by France, the decorations on the roof of the upper apron consist of horns, rooster leaves, and swan's tails that are carved out of wood. but in the middle of the roof there is no bouquet of flowers or anything else to decorate The western and eastern gables are decorated with floral patterns. There is also a painted carved wooden eaves installed at the ends of the eaves.

The entrance to Sim building has only one east front. Above the door frame is a bas-relief stucco in the shape of an arc that writes on the inside that Built in 1924 There are three steps leading up to this door. The wall behind the building is opaque. As for the north and south walls, there are 2 windows on each side. The window frames are made of wood. The upper wall in connection with the roof is made of lotus eyebrows similar to Western art, inside the building enshrines a new Buddha image. Because the old one has been stolen for a long time.

The balcony that can be walked around is about 1.5 meters away from the building. It is built with brick walls and has a canopy that connects to the Sima roof. make it look like a balcony Make two entrances and exits:the back on the east and the back on the west. The base of this porch is a floorboard separated by a lumber and a cornice to support the wall next to it above.

The balcony wall is made of a large window on the top made of arc-shaped, making it shaped like a western bread. The north and south sides have 5 compartments each, while the east and west have 2 compartments because the space in the middle is a doorway. which the bottom edge of the door opening is level with the bottom edge of the window Therefore, a two-step pedestal was built to serve as a walkway connecting the Sims building's door and the balcony door. There is also a three-step stairway on the outside of the porch, positioned directly against the doorway of the porch.

Of particular interest to this archaeological site is the decoration of the outer porch walls above the doorways and window openings with golden bas-reliefs by the Yuan craftsmen, with the east facade above the doorway forming a winged arch. side and inside the arc there is a pattern Above this arc upwards is a form of Garuda spreading its wings. The window openings on both sides of the door form an arch above the window opening as well. The pattern inside the arch is a jagged stucco pattern resembling a woolen pattern.

Behind the west, above the balcony door is made of arched stucco. Inside, in the middle are two fish, and on the left and right are three flowers on each side. Above this arc up is a Buddha image sitting cross-legged. His hands are in the Ruan Kaew arch with the base of two Nagas connected with their tails intertwined. On both sides of the door frame is the image of a tiger. and above the two window openings that flank the door It is an arc with fish and flowers inside.

Above the window openings on the balcony walls on both the north and south sides are stucco arches as well. Each channel is decorated with different patterns. Starting from the balcony wall on the north, sequencing from east to west as follows:
Channel 1 is patterned within the curve as a sharp serrated line.
Box 2 is made of a monkey above the curve. with flower vases flanking on both sides of the arc. face apart but the ends of the tails are intertwined.
Channel 4 creates the shape of a bird spreading its wings over an arc. There is a vase of flowers flanked on both sides of the arch.
The 5th cavity is decorated with jagged stucco within the arch, similar to wool.

As for the balcony wall on the south side, it is arranged from west to east as follows.
Channel 1 is decorated with jagged stucco within the arch, resembling a sheep's wool. with flower vases flanking on both sides of the arc. They face each other and the tail ends are intertwined.
The 4th niche above the arch is patterned with interlaced flora.
The 5th niche is patterned within the curve in a serrated serrated line.