Chiang Mai

Terrain

General Condition

The city of Chiang Mai has a square plan. Surrounded by a moat on all 4 sides, it is located in a flat area between the western mountain ranges. and the Mae Ping River in the east The city wall is divided into two parts:

1. The rectangular brick wall (1,600 x 1,600 meters) is surrounded by a moat on all 4 sides. There is a city gate, Tha Phae Gate on the east side. Chiang Mai Gate and Suan Prung Gate On the south side, Suan Dok Gate, on the west side and the White Elephant Gate North side

2. The earth wall arc-shaped circle Surrounding the corner of the brick wall in the southeast, there are Rakhang Gate, Khua Kom Gate and Hai Ya Gate (Saraswati Ongsakul 2543:112-122)

Chiang Mai City is currently the province of Chiang Mai. and Chiang Mai Municipality It is a densely populated city. There are buildings and structures, both homes. store company including both public and private agencies densely built

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Ping River, Kha River

Geological conditions

Geological conditions in the Chiang Mai Basin are very diverse, from complex igneous rocks, volcanic rocks, metamorphic rocks, and sedimentary rocks of various ages over 600 million years, to the unsolved sandstone sediments on the central plains of the Recent Basin that are approximately 10,000-20,000 years ago, which included most of the plains that were now farms and dwellings (Saraswati Ongsakul 2000 :2-3)

Chiang Mai Basin is surrounded by plains. The mountain ranges surrounding the Chiang Mai plain are as follows:

on the west side There is a mountain range of Doi Suthep-Pui consisting of many types of metamorphic rocks. and granite igneous rocks, which the geological name is called They are called "complex rock groups" and are presumed to have reached the Precambrian era, about 600 million years ago. Marble, with granite and pegmatite insets at the base and center of the mountain ranges of Cambrian-aged quartzite and limestone. The Ordovician age overlaps the southern part of Doi Suthep and Brichinda Cave at the foot of Doi Inthanon.

on the east side Most are metamorphic rocks such as phyllite. quartzite and Silurian-Devonian slate, sandstone, Carboniferous and volcanic shale of the Carboniferous and Permian limestone, with a triassic granite mass in the middle of the mountain ranges inserted below. Granite is processed approximately 300 kilometers long, oriented in the north-south direction from Mae Sai District. Chiang Rai Province, passing Mae Suai, San Kamphaeng, Khun Tan until reaching Tak Province.

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Mythological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Phaya Mengrai, the ruler of Hirang Ngoen Yang, built the city of Chiang Mai at the foot of Doi Suthep. The city horoscope corresponds to April 12, 1839.

The city of Chiang Mai has a square plan. Surrounded by a moat on all 4 sides, it is located in a flat area between the western mountain ranges. and the Mae Ping River in the east The city wall is divided into two parts:

1. The rectangular brick wall (1,600 x 1,600 meters) is surrounded by a moat on all 4 sides. There is a city gate, Tha Phae Gate on the east side. Chiang Mai Gate and Suan Prung Gate On the south side, Suan Dok Gate, on the west side and the White Elephant Gate North side

2. The earth wall arc-shaped circle Surrounding the corner of the brick wall in the southeast, there are Rakhang Gate, Khua Kom Gate and Hai Ya Gate (Saraswati Ongsakul 2543:112-122)

Building Chiang Mai City involves geographical knowledge and beliefs. Chiang Mai has a good victory in the Ping River Basin. in the west of the Ping River to avoid flooding problems This area is the largest plain in the upper northern region. In the north, there is a swamp for nurturing the people of Chiang Mai, including the surrounding Wiang (Saraswati Ongsakul 2009:122-125), which is related to the sacred mountain belief that there are mountains surrounding the city. and near the water source

There is also the Khan River enveloping the river to protect the water from the Ping River. It can also be used as a drainage channel. Both good water and waste water leave the city to flow into the Ping River. In addition, the Ping River can also be used to travel as an important junction that controls the transportation route. Traveling between provinces (Suebsak Sanyakiatkun 2009 :97) has made Chiang Mai a city that has the potential to become a center of trade.

Apart from choosing good Chaiyaphum, it also uses beliefs to create legitimacy for the area. The important thing is belief in city building visions. and the belief in the vision of seeing a white rat and 4 family members in determining important areas of Chiang Mai (Saraswati Ongsakul 2543:98). There is also a belief in sacred trees. Belief in Sao Inthakhi belief in astrology and astronomy related to mining and laying down the city's destiny, etc. (Sasithon Ui Charoen 2004:87-88)

As for Buddhism in Chiang Mai, it has been enshrined since the reign of King Mangrai. Since then, all kings have been revered. until in the reign of Phaya Kue Na (1910-1931) His Highness brought Lanka Wong Buddhism from Sukhothai into Chiang Mai and soon Chiang Mai became a religious center in the Lanna Kingdom. Until the 8th Tripitaka of the World Council was held in Chiang Mai during the reign of King Tilokarat in AD 839 (2020) (Thai Cultural Encyclopedia Foundation Siam Commercial Bank 1999 :4717)

Chiang Mai prospered until it fell under the rule of Burma. (A.D. 2101-2317) There is no evidence that additional cities were built. due to being at war and eventually made Chiang Mai become a deserted city. Until around the beginning of the 24th Buddhist century, King Kawila took the position of governor of Chiang Mai (1782) and restored Chiang Mai to prosperity again (Saraswati Ongsakul 2543:155) and continued to develop for a long time. Until now

Relevant local legend :

1. Mythology Mengrai goes to the foot of Doi Ujchubanphot. very spacious Who set up a city here? So let all the ambassadors consider looking for an auspicious day. then took the ceremony to the royal house and named the city Chiang Mai (The Fine Arts Department 1970 :221)

2. The Legend of Chinkamalai Pakorn Mengrai built Chiang Mai City in the area between Mount Ujchukiri (Doi Suthep) and the Ping River (Mamping) (Rattana Panya Thera 1975:104-105)

3. Chiang Mai native legends Indicates the use of the mountain as the center of Chiang Mai city building. using Doi Chom Thong as the center It also mentions Chaiyaphum and good vision. Suitable for establishing the city of Chiang Mai (Arunrat 2004 :41-43)

4. The legend of Suwan Kham Daeng or the legend of Khao Inthakhil Mention the origin and importance of Sao Inthakhil (Sanguan Chotisukrat 1972 :153-154)

5. The legend of Chiang Mai in the original Pang Discuss the origin and importance of the Inthakhin pillar. make people respect Pay respect without giving up (Lamoon Chanhom 2004 :21-34)

6. Chiang Mai Folktales, 700th Anniversary Edition, discusses the techniques of building a city in Chiang Mai. (Sub-Committee 1995 :34)

7. The Ionian Chronicles Said that Chao Mengrai established Chiang Mai at the foot of Mount Usujabanphot, which is Pa Lao, to be the center of the city. and established the royal palace and build the city wall (Phraya Prachakitrakachak 2014 :284-288)

Related inscription :

The inscription of Wat Chiang Man (Chor. 1), 1624 B.E., mentions the destiny of Chiang Mai. and the event that Phaya Mengrai, Phaya Ngam Mueang, and Phaya Ruang joined together to build a dorm in the area of ​​Chaiyaphum. Build Wat Chiang Man (The Fine Arts Department 2008 :2-6)