44-557: Golden Buddha may refer to: Golden Buddha (statue) , a statue of Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand Golden Buddha Mountain , a mountain in Chongqing, China Golden Buddha (novel) , a 2003 novel by Clive Cussler The Golden Buddha [ zh ] , a 1966 Hong Kong film Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
88-711: A "V" shape in the root of the hairs, underlined by the elegant curve of the eyebrows that join above the aquiline nose, all according to the prescribed rules. The three wrinkles in the neck and the much elongated ear lobes, signs of his former status of prince, also form part of the code, as do the wide shoulders and the chest inflated. 13°44′17″N 100°30′50″E / 13.73807193°N 100.51392138°E / 13.73807193; 100.51392138 Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke Phra Bat Somdet Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharat ( Thai : พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลกมหาราช , 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang ( ทองด้วง ), also known as Rama I ,
132-530: A monk temporarily, in accordance with Siamese custom. In 1760, he married Nak , daughter of a town patron in Samut Sakorn. He was later appointed the Luang Yokkrabat (deputy governor) of Ratchaburi Province by King Ekkathat in 1758. On the eve of the fall of Ayutthaya, Phraya Wachiraprakan (later King Taksin ) had foreseen that the fall of the city was certain. Wachiraprakan decided to break
176-429: A new Viharn building was built at the temple to house the statue. It was moved to its new location on 25 May 1955; there are a variety of accounts of what exactly happened next, but it is clear that during the final attempt to lift the statue from its pedestal, the ropes broke and the statue fell hard on the ground. At that moment, some of the plaster coating chipped off, allowing the gold surface underneath to be seen. Work
220-526: A new capital city of the Kingdom, and after commissioning the construction of many temples in Bangkok, ordered that various old Buddha images should be brought to Bangkok from the ruined temples around the country. At the time of King Rama III (1824–1851), the statue, still covered with stucco, was installed as the principal Buddha image in the main temple building of Wat Chotanaram (Wat Phraya Krai) in Bangkok. When Wat Chotanaram, located near Chinatown on
264-675: A note. Ánh managed to recapture Saigon by 1788 and later ascended as Emperor Gia Long in 1802. In 1794, upon Ang Eng's majority, Rama I reinstalled him as the Neareay Reachea III. The area around Siem Reap and Battambang was annexed by Siam, and were governed by Abhaya Bhubet. However, Rama I allowed these territories to be ruled in accordance with Cambodian traditions. Soon King Bodawpaya of Burma started to pursue his ambitious campaigns to expand his dominions over Siam. The Burmese–Siamese War (1785–1786) , also known in Siam as
308-467: A revival of Siamese culture and state organization following the collapse of the Siamese kingdom in 1767, whose capital was then situated at Ayutthaya. He established a new purified Buddhist sect which allied and tied together Buddhism and the monarchy. Rama I consolidated and expanded on Taksin's military campaigns throughout Mainland Southeast Asia, whose mandala in 1809 stretched as far North and South as
352-567: A strategic plan and under it recaptured Ayutthaya in one year. In 1768 Taksin crowned himself and founded the Kingdom of Thonburi on the west bank of the mouth of the Chao Phraya river, using Thonburi as a new capital. Under the new Thonburi regime, Thongduang was appointed head of the royal police department, bearing the title Phra Ratcharin . After subjugating the warlord of Phimai with his brother Bunma (at that time called Phra Mahamontri,
396-442: Is a gold Maravijaya Attitude seated Buddharupa statue , with a weight of 5.5 tonnes (5,500 kilograms ). It is located in the temple of Wat Traimit , Bangkok , Thailand . At one point in its history, the statue was covered with a layer of stucco and coloured glass to conceal its true value, and it remained in this condition for almost 200 years, ending up as what was then a pagoda of minor significance. During relocation of
440-411: Is represented in the traditional pose of Bhumisparsha Mudra (touching the earth with the right hand to bear witness Lord Buddha's enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and victory over Mara). The original statues of Sukhothai sit on a common pedestal form. The flame that crowns the ushnisha is an innovation of Sukhothai that symbolises the splendour of spiritual energy . The line of the hairdressing forms
484-731: The Shan States and the Northern Malay Peninsula and as far East as the Annamite Range , respectively. His reign also marked the beginning of a new "Golden Age of Culture", which continued in the footsteps of the blossoming of the arts during the Late Ayutthaya Period. Like other high-ranking figures of old Siam, Rama I's name changed several times during his lifetime, depending on his respective position, and even posthumously. His name at birth
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#1732798072987528-521: The "Nine Armies War" because the Burmese came in nine armies, broke out. The Burmese soldiers poured into Lanna and Northern Siam. Siamese forces, commanded by Kawila, Prince of Lampang , put up a brave fight and delayed the Burmese advance, all the while waiting for reinforcements from Bangkok. When Phitsanulok was captured, Anurak Devesh the Rear Palace , and Rama I himself led Siamese forces to
572-625: The Bangkok Chinatown Heritage Centre and an exhibition on the origin of the Gold Buddha. The statue is 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tonnes (5.4 long tons ; 6.1 short tons ). (According to another account, the statue measures 3.91 meters from base to top, and 3.10 meters across the lap from knee to knee.) It can be disassembled into nine pieces. The statue was housed in a wat in Ayutthaya until
616-642: The Chakri dynasty the name Rama together with the respective ordinal number. So this king is Rama I in Western literature. In 1982, 200 years after his accession, the Thai cabinet decided to award him the epithet Maharat (" The Great "). Thongduang was born in 1737 in the reign of King Boromakot of Ayutthaya. His father was Thongdi , a Mon noble serving the royal court (posthumously raised to Somdet Phra Prathom Borommahachonnok – "the grand primordial father") who
660-489: The Chao Phraya river for several reasons, including its better strategic location and a desire to promote his legitimacy by starting from a clean slate. He decided to name his new capital "Rattanakosin" ("Keeping place of the Emerald Buddha "). Rama I also raised various members of his family to royalty. He appointed his brother Surasi (Anuchit Raja) or Maha Sura Singhanat as the " Front Palace " (conventional title of
704-556: The Pala period. Later, the statue was probably moved from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya , about 1403. Some scholars believe the statue is mentioned in the somewhat controversial Ram Khamhaeng stele . In lines 23–27 of the first stone slab of the stele, "a gold Buddha image" is mentioned as being located "in the middle of Sukhothai City", interpreted as being a reference to the Wat Traimit Golden Buddha. At some point,
748-523: The Phraya Sun with his forces. Later sources widely reported that the general eventually executed the ousted Taksin, contradicting to some earlier sources. He then seized power and made himself King, establishing the Chakri dynasty , which continues to rule Thailand to this day. General Maha Kasatsuek crowned himself on 6 April 1782. Soon after, he decided to move the capital of Siam to the east bank of
792-461: The Siamese forces to face Bodawpaya. The fighting was very short and Bodawpaya was quickly defeated. This short war was called the Tha Din Daeng campaign . King Rama I died on 7 September 1809 after a short but acute illness; he was succeeded by his son Prince Isarasundhorn as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai or Rama II. Siam during the reign of Rama I reached a new height of power not seen since
836-508: The Siamese in the same year. He was eventually raised to Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Kasatsuek , the first official to ever hold this rank. In 1781, he went on the campaigns against Cambodia, only to return prematurely due to the instability of Thonburi. The rebellion of Phraya Sun had broken out and the rebels deposed King Taksin. Some sources report that Taksin was consigned to a monastery. After arriving in Thonburi in 1782, Chao Phraya defeated
880-533: The citizens of the area to take up arms against the Burmese; his campaign was also successful. Phra Maha was later raised to the nobility by Rama I. As his armies were destroyed, Bodawpaya retreated. The next year, he attacked again, this time constituting his troops as a single army. With this force Bodawpaya passed through the Chedi Sam Ong pass and settled in Tha Din Daeng. The Front Palace marched
924-537: The founder of Rattanakosin (now Bangkok ) as the new capital of the reunited kingdom. Rama I, whose given name was Thongduang, was born from a Mon male line descent family, great-grandson of Kosa Pan . His father served in the royal court of the Ayutthaya Kingdom . Thongduang and his younger brother Boonma served King Taksin in wars against the Burmese Konbaung dynasty and helped him in
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#1732798072987968-486: The future Maha Sura Singhanat ), he was raised to Phraya Aphairanarit . After the campaign to subdue the lord of Fang in 1769, Thongduang was raised to Phraya Yommarat and in the next year became Chao Phraya Chakri – the Samuhanayok (chief minister of the northern provinces). Chakri commanded the Siamese troops in the wars against Burma and went on to subjugate Cambodia . His brother Bunma (who by that time held
1012-630: The last of the Nguyễn Lords , Nguyễn Ánh , convinced Rama I to give him forces to attack Vietnam, which was then under the control of the Tây Sơn brothers. However, the joint Nguyễn-Siam fleet was destroyed in the Battle of Rach Gam–Xoai Mut in the Mekong Delta region. Nguyễn's appeal for Siamese assistance enabled the Siamese to exert considerable political influence over Nguyễn's court. Mac Tu Sinh ,
1056-422: The local people and successfully defended Thalang against the Burmese. Today, Chan and Mook are revered as heroines because of their opposition to the Burmese invasions. In their own lifetimes, Rama I bestowed on them the titles Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Sri Sunthon . The Burmese proceeded to capture Songkhla . Upon hearing the news, the governors of Phatthalung fled. However, a monk named Phra Maha encouraged
1100-406: The mid 19th century, and its provenance from Ayutthaya excludes the possibility of it having been made after about 1750. At US$ 2,700 per troy ounce, the gold in the statue (18 karat) is estimated to be worth 482 million dollars. The body of the statue is 40% pure, the volume from the chin to the forehead is 80% pure, and the hair and the topknot, weighing 45 kg, are 99% pure gold. The Buddha
1144-458: The north. The Siamese relieved Lampang from the Burmese siege. In the south, Bodawpaya was waiting at Chedi Sam Ong ready to attack. The Front Palace was ordered to lead his troops to the south and counter-attack the Burmese coming to Ranong through Nakhon Si Thammarat . He brought the Burmese to battle near Kanchanaburi . The Burmese also attacked Thalang ( Phuket ), where the governor had just died. Chan, his wife, and her sister Mook gathered
1188-498: The reunification of Siam. During this time he emerged as Siam's most powerful military leader. Thongduang was the first Somdet Chao Phraya , the highest rank the nobility could attain, equaled to that of royalty. In 1782, he took control of Siam and crowned himself as the monarch. The most famous event in his reign was the Burmese–Siamese War (1785–1786) , which was the last major Burmese assault on Siam. Rama I's reign marked
1232-722: The sides of the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaeo and dedicated one each to his father and grandfather. He demanded to refer to his two predecessors using the names of these Buddha statues. The one dedicated to the first Chakri king was named Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok ("the Buddha on top of the sky and the crown of the worlds"). This is how this king is still referred to in Thai history books. His descendant Vajiravudh (Rama VI) who had studied in England, realised that most Siamese kings' names were difficult to reproduce and remember for Westerners. He therefore disposed to use for all kings of
1276-648: The siege of the city of Ayutthaya by the Burmese army and establish a new base outside. Phraya Ratchaburi also joined this venture. In 1767, Ayutthaya under King Ekkathat fell to Burmese invaders, the city was completely destroyed; burned and looted. Local warlords rose up to establish their supremacy in the absence of a central authority. Despite the fall of Ayutthaya, Taksin and his men in the same year managed to capture Chantaburi and Trat . During this time Phraya Ratchaburi became one of Taksin's six ministers and together with Phraya Pichai they were regarded by Taksin as his two most valuable generals. Swiftly Taksin made
1320-540: The site of modern-day Asiatique , fell into disrepair and was closed, the statue was moved to its present location at the nearby Wat Traimit in 1935. At the time, Wat Traimit was a pagoda of minor significance (like hundreds of other Buddhist temples that exist in Bangkok). Since the temple didn't have a building big enough to house the statue, it was kept for 20 years under a simple tin roof. The true identity of this statue had been forgotten for almost 200 years. In 1954,
1364-583: The son of Mạc Thiên Tứ and his Siamese wife, was raised among the Siamese, and held office as the governor of Hà Tiên until his death in 1787. Ngo Ma, a general of Siamese descent, was appointed as its acting governor in Mac's place. Nguyễn Ánh also took refuge in Siam at the King's court waiting for the opportunities to defeat Tây Sơn. These episodes demonstrated Rama I's willingness to extend Siamese power beyond his Kingdom. In Cambodia , King Reamraja (Ang Non II)
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1408-699: The statue in 1955, the plaster was chipped off and the gold revealed. The origins of this statue are uncertain. It is made in the Sukhothai Dynasty style of the 13th–14th centuries, though it could have been made after that time. The head of the statue is egg-shaped, which indicates its origin in the Sukhothai period. Given that Sukothai art had Indian influences and metal figures of the Buddha made in India used to be taken to various countries mostly during
1452-487: The statue was completely plastered over to prevent it from being stolen. The statue was covered with a thick layer of stucco , which was painted and inlaid with bits of coloured glass. It is believed that this plastering-over took place before the destruction of Ayutthaya kingdom by Burmese invaders in 1767. The statue remained among the ruins of Ayutthaya without attracting much attention. In 1801, King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) of Siam, after establishing Bangkok as
1496-502: The statue, allowing for easier transportation. The golden statue was discovered very close to the commemoration of the twenty-fifth Buddhist Era (2500 years since Gautama Buddha's passing) so the Thai news media was full of reports and many Buddhists regarded the occurrence as miraculous. On 14 February 2010, a large new building was inaugurated at the Wat Traimit Temple to house the Gold Buddha. The building also contains
1540-911: The throne in 1782, he took the name Ramathibodi , just like the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom . His full title was much longer ( Phra Borommarachathirat Ramathibodi Sisin Borommaha Chakkraphat Rachathibodin etc.), intended to demonstrate his universal claim to power like of earlier Siamese kings. After his death, the people referred to him simply as Phaendin Ton ("the first reign"), to his son as Phaendin Klang ("the middle reign"). Continuing this system consequently, his grandson Rama III would have been "the last reign". To avoid this inauspicious title, he ended this practice by donating two Buddha statues that were placed to
1584-708: The title Golden Buddha . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Golden_Buddha&oldid=1248356221 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Golden Buddha (statue) The Golden Buddha , officially titled Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon ( Thai : พระพุทธมหาสุวรรณปฏิมากร ; Sanskrit : Buddhamahāsuvarṇapaṭimākara ), commonly known in Thai as Phra Sukhothai Traimit ( Thai : พระสุโขทัยไตรมิตร ),
1628-437: The title of Phraya Anuchit Raja), accompanied him in various campaigns. Chakri and his brother were sent to the north to Lan Na in 1774 to free the kingdom from Burmese rule with the help of Phraya Kawila , a prince from Lampang . In 1776, he conquered Khmer Pa Dong (around modern Surin ). He was assigned the task of conquering Lao kingdoms in 1778 and all the three kingdoms ( Vientiane , Luang Prabang , Champasak ) fell to
1672-485: The titles of Phra Ratcharin Chao Krom Phra Tamruat (head of the police department), Phraya Aphaironnarit , Phraya Yommarat , Phraya Chakri and Chaophraya Chakri (minister of the northern provinces). Finally Taksin created him the title of Somdet Chaophraya Maha Kasatsuek , a noble title as high as no Siamese official had born before him, making him quasi-royalty. When he ascended to
1716-464: The viceroy and heir presumptive) and his nephew Thong-In or Anurak Devesh as the "Rear Palace". The King had 42 children. Ten of these were born to Queen Amarinda, the others by various concubines. The Queen's children included Prince Isarasundhorn, later King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (Rama II) (whom the King appointed as Front Palace after the death of Maha Sura Singhanat in 1803), Prince Maha Senanurak and Prince Maha Sakdi Polsep . In 1784–1785,
1760-649: Was Phra Akson Sunthonsat (Royal Secretary of northern Siam, Keeper of the Royal Seal). Phra Akson Sunthonsat was also a descendant of Kosa Pan , the leader of King Narai 's embassy to the French court. His mother, Daoreung (original name Yok), was part-Chinese. Thongduang had six other siblings. Thongduang at a young age entered the Royal Palace as one of the royal pages of King Uthumphon , where he met his childhood friend Taksin. In 1757, aged 21, he became
1804-411: Was Thongduang (also spelled Thong Duang ทองด้วง), family names had not yet been introduced in Siam at that time. When Thongduang served as deputy governor of Ratchaburi Province during the rule of King Ekkathat of Ayutthaya , he bore the title of Luang Yokkrabat . After the demise of Ayutthaya, the new king Taksin to whom he served as an important military commander, awarded him successively
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1848-590: Was deposed in 1779 and the throne was given to the young prince Ang Eng . However, the pro-Vietnamese policies of certain Cambodian aristocrats under Ang Eng alarmed Rama I. As a result, Rama I had Ang Eng captured and deported to Bangkok, where Rama adopted him as his son, the purpose of which was to impose pro-Siamese sentiments on him. Rama I also imposed Chao Phraya Abhaya Bhubet as the Regent of Cambodia. Nguyễn Ánh secretly left for Vietnam in 1787, leaving Rama I
1892-518: Was immediately stopped so that an evaluation could be made. All the plaster was carefully removed and during the process, photos were taken and are now displayed in the Temple for visitors. Pieces of the actual plaster are also on public display. When all the plaster was removed, it was found that the gold statue actually consisted of nine parts that fit smoothly together. A key was also found encased in plaster at its base, which can be used to disassemble
1936-491: Was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (now Thailand) and the first King of Siam from the reigning Chakri dynasty . His full title in Thai is Phra Bat Somdet Phra Paramoruracha Maha Chakri Boromanat Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok ( พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรโมรุราชามหาจักรีบรมนารถ พระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลก ). He ascended the throne in 1782, following the deposition of King Taksin of Thonburi . He was also celebrated as
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