Wat Chin Pracha Samoson - |
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วัดจีนประชาสโมสร |
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Wat Leng Hok Yi |
วัดเล่งฮกยี่ |
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Description: |
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Wat Chin Pracha Samoson (Wat Leng Hok Yi) is located on Suphakit
Road in Ban Mai Subdistrict, one kilometre away from the city
hall. Built in 1906 during the reign of King Chulalongkorn, it
is a Chinese Mahayana temple which is a branch of Wat Leng Nei
Yi in Bangkok. When King Chulalongkorn paid a visit to Monthon
Prachin Buri to officially open the Bangkok-Chachoengsao
Railway, he named the temple “Wat Chin Pracha Samoson”. It also
has a Chinese name, Leng Hok Yi, with “Hok” meaning good fortune
or happiness and “Leng” meaning a dragon; therefore, sometimes
it is called “Wat Mangkon Watsana” or “Wat Mangkon Haeng Chok”,
signifying the temple of the dragon of good fortune. When it
comes to feng shui, the temple is considered the dragon’s belly
with its head lying at Wat Leng Nei Yi in Bangkok and its tail
at Wat Leng Hua Yi in Chanthaburi. It is believed that the three
parts of the dragon lie in wealthy areas including Yaowarat, one
of Bangkok’s commercial zones; Paet Riw, or Chachoengsao, the
city of abundant crops; and Chanthaburi, the city of gemstones.
The temple has many interesting things, e.g. the paper
statues of the four heavenly kings at the entrance, the temple’s
three principle Buddha images and statues of the eighteen Arhats
made of paper from China, a cast sculpture of the God of Wealth
(Cai Shen) on the right side of the principle Buddha images, and
statues of other Chinese gods and goddesses. Moreover, there is
a massive bell with a weight of about one tonne. It is one of
the three bells which have the inscription of Prajnaparamita. It
is believed that ringing the bell is equivalent to prayer which
gives you merit. Furthermore, the temple has several shrines
including the shrine of Buraphachan, the shrine of Guanyin with
her carved wooden statue made of 100 year-old root along with
Phaya Mangkoo, or the Great Dragon, the shrine of Ksitigarbha
and Sa Nathi Sawan.
To pay respect to Phaya Mangkon,
visitors have to:
1.Stroke its head three times and pray
for intelligence and good jobs.
2.Stroke its body by
following the direction of its scales three times and pray for
good health.
3.Stroke its tail by following the direction
of its scales three times and make a wish for your future.
Do not touch its beard because it is believed among the
Chinese that this will make the dragon powerless; thus people
will no longer be able to make a wish for what they want. |
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Chachoengsao |
Direction: |
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District |
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Mueang |
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City |
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Ban Mai |
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Genre |
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Temple |
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Opening time |
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N/A |
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Entry fee |
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Free |
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GPS : |
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13.70025 N |
101.09124 E |
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