Wat Muen Tum — Local services in Chiang Mai Province

Wat Muen Toom (or Wat Muen Tum) is undergoing rebuilding works including a new imposing gateway under construction in August, 2018. There is a good Lanna style viharn, a chedi and an ubosot to view.

The viharn

The viharn is built in the typical Lanna style with its split, multi-tiered roof, steeply pitched and sweeping low, which is said to resemble the protective wings of a bird. Nagas decorate the roof ends as their gilt bodies extend along the bargeboards. At the apex of each of the three-tiered roofs there is a slender eagle, chofa finial in the classic style.

The entrance is guarded by two Burmese style chinthe lions and there is no porch. The gabled end is lavishly decorated with carved gilt foliate work and floral motifs with paneling above the door.

The door which is made of teak is painted in red lacquer and decorated with a few floral motifs only and the supporting columns are topped with lotus flower capitals. To either side of the door are stucco panels which look like they have been added to block, what were once, large windows.

The chedi

The chedi is a thin, square structure of many layers all deeply indented in plain, whitewashed stucco. The base has chinthe lions and gilt chattra umbrellas.

The chedi is without the traditional bell-shaped top which, instead, there is a square, indented pinnacle decorated with coloured pieces of glass and a gilt collar. The chedi is topped with the usual gilt umbrella or hti finial.

The ubosot

The ubosot is mostly of plain white stucco with two small windows and split roof decorated with the naga bargeboards along its edge and decorated with chofa eagle heads at the apex.

The gabled end is foliated with carved gilt wood on a red background and the entrance is guarded by Deva figures. The small porch contains a board above the door which lists the names of donors and the amounts that they gave to the temple. On the face of the red, teak doors are two finely carved gilt Deva figures offering the wai gesture.

The ho rakang

The ho rakang has two floors with the upper floor holding the bell suspended from the ceiling, and accompanied by Deva figures. The roof with its four gable ends is decorated with gilt floriate work and with nagas and chofa finials.

The temple has been undergoing building works for some time with the construction of a grand new entrance which will consist of an ornate arch made up of nagas and topped with a gilt umbrella finial which is...

The most interesting feature of this wat, to me, is the front wall, which has some of the most dramatic and elaborate sculpture I've seen. The tongues of the dragons actually have saliva dripping from them, and the mirror work on the peacock tails are exquisite. The electric wires in front spoil the view somewhat - if you can catch it at night when the lights are on...

位於清邁古城區的Wat Muen Tum，據記載是一座已經擁有500多年歷史的佛教寺廟，整個建築佈局包括了泰北寺院建築的「基本配備」：主殿（Viharn）、佛塔（Chedi）、戒堂（Ubosot）和鐘樓（Ho Rakang），同時涵納了蘭納與緬甸風格。

Wat Muen Tum 是清邁本地人重要的朝聖地之一，尤其是其供奉的Thao Wessuwan更是吸引泰國各地的信徒前來膜拜。

根據我所找到的資料，Thao Wessuwan又被稱為 Vaisravana 或 Vessavana，是泰國佛教與印度教神話中的重要神祇。在佛教的宇宙觀中，Thao Wessuwan 是「四大天王」之一，負責守護北方，保護世界免受邪惡侵害，並協助眾生獲得福祉。他同時被視為夜叉（Yaksha）之王，掌管鬼神與財富，因此在泰國民間信仰中，Thao Wessuwan 被認為是驅邪避煞、招財納福的守護神。而Thao Wessuwan 作為泰國佛教與民間信仰中的重要神祇，融合了保護、財富與驅邪等多重功能，深受信徒尊崇。無論是在寺廟中供奉，或是佩戴相關護身符，信徒們都希望藉由他的庇佑，獲得平安與繁榮。

一走進Wat Muen Tum，我們夫妻倆立馬就被寺院門上、圍牆上各式彩繪神獸、聖女吸引。

首先，一定要向Thao Wessuwan 虔誠禮敬。🙏

Wat Muen Tum的幅員還算寬廣，白塔前的銀色座佛莊嚴、殊聖，特別吸引我！我誠敬的向其行李，並恭誦7遍「南無本師釋迦摩尼佛」聖號。🙏

主殿（Viharn）小巧玲瓏，較清邁眾多寺院來的樸實無華。素雅的白牆、鮮紅色的柱子，以及金色，將兩尊白色座佛烘托的更為醒目。特別吸睛的是，每根柱子上垂掛的長條狀彩幡。這在清邁寺院中也是少見。

我恭敬的的向兩尊白色座佛，以及後面牆壁彩繪的一尊座佛七叩首，「南無本師釋迦摩尼佛」聖號。🙏

整個Wat Muen Tum的綠植是被精心照顧的，很美！許多深具歷史感的佛教造像，也被一一放在寺院的各個角落，並搭配以不同的花草。喜歡！🧡

Wat Muen Tum從來不是觀光客必來參拜的寺院，所以，保有著濃濃的本地氣息。它也是清邁舉行各種佛教活動的重要寺院之一，當然，寺院口的Thao Wessuwan也是清邁人必來這兒參拜的重要誘因之一。

如果你在清邁會待上超過1週，可以試著將Wat Muen...