Wat Choum Khong, Luang Prabang

The sim of Wat Choum Khong, Luang Prabang.

Wat Choum Khong, also written as Wat Chum Khong and Vat Choum Khong, is a small Laotian monastery on Sotika Kuman Road, one of the roads the run parallel to the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers in Luang Prabang. I visited it when I was Luang Prabang to document its sights.

Wat Choum Khong was started in 1843, during the reign of King Sukaseum. It adheres to the classic style. The name Choum Khong refers to a statue of the Buddha which was cast from a bronze gong. When I visited Wat Choum Khong, I saw the monks and novices busy doing restoration work around the compound. Apparently Wat Choum Khong had undergone three earlier restorations, in 1933, 1951 and 1963.

A unique feature I came across at Wat Choum Khong were two Chinese entrance guardians (often called door gods) at the entrance of one of the buildings. These Chinese guardian statues are often found in Thai temples in Bangkok - I remember seeing them at Wat Pho as well as Wat Arun.

Another building at Wat Choum Khong has intricate carving on the gable and door.

Chinese door gods flank the entranceway to what I believe is the monks' quarters.

The monks life is not always an easy one. Here, they are laying new floor tiles for their wat.

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