Wat Phone Xai, Luang Prabang

The sim of Wat Phone Xai, Luang Prabang.

Wat Phone Xai is a relatively small Laotian monastery at the corner of Chao Phanakang Road and Souvanabanlang Road, near the Mekong River, in Luang Prabang. I discovered it one morning when I was morning market.

Wat Phone Xai was constructed in 1791 by King Anourat (reign 1791-1817). It took its name after the Buddha sculpture that was once housed in it. Laotian kings would come to pay homage to the Buddha sculptures before going to war. Wat Phone Xai was rebuilt in 1970 with reinforced concrete. On its pediment, which is brown and gold in colour, is the image of a Buddha with swirling foliage around it.

The murals of Wat Phone Xai were done with a rather amateurish hand, if compared to the other, older temples in Luang Prabang. But I have to say that this gives the murals its country feel. Among the murals are scenes of the horrors of hell, depicted in gory detail, of people dismembered, beheaded, etc. Not for the weak stomach, but I am quite accustomed to such scenes already, having seen them in plenty of temples in Asia.

I wandered around the temple compound with my tripod, taking various scenes. The monks and novices sat on the steps of the monk's quarters paid little attention to me.

Another view of the sim of Wat Phone Xai. Note the roof ornamentation called dok so faa which looks like a row of metal parasols.

A young novice studying in his quarters.

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