Entry to White Temple Chiang Rai

I remember the first time I saw the La Sagrada Familia Barcelona’s famous cathedral started in 1882 by Antontio Gaudi and still in construction. It is expected to be completed in 2030. As the Hop On Hop Off bus rounded the corner and the cathedral came into sight, everything stopped. I was just frozen, mesmerized by the audaciousness, the artistry, and the immensity of the project. And the more I learned about it, especially the fact that Gaudi’s work continues to be built to his models years after he passed away, the more impressed I was. I never thought I would see anything like that again.

No Smoking at the White Temple Chiang Rai

Skulls hanging from tree outside White Temple Chiang Rai

Well, I haven’t. But Chalermchai Kositpipat’s life project, the Wat Rong Khun (or the White Temple) is about as close as anything I could have guessed or hoped for. Before going to Thailand, I had read a little bit about The White Temple in Chiang Rai. OK, to be honest, I did not read much at all – I looked at the pictures and thought it looked cool, very different to many of the other enormous golden Wats in Thailand. Humpty and I were spending a few days in Chiang Rai to re-gather our strength after our 10 day meditation retreat. Translation: we were going to eat and drink and get some plumpness back after 10 days of noodles and my estimation of about an 800 calorie a day diet (excluding the secret cookies I ate occasionally in the evening). Going to see a temple was just the right type of low key activity I was hoping for.

There is actually a Predator coming out of the ground at the White Temple. So cool!

When we arrived by car service, I had a similar-to-Barcelona experience. I froze, mesmerized by what I saw. Built in what looks like white plaster and small mirror fragments, the temple was blinding in the bright northern Thai light. I rushed out of the car and started snapping photos as quickly as I could. Even the hazard cones, usually an obnoxious orange and white affair, were designed with little skulls on top.

Yes, skulls. This was no ordinary temple. There were skulls everywhere, images of all sorts of demons, a living incarnation of Dante’s Inferno surrounding the entry way. There was a “no smoking” sign with crushed cigarette boxes, skulls with withered cigarettes in their mouth, a half statue of Predator coming out of the ground right next to it, and more skulls hanging from the trees. This was awesome.

But the graphic cartoon imagery was part of a larger project. After all, this was a temple. Chalermchai Kositpipat is still alive, still building the multi-structure temple almost every day. He wants this to be a living temple, one where people come to worship. He built a golden bathroom next to the temple, literally a golden throne. He has built a series of buildings, planning on having nine total when completed. In fact, much like La Sagrada Familia, Wat Rong Khun will likely take longer to build than the lifetime of the artist – and he has detailed plans in place for it to continue after he passes away. He limits donations to about $250 per person, so as not to have anyone influence his art. He is funding the project largely from money made from his other artworks and projects. This is his gift to his city, Chiang Rai. He wants to put Chiang Rai on the map and boy has he succeeded.

Yes, this is the bathroom. I think this is probably the greatest bathroom I have seen.

Chalermchai Khositpipat was born in 1951 in Chiang Rai. He acknowledges being “less than Buddhist” in his childhood. But after studying painting at University, he decided to fuse his interest in modern art with his Buddhist heritage and became devoted to using his art to pay homage to the Lord Buddha. He does not eschew selling his art – in fact, he has been very successful selling his artworks around the world. But he does projects regularly for no pay – including the Wat Buddhapadipa in London, the clock tower in his hometown of Chiang Rai, art composed for the King of Thailand, and of course his grand vision, the Wat Rong Khun. He has funded these projects from the proceeds of his paintings and continues to paint today – although much less often – to continue raising funds for Wat Rong Khun.

When we wrapped up visiting the temple, I went to the computer to start looking up details about the temple and actually did not find much in English – perhaps there was more in Thai but my inability to read or understand Thai makes it difficult to research Rong Khun.

One of my favorite photos from the White Temple, this is the fence

The building itself is meant to be an imitation of heaven, with the bridge leading to the building representing the transition from the cycle of life to the land of the Buddha. In front of the bridge are a series of hands, screaming faces, and the likes which represent people in the lower worlds. As you cross the bridge which is meant to represent Sumeru Mountain and protected by the two guardians (which are awesome), you approach the building or the land of the Buddha. With the pond, the shrine itself, the imagery leading to the temple, the murals inside (the inside murals are quite controversial, see below), as well as the surrounding structures, the overall project is immense. The other buildings include: the Ubosot (or main building), the Relic Hall, the Image Hall, the Preaching Hall, the Meditation Hall, the Monk’s Cell, the Gateway, the Art Gallery, and the toilets.  It is estimated that it will take 60-70 years to complete all nine buildings.

There are definitely many who think this is a big joke. Some visitors have referred to it as a cheap, Disney like theme park and nothing close to a real temple that real Buddhists will worship within (there is a wax statue inside that looks so real that Humpty was convinced it was a real person doing some super human meditating with no blinking). I think the cheeky imagery inside the temple is certainly not everyone’s taste. It may also limit the “shelf life” as images of Neo from the Matrix and Michael Jackson painted inside the walls of the temple may not resonate too well in 100 years. While I did not get to take photographs from inside the temple, there are some floating around the internet if you are interested. Or better yet, book a flight to Chiang Rai and see for yourself!

It is not La Sagrada Familia which is just an overpowering architectural achievement in my opinion. But to see such a committed artist creating such an audacious project, I was still left speechless which in itself is a significant testament to the artist and the project.

I used a special effect to make this photograph look like a painting.