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Buddha images vary in value according to many criteria, amongst which are age, beauty, material, history, and magical power. Such facets combine to give spiritual power and no image in Thai history has surpassed the Emerald Buddha which now resides in the temple of the same name, Wat Phra Kaew, the royal chapel of the Grand Palace.
So highly prized, it has led a very peripatetic life. Legend has it that it was carved in Palibutr in India (now is “Pattana State”) and then went to Ceylon (Sri Lanka). From there it made its way to the Khmers of Angkor, so they say. What is sure is that it revealed itself in Chiang Rai in the 1430s at the pagoda of Wat Phra Kaew Chiang Rai, emerging from under plaster and gold leaf.
There are two stories to choose from here: either it cracked open while being transported or it was struck by lightning and revealed itself. Either way, it was immediately thought to possess particularly potent spirituality.
Thus began its coveting by kings. The King of Chiang Mai wanted it brought to his palace but the chosen carrier elephant refused to go all the way, stopping in Lampang. The image resided there in the first of many Temples of the Emerald Buddha for some 30 years before eventually reaching Chiang Mai.
As we know, at that time Laan Na and Laan Xang is the relative dynasty. When Chiang Mai (Laan Na), were interregnum, they asked for little prince from Laan Xang to royal throne. He sat as the king of Laan Na untill 1551 Laan Xang also lacked of King that he backed his home land and brought the Emerald Buddha image of Laan Na to his capital of Luang Prabang on the upper Mekong river. When his Kingdom of a Million Elephants/Laan Xang moved capital to Vientiane a few years later, the Emerald Buddha also were taken too and gained pride of place in the royal chapel, naturally named Wat Phra Kaew.
After the fall of Ayutthaya, the resurgent Siamese expelled the Burmese and went on to invade Laos in 1778 under Chao Phya Chakri. This great general naturally seized the Emerald Buddha from Vientiane and took it back to King Taksin in Thonburi (now it is a province of Thailand), who set it up in his royal chapel, the Temple of the Dawn or Wat Arun.
Upon the dethroning and execution of the mad Taksin in 1782, General Chakri became King Rama l, set up his capital across the river at Bangkok. King Rama l began to construct the present Wat Phra Kaew and ceremonially transferred the Emerald Buddha. Ever since, this temple has been the principal royal chapel of the Chakri dynasty and three times each year, the King goes to change the image’s gold robes according to the seasons of time.
The Emerald Buddha is made of translucent green jasper and is a sitting image 75 cm in height. It is raised on an 11 meter high altar and crowned by a nine-tiered umbrella. Its three raiments are all made of gold. The summer season robe resembles that of a monk, the robe for the rainy season is an arrangement of breastplate, belts and bands, whilst the winter season covering is an intricate chain-link cloak.
The three raiment changes are performed by the king in ceremonies attended by high ecclesiastical, court and government officials at the official commencement of each season.
If ever the Emerald Buddha changes place rather than just clothing again, this will surely be a sign of some major upheaval in Thai history.
Glossary:
Wat Phra Kaew : name of the temples of the Emerald Buddha that there are many temple in Thailand are called Wat Phra Kaew
Wat : is temple
Phra Kaew : the Emerald Buddha
Laan Na : the ancient state of the provinces in North part of Thailand (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lam Phun etc.
Laan Xang : the ancient state of Laos
Luang Prabang : the ancient capital Laan Xang now is one city of Laos
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