- Library Home /
- Search Collections /
- Open Collections /
- Browse Collections /
- UBC Community, Partners, and Alumni Publications /
- Main Guanyin Altar of the Bang Khun Thian Temple (โรงเจมหาโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม)...
Open Collections
UBC Community, Partners, and Alumni Publications
Main Guanyin Altar of the Bang Khun Thian Temple (โรงเจมหาโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม) (菩薩壇) Anderl, Christoph; Johansen, Kira; Thomson, Oliver; Sirothphiphat, Saly
Description
Bang Khun Thian (โรงเจมหาโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม) (菩薩壇) is a three-winged Guanyin (觀音) temple in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple houses both Buddhist and Daoist deities, even though the main altar is dedicated to Guanyin. The following images show the main Guanyin (觀音) altar of the Bang Khun Thian Temple. Image 01 shows an overview. Image 02 shows the inscription above the altar, which reads 觀世音菩薩 on top, "Bodhisattva Guanyin." On the right are donor names, and a date on the left, although these are two small to identify. Image 03 and Image 04 show close-ups of the altar table in front of the main altar box; on top of it are two vases with sunflowers, two red lanterns, and a large golden censer with Chinese "Golden Flower" (金花) offerings placed inside. On the very left of the table are Jiaobei (筊杯), or Moon Blocks. In some Chinese Buddhist temples, you must confirm a prospective fortune by throwing the Moon Blocks, or Jiaobei (筊杯) a maximum of three times to receive confirmation for a question you would like to ask the deity in question. A confirmation divination signal is when one moon block lands face up and the other lands face down. If both moons are face down, this is a non-confirmation. In some groups, both moons facing up means the god in question is laughing at you. Image 05 shows a close-up of the golden censer. Image 06 and Image 07 show close-ups of the altar. The writing on the right reads, 座上蓮花占盡西湖三月景. The writing on the left reads, 瓶中場柳分來南海一枝春. The white plaque at the bottom of the altar reads, ฯจ้าแม่พระโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม. Image 08 shows the figures on the right, which include Guanyin and Golden Boys (金童). The figures on the right have malas (佛珠) and the figures to the left have strings of pearls wrapped around their necks. Image 09 shows the main meditating Guanyin figure atop a lotus flower. In her hands are malas, strings of pearls, and a vase. In front of her is an electric lotus flower. Image 10 shows the items on the left of the altar box, which feature Jade Girls (玉女) and more Guanyin statues. Three of the figures have strings of pearls wrapped around their necks. Image 11 shows a close-up of the Jade girl holding a golden vase. Image 12 shows a close-up of the golden deity in the back of this section. Image 13 shows a close-up of the items to the left, which is a part of a ritual kit called Dou Deng (斗燈). These are used in Daoist ceremonies focusing on the North Star, mostly enacted for the purpose of eliminating calamities and avoiding disaster. There are usually five types instruments in the kit, which include an oil lamp, rice bucket, lamp, umbrella, mirror, sword, scale, scissors, and ruler. These items are used to measure the five directions and five elements. The inscription on the middle banner reads, 佛光注照, "the light of the Buddha shines omnisciently." Image 14 shows a close-up of the back, featuring a deity that is likely Nang Kwak (นางกวัก), who is a Thai Bodhisattva and/or a household goddess. She is known for generating prosperity, and is a reincarnation of the Thai rice goddess Mae Po Sop, and is a version of Lakshmi, a Hindu Goddess. She is especially efficacious for the prosperity of businesses. The painting depicts a dragon on the left and a phoenix on the right. Image 15 shows a perspective from the left on the main altar. Flanking the altar are two pillars with lotus flowers where the pillar meets the ceiling beams, and banners that read 南無阿弥[彌]陀佛 in simplified characters. Image 16 shows the one of the lanterns flanking the altar, featuring the inscriptions, 南無觀世音菩薩 “devotion to Bodhisattva Guanyin." Metadata created and compiled by: Kira Johansen.
Item Metadata
| Title |
Main Guanyin Altar of the Bang Khun Thian Temple (โรงเจมหาโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม) (菩薩壇)
|
| Creator | |
| Contributor | |
| Date Issued |
2023-11-27
|
| Description |
Bang Khun Thian (โรงเจมหาโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม) (菩薩壇) is a three-winged Guanyin (觀音) temple in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple houses both Buddhist and Daoist deities, even though the main altar is dedicated to Guanyin. The following images show the main Guanyin (觀音) altar of the Bang Khun Thian Temple. Image 01 shows an overview. Image 02 shows the inscription above the altar, which reads 觀世音菩薩 on top, "Bodhisattva Guanyin." On the right are donor names, and a date on the left, although these are two small to identify. Image 03 and Image 04 show close-ups of the altar table in front of the main altar box; on top of it are two vases with sunflowers, two red lanterns, and a large golden censer with Chinese "Golden Flower" (金花) offerings placed inside. On the very left of the table are Jiaobei (筊杯), or Moon Blocks. In some Chinese Buddhist temples, you must confirm a prospective fortune by throwing the Moon Blocks, or Jiaobei (筊杯) a maximum of three times to receive confirmation for a question you would like to ask the deity in question. A confirmation divination signal is when one moon block lands face up and the other lands face down. If both moons are face down, this is a non-confirmation. In some groups, both moons facing up means the god in question is laughing at you. Image 05 shows a close-up of the golden censer. Image 06 and Image 07 show close-ups of the altar. The writing on the right reads, 座上蓮花占盡西湖三月景. The writing on the left reads, 瓶中場柳分來南海一枝春. The white plaque at the bottom of the altar reads, ฯจ้าแม่พระโพธิสัตว์กวนอิม. Image 08 shows the figures on the right, which include Guanyin and Golden Boys (金童). The figures on the right have malas (佛珠) and the figures to the left have strings of pearls wrapped around their necks. Image 09 shows the main meditating Guanyin figure atop a lotus flower. In her hands are malas, strings of pearls, and a vase. In front of her is an electric lotus flower. Image 10 shows the items on the left of the altar box, which feature Jade Girls (玉女) and more Guanyin statues. Three of the figures have strings of pearls wrapped around their necks. Image 11 shows a close-up of the Jade girl holding a golden vase. Image 12 shows a close-up of the golden deity in the back of this section. Image 13 shows a close-up of the items to the left, which is a part of a ritual kit called Dou Deng (斗燈). These are used in Daoist ceremonies focusing on the North Star, mostly enacted for the purpose of eliminating calamities and avoiding disaster. There are usually five types instruments in the kit, which include an oil lamp, rice bucket, lamp, umbrella, mirror, sword, scale, scissors, and ruler. These items are used to measure the five directions and five elements. The inscription on the middle banner reads, 佛光注照, "the light of the Buddha shines omnisciently." Image 14 shows a close-up of the back, featuring a deity that is likely Nang Kwak (นางกวัก), who is a Thai Bodhisattva and/or a household goddess. She is known for generating prosperity, and is a reincarnation of the Thai rice goddess Mae Po Sop, and is a version of Lakshmi, a Hindu Goddess. She is especially efficacious for the prosperity of businesses. The painting depicts a dragon on the left and a phoenix on the right. Image 15 shows a perspective from the left on the main altar. Flanking the altar are two pillars with lotus flowers where the pillar meets the ceiling beams, and banners that read 南無阿弥[彌]陀佛 in simplified characters. Image 16 shows the one of the lanterns flanking the altar, featuring the inscriptions, 南無觀世音菩薩 “devotion to Bodhisattva Guanyin." Metadata created and compiled by: Kira Johansen.
|
| Subject | |
| Geographic Location | |
| Type | |
| Language |
chi; tha
|
| Notes |
Author Affiliations: Ghent University, Florida State University, Edinburgh University, Harvard University
|
| Series | |
| Date Available |
2024-05-15
|
| Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
| Rights |
Attribution 4.0 International
|
| DOI |
10.14288/1.0443352
|
| URI | |
| Affiliation | |
| Peer Review Status |
Unreviewed
|
| Scholarly Level |
Faculty; Graduate; Undergraduate
|
| Rights URI | |
| Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International