Wat Bun Yuen

Rating: 3.2/5 (9 votes)

Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 17.00

 

Wat Bun Yuen Klang Wiang, Wiang Sa, Nan. Wat Bun Yuen was founded in 1786 (B.E. 2329) according to legend, alongside the establishment of the city “Wiang Po” (also known as “Wiang Pha”), built by Phaya Po, after whom the city was named. It was also commonly referred to as “Wiang Sa” or “Mueang Sa.” Originally, Phaya Po constructed a small monastic retreat named “Wat Bun Na” in the southern area of what is now Wat Bun Yuen, where the present-day market and commercial buildings are located.

 

When Prince Attaworapanyo of Nan visited Wiang Po and saw that Wat Bun Na was too small and unable to be expanded, he, together with Abbot Kruba Nai and the local villagers, agreed to relocate the temple about 120 meters to the north, on the right bank of the Nan River. On February 6, 1786, the new site, rich in teak trees, was used to build the viharn, monks’ quarters, and religious structures, all primarily made from teak wood. The temple was then named “Wat Pa Sak Ngam.”

 

In 1800 (B.E. 2343), Prince Attaworapanyo commissioned Muen Sapphachang to build a viharn 15 meters wide and 30 meters long. A standing Buddha image in the posture of compassion (or benevolence) was created, facing north, with a height of 8 sok. The temple was thus renamed “Wat Bun Yuen” after the prominent standing image. Chao Ratchawong of Chiang Khong was appointed to carve the main viharn doors and to create a teak Buddha image modeled after Prince Attaworapanyo along with other religious artifacts.

 

In 1802, a Lanka-style pagoda in the form of an inverted alms bowl was built adjacent to the viharn on the south side. The temple was granted visungkhamsima (monastic boundary rights) in 1804. Later, Kruba Apichai, the abbot, requested permission from the ruler of Sa to construct another viharn, now known as Sala Sam Phi Nong, measuring 6 by 12.5 meters, situated east of the original viharn and built between 1810 and 1817.

 

In 1908, Wiang Sa was promoted to a minor district and later in 1918 became a full district named Amphoe Bun Yuen, after the temple’s principal Buddha image. During this time, the viharn underwent renovations, including repairs to the roof and decorative elements, under the supervision of Phaoleiang Wong from Ban Pa Kluai, completed in 1933.

 

In 1937, heavy rains caused the pagoda to collapse. A restoration led by Chao Rajabut Na Nan, with the builder Muen Chin Lom, was completed in 1939. That same year, the district name reverted to Amphoe Sa. In 1941, further repairs to the viharn were carried out. In 1942, the temple began offering Pariyatti Dhamma studies in Dhamma and Pali. In 1944, the Fine Arts Department registered Wat Bun Yuen as an official historic site, published in the Royal Gazette on October 24, 1944.

 

In 1956, erosion along the Sa River posed a threat to the viharn. Phra Khru Sarathikun, the abbot and ecclesiastical head of Wiang Sa District, coordinated efforts with local villagers and authorities to dig a canal to redirect the water flow and protect the bank. Seeing that the old ubosot was too small, he also requested a new visungkhamsima, combining it with the viharn to expand the space for monastic rituals. The new boundary, measuring 15 by 30 meters, was granted on May 18, 1956, turning the viharn into the current ubosot.

 

Wat Bun Yuen has long been a spiritual center for the people of Wiang Sa and a symbol of stability in Nan Province. During times of unrest or natural disasters, rulers and citizens of Nan would perform worship and offerings at the chedi of Wat Bun Yuen to restore peace. The ritual of taking the sacred oath of allegiance (nam phiphat satya) was also held in the viharn, now the ubosot, before the standing Buddha image.

 

Wat Bun Yuen is the first and only royal temple in Wiang Sa District. It has long served as a spiritual center for the people, having been established by Nan royalty. It features a blend of Sukhothai, Lanna, Lan Xang, and ancient Nan styles. The architectural highlight is the ubosot built in 1800 and restored in 1985 and 2013. Made from teak in the Lanna style, it has a unique tiered roof resembling folded cloth, with four levels in front and three at the rear, believed to be influenced by Lan Xang architecture from Luang Prabang.

 

The standing Buddha image in the ubosot, constructed of brick and stucco, lacquered and gilded, stands 8 sok high and was created in 1800. It is the tallest standing Buddha in Nan Province and the symbolic icon of Wat Bun Yuen. The main doors of the ubosot, carved by Chao Ratchawong of Chiang Khong in 1800, feature divine beings holding fans or swords, seated on lotus thrones or seven-headed elephants. The intricate three-layered carvings took three months to complete, and it is said that after finishing the work, the craftsman threw all his tools into the Nan River.

 

The main pulpit (busabok), built of brick and stucco in 1800, measures 2.5 by 2.5 meters and stands 5.5 meters tall. It is adorned with spiral patterns, snake-scale columns, and naga heads, with every part decorated in intricate kanok motifs. The chedi, built in 1802 and later reconstructed in the Lanna style after damage in 1937, stands 8 meters wide and 15 meters tall.

 

Wat Bun Yuen remains the only royal temple in Wiang Sa District and continues to serve as a religious and cultural center, blending multiple artistic traditions from Sukhothai, Lanna, Lan Xang, and ancient Nan kingdoms. It draws the faithful and tourists alike with its beautiful ubosot, rare roof structure, and the largest standing Buddha image in Nan, symbolizing the name of the temple.

 

Noteworthy for cultural tourism, the temple hosts the well-known candle alms-giving tradition on the second waning night of the eighth lunar month, officially recognized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Another major attraction is the traditional Tan Kuai Salak and boat racing festival held during the end of Buddhist Lent, which will be discussed further in the section on local traditions and rituals.