Description
Wat Amphawan (วัดวัดอัมพวัน) is a small Sakon Nakhon temple with some Chinese influence, which is more unusual in Sakon Nakhon than it is in the rest of Thailand. The gated entrance to the temple has a some Yak guards that are beautifully sculpted but less ornate than one usually sees at Thai temples, such as Wat Pho Si Sutharam.
On the temple grounds there is a lovely scene of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, Kindness, and Compassion in Chinese Buddhist tradition. While sculptures of Guan Yin are often alone, here you will see her flanked by two children named Long Nue and Shan Tsai, who are the acolytes who came to her when she was meditating at Mount Putuo, a famous Buddhist site in China. She is also flanked in the front by two dragons, which also appear frequently with Guan Yin sculptures.
Guan Yin is often seen in all white, like at Wat Pasutharam, where she is also accompanied by her two acolyte children, but at Wat Amphawan she appears in more Chinese style dress. And following the Chinese theme, we also see red Chinese lanterns and vases in the scene.
Another interesting attraction at Wat Amphawan is the many paintings that line the walls of the Viharn (Assembly Hall), which show scenes of the Buddha and traditional Thai life, and seem to have been painted by local art students.
Note that there are 10 Wat Amphawan temples in Sakon Nakhon. The temple that we are referring to here is the one located in Tambon Phang Khwang, about 15 minutes outside of the city in the direction of Udon Thani.
