Advent of Buddhism
Fragments of Buddha statues dating back to the Khmer occupation of Laos in the century have found in the Vientiane area .Buddhism was practiced in this region as early of fa the 11th and 12th centuries. It was not until the arrival of Fa Ngum and the founding of the kingdom of lane Xang though , that Buddhism as an organized system of belief took root in Laos.
Fa Ngum was known in Laos as the Great Protector of the Faith. It was Fa Ngum who carried the Phar Bang, a small golden statue of the Buddha, from the Khmer court in Cambodia. The figure was originally cast in the Sri Lanka before being taken to Angkor. It is of Angkor. It is of immense importance to the Lao who regard it as the symbol of Lao Buddhism.
King Setthathirat championed the the Buddhist faith in the 16th century by building many temples and monasteries. During Lane Xangs golden age, Vientiane became an important Buddhist center in Southeast Asia It importance was lost after many temples were destroyed by the Thais when they sacked the city at the beginning of the 19th century.
Buddhism declined even further after 1975 under the communist regime. People were prohibited from giving alms to monks and the teaching of Buddhism was banned from primary schools. These days, with increasing government tolerance and support, Buddhism is undergoing a revival. Temples are again lively centers of learning and worship and many are being restored and redecorated.