The esteemed artist’s imaginative touch makes its presence known even from outside the temple itself. Red skulls top traffic cones on the street. Light gleams brightly from the central temple hall.
Every detail of Wat Rong Khun carries deep religious symbolism – though admittedly most Thais will be unaware of most of the meaning as well unless they have studied up on its mysteries. Departing from the expected gold, Chalermchai chose to construct the temple in white, symbolizing the purity of Lord Buddha. The mirrors embedded in the structure reflect light, representing the Buddha’s wisdom shining out across the Earth and the Universe.
Much of the temple’s messages refer to escaping desire, greed and passion and moving towards the sublime through Buddhist teachings. To reach the main temple hall, you cross a threshold guarded by demons and traverse a bridge over an ocean of ghostly hands reaching up from the cycle of death and rebirth. The temple building symbolizes the realm of the Buddha and rising to a state of nirvana.