Home
>
Outdoors
>
The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya

The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya

The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old Chinese building within a community on the Chao Phraya River where time seems to have stood still for the last 200 years.

The site originally had two shrines built in the reign of King Taksin (1767 ? 1782) by his Chinese supporters. The dilapidated buildings were torn down in the reign of King Rama III (1824 ? 1851) and rebuilt to house Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy.

Today, the Kuan Yin Shrine is in the care of a local Chinese family living in the area. In Thai, the goddess of mercy is known as Jao Mae Kuan Im.

Kuan Yin, an ancient Chinese goddess, embodies the virtues of love, kindness, compassion and forgiveness, a legend that goes back to 300 BC.

The youngest daughter of a Chinese king, she was blessed with virtue and spurned her corrupted father's greed for wealth and power. When she rejected his order for an arranged marriage, he drove her out of their home.

Rejected, persecuted and exiled by her father, she dedicated her remaining years as a nun healing the sick and destitute and as a savior of shipwrecked sailors. When her father was mortally ill, she sacrificed her eyes and arms for the antidote to save him.

Her selflessness earned her eternal worship and the Kuan Yin Shrine became a Chinese cultural heritage. The early Chinese immigrants to Bangkok continued the tradition and built a shrine for the goddess of mercy on the Chao Phraya River near where they lived.

An elevated walkway, a recent addition, runs from the pier along the riverbanks and a small footbridge with a red arch links the walkway to the main gate of the shrine. At the end of a small red-tiled courtyard is the period Chinese structure housing the Kuan Yin Shrine.

Images of classical Chinese characters are engraved on the front walls and above the opened main door, two fiery dragons ride the crest of the roof, glaring down fiercely. The wooden doors in the sidewalls leading to the inner quarters behind are closed.

Inside the shrine, painted walls of Chinese warriors and old red Chinese lanterns hanging from the rafters create a mood reminiscent of ancient China, a mood seemingly unchanged over the years in the Kuan Yin Shrine.

A smaller altar with several Kuan Yin statues stands in the open yard in the center of the shrine. In the main altar, in the covered area to the rear, a metre-high gold statue of Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy, sits serenely facing the Chao Phraya River.

It's not a busy shrine on non-festive days. The occasional worshipper comes in to pray and pay respects as the day goes lazily by. Life on the river is quiet except for a few children playing by the pier and the odd fisherman.

Meanwhile, in the Kuan Yin Shrine, the goddess of mercy, gazes benignly at the bustling river beyond as the riverboats go streaming by.

The Kuan Yin Shrine is one of the many bangkok shrines in the old city.

The bangkok shrines is one of the legacies that make up the rich cultural milieu of Bangkok. This article first appeared in bangkok shrines a historical travel site on people, places and events that shaped the landscape of Bangkok. The author, Eric Lim, is a free-lance writer who lives in Bangkok Thailand.

limousine Ackley .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

A virtual private network can help ensure your information remains security and your privacy remains intact. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Artificial intelligence-based cameras are giving air defense operators unprecedented capabilities in monitoring and protecting airspace.

Apple's iOS 18.1 Inactivity Reboot automatically reboots your iPhone if it hasn't been used or unlocked for more than three days, providing better data protection.

An inventor designed rooftop solar panels for a Tesla that draws solar energy while the car is parked, adding travel mileage without plugging in.

There are currently no laws governing what artificial intelligence can and cannot do with the information it gathers; here are 10 things to avoid telling AI chatbots to keep yourself safe.

A credit union with over 240,000 members recently revealed it was targeted by cybercriminals, resulting in a data breach that was part of a two-month attack by hackers.

Scammers have become skilled at creating convincing fake websites that can easily fool unsuspecting users. The CyberGuy offers tips to protect yourself.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

CAPTCHAs, which are used by websites to confirm whether users are people or bots, are harmless, but hackers are using them to infect PCs with malware.

Hackers recently leaked personal information of about 500,000 Americans and stole patient medical records that included lab results and insurance details.

The holiday season sees a rise in mobile shopping scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to stay safe.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a VPN enhances online banking security by encrypting data and protecting privacy.

Beware of these six sneaky holiday scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives you tips to avoid falling victim.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to securely back up and factory reset your Android to protect your privacy and data.

Artificial intelligence is making life easier for cybercriminals, allowing them to create elaborate scams to trick people. Kurt the Cyberguy explains how to protect yourself.

Cut through all the digital clutter and delete multiple emails from your Android simultaneously. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how it's done.

Tips to prevent your holiday decorations from being stolen

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson lays out the immediate steps you should take if your phone has been hacked and your personal information becomes vulnerable.

Fraudsters are sending people bogus invoices through PayPal as part of a sneaky scam that is going around; here's how to protect yourself from being fooled.

A former Colgate-Palmolive employee was shocked to discover $750,000 had been drained from her 401(k) account. "CyberGuy" offers tips on how to prevent identity theft.

Electric vehicle maker Harbinger recently showed its electric delivery truck can handle icy roads with agility and stability in winter.

To make the busiest time of year more manageable, here are some tricks for tracking your packages, taking quality family photos and curating the perfect Christmas playlist.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to keep your online Amazon gift purchases a secret from loved ones or friends this holiday season.

The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya

Outdoors