Asia After Dark June 2017 | Page 17

Templ e of t he RECLI NI NG BUDDHA Locat ed i n Bangkok, Wat Pho i s f amous f or t he huge Recl i ni ng Buddha st at ue i t houses. I t i s one of t he l argest t empl es i n Bangkok and al so one of t he ol dest , const ruct ed nearl y 200 years bef ore Bangkok became Thai l and’ s capi t al . Wat Pho hol ds t he di st i nct i on of havi ng bot h Thai l and’ s l argest recl i ni ng Buddha i mage and t he l argest number of Buddha i mages i n Thai l and. The gol d- pl at ed Recl i ni ng Buddha st at ue i s 46 met ers l ong and 15 met ers hi gh, and commemorat es t he passi ng of t he Buddha i nt o Ni rvana. The st at ue’ s eyes and f eet are decorat ed wi t h engraved mot her of pearl , t he sol es of t he f eet di spl ayi ng t he 108 auspi ci ous charact eri st i cs of t he t rue Buddha.