191206 Wat Sing Jai puzzles

If anyone knows the answers or has any clues, kindly leave a comment! The cat's 'consultants' are busy with exams, hiding indoors from the haze currently suffocating Chiangrai & Luang Prabang & keeping them from venturing out to internet cafes, or simply have no idea & have to ask their parents/elders on their next trip back to their home villages...


SK: there are many small flags in side of the temple it's flags of many people make earn merit for ask blessing from the god.

[1] What is this called, & what is it used for? Reminds the cat of something used for funeral processions of important figures...
TI: This is the บุษบก Budsabok, for using on songkran festival, Inside of it keep image Buddha.
cat: During Pi Mai in Luang Prabang, the Phra Bang Buddha image will be moved from Ho Prabang to Wat Mai for a few days. Do people use something like the Budsabok to carry it outside the temple?
TI: People put the Buddha image inside of it and carry it outside the temple.

[2] Why does every pillar have a mirror on it?
TI: It meants if anyone make goodnese or badnese, their action come back to them again like the mirror when we look mirror. We can see us to be inside of it.


SK: where place of a monk worship the buddha or pray buddha

[3] What are these little banners in front of the altar called, & what are they for? Do their designs have any meaning?
TI: For Tai Lue call Flag, But it made of the clohts, the most it only will be the Tai Lue temple. And it is art of Tai Lue.



[4] Design of smallest Buddha image at the front is probably Lanna/Chiang Saen style, what about the other 3? Are these designs unique to some ethnic group, geographical area or historical period? The cat's first time seeing conical usnisha (the pointed part on top of the head), & painted eyebrows & lips...
TI: It is design of Tai Lue. If you go Tai Lue temple. You will see image Buddha like this every temple. At my village image Buddha is like this.
SK: many ethnic groups who are belief buddhism of course that's group be to buling the buddha statues.



[5] What is this called, & is it a Tai Lue architectural feature? Is it rare to find it on temples roofs? Looks like the kalae กาแล of traditional Northern Thai houses...
TI: This thing is flag, It made of the woods. It is not kalae. It is design of Tai Lue.



[6] What is this called, & what is its purpose? Why is there only one behind the left lion?
TI: It is Puttaseemar, there is every temple, and in Thailand has it.
cat: Is it the same as 'bai sema' (ใบเสมา boundary markers that demarcate the sacred part of the temple, usually 8 of them surrounding the ubosot)? I have another photo of it, taken from the other side. Looks like you can put something inside:



TI: Yes, Thai call it 'puttaseemar'. But Lao call it 'bai sema'. This picture i can not see surrounding things of it so i cannot tell you.

Last photo not in Wat Sing Jai, but in Tai Lue Culture Centre on 2005 trip to Chiang Kham in Phayao province of Thailand:



TI: ...they call krurngthaiyatan. It meants when there is die people than cousin of them will make this thing to give the monks. They beleive die people will not be hungry and poor. And when they born again. They will have been rich people. {Belief for Thai & Lao}
SK: it's surprise-gift when have a festival in the temple and it's religious ceremony many people make it for surprise-gift (often a money-tree present at the festival of the reading of the story of price Vessantara) or offering for a sermon.

Interesting how much can be learnt from friends =)