Ville historique d’Ayutthaya

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NHK World Heritage 100 Series (en anglais)

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This is the ancient city of Ayutthaya in Thailand. The city thrived as capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom for some 400 years from the mid 14th century. It is located on the Chao Phraya River about 100 kilometres north of its estuary. The city flourished as a safe haven. This is a map of Ayutthaya published in the Netherlands during the 17th century. It shows its position on an island about 4 square kilometres in area at the confluence of three rivers.

33 successive kings of the Ayutthaya Kingdom deified themselves and reigned powerfully over the people. Within this ruined temple complex stand some towers resembling Indian Stupa. These three towers house the remains of three Ayutthayan kings. The dynasty built about 400 temples. People worshiped the Buddhist towers housing the remains of their kings. Kings proclaimed that they were as divine as the Buddha.

Ayutthaya thrived under the reign of deified kings; its convenient location attracted many foreign ships. The city soon became a centre for international trade. Buddhist art also developed here. Royal power was portrayed through the use of Buddhist statues. All of the seated statues here have their right hands pointing downward. It is a gesture to drive off evil spirits, known as "Go-ma-in". The statues have a unified style and identical posture. It suggests that the Kings had control over expression in Buddhist art. Most of the standing Buddhist statues hold their hands up at shoulder level. These statues represent not only Buddha but also Kings.

Ayutthaya was completely destroyed in an attack by the Burmese in 1767. There is a Buddhist proverb that: "All glories must fade". It applied also to this glorious Kingdom where Kings once divinized themselves as Buddha. A marvellous creation of nature formed through the mists of time. Buddha is smiling gently.