Before visiting Wat Den Sala Si Mueang Kaen, we first stopped by Chulin's friend's house for coffee. Our host warmly treated us to bamboo tube rice and snacks. Even more interesting, he also raised a large flock of gamecocks — looking so fearless and militant that I was left wide-eyed with amazement, a real eye-opener for me. Before we left, our host even let us pick vegetables from his own garden. The vegetables were fresh and hearty, and there were plenty of herbs too — we had a great time picking them.
我們在去參觀藍廟之前，先去楚林的朋友家喝咖啡。主人很熱情地拿出竹筒飯及點心招待我們。更有意思的是，他還養了一大堆鬥雞，雄赳赳、氣昂昂的，看得我目瞪口呆，大開眼界。我們要離開之前，主人還讓我們在自家的菜園中摘菜，這些菜新鮮壯碩，香草類的植物也很多，我們摘的很開心。
Wat Den Sali Si Mueang Kaen 清邁藍廟
Wat Bandensali Si Mueang Kaen, also known as Wat Banden and formerly as Wat Ribunrueang, is located in Inthakhin Subdistrict, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai. People also call this temple the “Blue Temple“, not to be confused with the Blue Temple in Chiang Rai. The temple is 30 kilometres away from the city of Chiang Mai.
Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, the temple stands prominently on top of a small hill and can be easily seen afar. Under the small hill is a sacred cave the villagers pay their respect to; as a result, it is named "Wat Banden". In addition, on the temple's ground there are lots of sacred fig trees, or Sali Trees, of various sizes. Because the trees' name, Sali, is considered auspicious, the temple was named after them. Apart from that, since it is located in the area of an ancient town known as "Mueang Kaen", the locals officially call it "Wat Bandensali Si Mueang Kaen".
Reliable historical details about Wat Den Sala Si Mueang Kaen can be difficult to verify, as there are no on-site plaques or consistent online sources. The temple may date back to the 16th century or earlier. It was constructed, or significantly established in its early form, around 1894.
In 1988, Kruba Thueang Natsilo was invited to become abbot of Wat Den Sala Si Mueang Kaen, which was then in poor condition. Major restoration and construction began around 1991. As Kruba Thueang was a well-respected monk, devotees from across Thailand and beyond contributed substantial donations to him. The abbot has used these funds to transform the modest temple into the grand complex seen today. The temple is now one of Chiang Mai Province's most visited and photogenic sites.
Spanning a vast 128,000 square meters, Wat Den Sali Si Mueang Kaen blends traditional Lanna, Thai, Chinese, and other cultural influences. This sprawling, vibrant complex is filled with ornate buildings, intricate wood carvings, mythical guardian figures, and colorful statues. Its major structures include the Ubosot (main hall), the Ho Trai (scripture hall), the drum tower, Wihan Sao Inthakhin (the sacred pillar shrine), the Lanna-style teak wood Kuti (monk's residence), the Wihan, and the stupa. A standout feature is the cluster of 12 pagodas (chedis) representing the Thai zodiac animals, located behind the main buildings.
This temple complex covers extensive grounds, features a wide variety of architectural styles, and is vividly and lavishly colorful — all while being free to visit. Among the many Thai temples I've visited, its sightseeing value ranks among the very best.
Wat Bandensali Si Mueang Kaen 也稱為 Wat Banden (班登寺)，原名 Wat Ribunrueang (裡汶良寺)，位於清邁府湄登縣 (Mae Taeng) 因他欣 (Inthakhin) 鎮。人們也把這座寺廟稱為「藍廟」，但不要將其與清萊的藍廟混淆。此寺院距離清邁市 30 公里。
寺院坐落於一座小山丘之上，四周風景秀麗，從遠處很容易看到。山丘下有村民們頂禮膜拜的神聖洞穴，寺廟因此得名「Wat Banden」(意為「神聖洞穴之寺」)。此外，寺內長著許多大小不一的菩提樹（當地稱為 Sali 樹)；由於「Sali」一詞有吉祥之意，寺廟便以此命名。而且，因其位於 Mueang Kaen (孟肯) 的古城區域，當地人將其正式稱為 “Wat Bandensali Si Mueang Kaen”。
關於 Wat Den Sala Si Mueang Kaen 清邁藍廟的可靠歷史細節往往難以考證，因為現場無相關說明牌，網路上的資料也不盡一致。寺廟的歷史可能追溯至 16 世紀或更早；其早期的建造或確立則約始於 1894 年。
1988 年，Kruba Thueang Natsilo 古巴特昂·納西洛受邀出任清邁藍廟的住持；當時該寺廟狀況破敗。約在 1991 年，大規模的修繕與擴建工程正式啟動。由於古巴特昂備受尊崇，來自泰國各地乃至海外的信眾紛紛慷慨解囊捐助。他利用這些善款，將這座原本簡樸的寺廟改造成如今宏偉壯麗的建築群。現在該寺已成為清邁府最熱門、最上鏡的旅遊景點之一。
清邁藍廟佔地廣闊，達 128,000 平方米，融合了傳統的蘭納（Lanna）、泰國、中國及其他多元文化風格。在這座宏大而充滿活力的建築群內，遍布著裝飾華麗的殿宇、精美的木雕、神話中的守護神像以及色彩鮮豔的雕塑。其主要建築包括烏波索（Ubosot，即主殿）、藏經閣（Ho Trai）、鼓樓、因塔欽神柱殿（Wihan Sao Inthakhin）、蘭納風格的柚木僧舍（Kuti）、禮佛殿（Wihan）以及佛塔。其中一大亮點是位於主建築群後方的一組佛塔群，由代表泰國十二生肖的 12 座佛塔（Chedi）組成。
這一座寺廟建築群的佔地廣闊，建築樣式繁多，色彩鮮豔華麗，而且免費。在我參觀過的許多泰國寺廟裏，其觀光價值是數一數二的。
2026.01.19 Odds & Ends 雜記
For lunch, we went to eat braised pork leg over rice. Afterward, we also visited a strawberry farm. Back at Chulin's tea garden, we went to pick the blueberries and strawberries he grows. Whether blueberries or strawberries, every single one was big and sweet — absolutely delicious. No wonder he's managed to run such a successful fruit business. After the meal, everyone spent a long time discussing what we'd eat for each meal over the next few days, and who would be responsible for cooking or preparing which dishes... It felt just like being back in our college days, with everyone dividing up tasks and working together in that same spirit.
中午去吃豬腳飯。之後還逛了一個草莓園。回到楚林的茶園，又去摘楚林養植的藍莓及草莓。不管是藍莓，還是草莓，每粒都又大又甜，非常好吃。不虧他能做出成功的水果生意。吃完飯後，大家花了好多時間討論，接下來數天各餐吃些什麼，誰負責煮或準備什麼菜⋯ 好像回到大學時代，大家分工合作的精神及實行。
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