"What to do in our third day in Sukhothai?" This was a question I asked Sam in the night of our second day there. "Visit Ramkhamhaeng National Museum maybe?", my suggestion came up before Sam opened his mouth. I've never heard of this museum before and I had absolutely no idea what's inside. P'Miaow, our bike tour guide , recommended us to visit the museum because we gonna see a duplicate version of the secret tunnel in Wat Sri Chum that inscribe about The Jataka tales. Next morning, we walked to the museum without hesitating. What I like about being Thai is the entrance fee is so cheap compare to foreigners. I paid 30 baht while Sam paid 150 baht. The first part of the exhibitions is Graphic Exhibition in Lai Sue Thai Memorial Building. It displayed Sukhothai from the past till the present. From what I remember, I can see the difference between both, mostly the landscape. Moving on to the next exhibition, Antiquity Gallery. This is my favourite part because there are so many antiquities from many provinces in Thailand. I gonna show you some of my favourite here. I can't show you all since it will take me forever to finish the blog. The photo on the right side is a Buddha image from Wat Phra Phai Luang, Sukhothai. If you guys read my previous blog of Sukhothai, you will know this temple was a Hindu temple. From the description, this Buddha represented late 13th century AD of Sukhothai, Wat Trakuan Art. What I love about this Buddha statue is the hidden smile on Buddha's face and the engraving of yellow robe is very refined. I can tell by the pleated robe on the left shoulder of the Buddha. Not far from that statue I saw the replica of stone inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng. The King Ramkhamhaeng Inscription is perhaps the oldest surviving Thai language inscription. The text describes the life of King Ramkhamhaeng, details the systems of law and government of the Sukothai Kingdom, and attests to Ramkhamhaeng’s creation of the prototype of the modern Thai alphabet in the year 1283 AD. The original stone inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng is in National Museum Bangkok. Apart from that inscription, Slate Slab, inscribed with an image of Buddha and Caption, made in the 14th century AD. It was found at Wat Khao San, a temple site. On the Slate Slab, it inscribed about an ascetic in white clothes called Phessander (Pali-Vessantara) pays homage to the Triple Gem of the Buddhism i.e. Buddha (the founder of the Buddhism), Dhama (the Buddha's teaching) and Sangkha (the Buddhist Order). The thing is there are more of inscriptions I wanna show everyone but other stuff are interesting as well. For instance, the eplicate if walking Buddha of Wat Phra Si Ratanamahathat (Chaliang). It is traditional Sukhothai Buddha art. A few rare walking Buddhas had been depicted in relief in India previously, but it was the artisans of Sukhothai who added the sculpted walking Buddha to those that stand, sit or recline on their sides. Further elements that characterise Buddha statues as belonging to the Sukhothai art are its overall sense of elegance and serenity, perhaps best captured in two elements: 1) the Buddha’s soft smile (later images become more hardened or formulaic), and 2) the see-through, diaphanous robe (notice the delineating ridges at the chest, waist and hem) that covers the left shoulder only, exposing the right (known as ‘open reversed mode’), with a distinctive ‘fishtail’ notch of the sanghati (the third garment traditionally worn by a monk, usually translated as shawl or scarf) at the Buddha’s navel.
Shall we talk about some appliance? Of course! In the museum, you will see many kinds of celadon. Si Satchanalai district, Sukhothai has been the most famous source of celadon and the Si Satchanalai pottery was previously well-known as "Sangkhalok", derived from "Sawankhalok".
The celadon in both Chaliang and Mon styles produced from the Si Satchanalai kilns was regarded as the earliest celadon of Sangkhalok with the distinctive materials, in particular the clay and enamel. Originally Thai pottery has been influenced by the porcelains of China and Vietnam but remained distinct by mixing indigenous styles with preferences for unique shapes, colours and decorative motifs, but the pottery was later developed by the trendy designs for the time being. The original celadon of Chaliang and Mon has been glazed in brown and green as a result of the influential ceramics from the Group of Long Chuan Kiln, Zhejiang province in the Yuan Dynasty period. Even in the Sukhothai period, there was the trading of the earthenware, but it did not widespread as in Ayutthaya period which they heavily traded with many countries, and thus the earthenware became a major exported product of Ayutthaya during 14th-15th centuries.
Now it is a highlight of this museum which is the mystic tunnel-like stairway corridor of Wat Sri Chum. Like what I explain earlier in my previous Sukhothai blog, there are Jataka tales inscription inside. Mr.Lucien Fournereau, a French archeologist and architecture came to survey and published in Le Siam Ancien in the year 1891 AD but Phra ya (Loard) Samo Son Sun Pa Karn had already surveyed before. Some of the inscription like Sea-re VaVar Nit Chadok (Jataka tales) shows that Buddhism from Lanka was significantly prosperous in Sukhothai because in that inscription i mention earlier, the king dresses like a Lanka's king. Not just that, Vat Ta Mick Chadok (jataka talkes): the hape of the building looks like an Indian architecture.
Beside the exhibition inside, Museum's Yard section was something I love about this museum as well. Stone sculptures are placed in the yard including a replica of Sangkhalok klin, elephant figures at the base of chedis: Wat Chang Lom; Muang Kao Sukhothai, Wat Chang Lom; Sri-Satchanalai and Wat Chang Rob; Kamphaeng-Phet and also displayed the base of monateries in Sukhothai art and the Buddha relics were found in subsidiary chedis.
Sam and I decided to head back to our accommodation earlier because this was our last day in Sukhothai and we had not pack our stuff yet. Trust me, we were in a rush. The first person who finished packing was Sam. Why? because he didn't bring 5 bags of cosmetic like me! lol nah I was joking, because he had less stuff. It probably a guy thing I guess. Anyway, I called the shuttle van to pick us up at our place then we arrived at Bangkok around late afternoon. Overall, the trip in Sukhothai was one of my favourite moment and I am so sure I gonna visit Sukhothai again.
Gallery:
