Luang Prabang & the Sacred Pra Bang Image

Luang Prabang & the Sacred Pra Bang Image

Nestled among lush hills in northern Laos, the city of Luang Prabang is located on a peninsula at the confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan, one of its tributaries. Officially called Nakhon Luang Prabang, it is more commonly known locally as Muang Luang. Insights acquired from Lao mythology relating to the founding of former settlements on this ancient site combined with highlights from historical accounts enable us to gain an understanding of the elements which have contributed to creating Luang Prabang's harmonious legacy of mythical, religious, and royal elements from centuries past.

		The royal emblem of old Lan Xang and the fifteen guardian Nagas believed to reside in the rivers and land are depicted on the pediment above the entrance to the Luang Prabang museum


According to historical chronicles, in 1316, in the Tai principality (muang) known as Muang Sua which was located on the present day site of Luang Prabang, Fa Ngum, the son of Thao Phi Fa was born. Not long after, Thao Phi Fa was expelled by his father King Souvanna Khampong for his irresponsible ways and subsequently sought refuge in Angkor, the capital of the neighboring Khmer empire. Fa Ngum was raised in the Royal Court of Angkor, introduced to Buddhism and, in 1338, married the daughter of the Khmer King. During the decade that followed, Fa Ngum fought numerous successful battles along the Mekong River valley with the intention of imposing his birthright to reign over Muang Sua. In 1353, Fa Ngum conquered Muang Sua, which was known locally at that time as Xieng Dong- Xieng Thong. Upon uniting various neighboring muangs, he founded the first Lao Kingdom known as Lan Xang, which is generally translated as the Kingdom of a Million Elephants, with its capital at Muang Sua.

Events in World Historical Perspective


Although Buddhism, a religious system based on the teachings of the Buddha who lived in India in 6th century BC, had probably been introduced into the Muang Sua area by the Mon people during the 8th century and subsequently in the 12th century by the Khmers, during this period in history, the worship of ancestors and spirits was a predominant influence in daily life. In an effort to promote Theravada Buddhism, the most conservative branch of Buddhism, as a unifying element in the Kingdom of Lan Xang, at the request of Fa Ngum, a Buddhist and cultural mission was sent to Muang Sua by the Khmer King. In 1358, the sacred Pra Bang image of the Buddha (Royal Holy Image) arrived in the capital accompanied by Pra Passaman and several other respected Buddhist elders, experts who possessed in-depth knowledge of Buddhist texts and astronomy, as well as scholars and artisans renowned for skills essential for the construction and ornamentation of Buddhist monasteries (wats). The Pra Bang image was believed to possess extremely protective powers and, thus, by its presence garnered significance to both the capital and its inhabitants. It is thought that the image was initially installed in either Wat Keo or in the Royal Palace, prior to being enshrined at Wat Kang. By the end of Fa Ngum's reign in 1373, the successful adoption of Theravada Buddhism had contributed substantially to unification efforts and the Kingdom of Lan Xang had become one of the largest in mainland Southeast Asia. Subsequent rulers would continue to play a significant role in advancing Buddhism and contributing to the creation of the settlement's charming Buddhist architectural legacy.

Legend of the Founding of Xieng Dong-Xieng Thong


Upon the death of Fa Ngum, his son Oun-Hueun also known as Sam Sen Tai (Lord of Three Hundred Thousand Tais) became King. During Sam Sen Tai's 43-year reign, a sophisticated administrative structure was established and the Kingdom's military capabilities were strengthened. Trade flourished and the Kingdom prospered. Both the study of Buddhism was encouraged and the construction of wats was undertaken.

Legend of Khun Borom


The years that followed were filled with many transitional reigns. In 1507, Phaya Visun ascended to the throne. He was an extremely religious ruler who continued to encourage Buddhist scholarly advancement. In 1512, he initiated construction of Wat Visun whose architecture was meant to symbolize the peace and unity of the Kingdom and, the following year, the wat became the home of the sacred image of the Pra Bang and would remain so for the next 194 years.

The Pra Bang Image of the Buddha


In 1520, Photisane was proclaimed King under the name of Phothisarath. In 1527, this extremely religious sovereign issued an edit prohibiting animist sacrifices to the spirits and ordered the demolition of the city's most important shrine. Wat Aham was later built on this ancient site. In the same year, the construction of Wat SangKhalok was initiated on the former site of what is believed to be the earliest Buddhist site in Luang Prabang near the confluence of the Mekong River and a small tributary known as Nam Dong. In 1546, Phothisarath's son Settha ascended to the throne of Lan Na, the Land of a Million Rice Fields, a Kingdom which was located in present day northern Thailand from the 13th to the 18th century. After his father's death, Settha returned to the Kingdom of Lan Xang with the Pra Keo (Emerald Buddha), another very sacred image of the Buddha. The arrival of this image was of particular significance because not only were both the Pra Bang and the Pra Keo images considered extremely sacred, but they were also believed to be inhabited by powerful spirits, which when placed in close proximity to each other would be a potential catalyst for disaster. Many of the adverse and hostile events that transpired over the following centuries were partially ascribed to these beliefs.


		Although the majority of the population adheres to Theravada Buddhism, spirit and ancestral worship continues to be a major non-buddhist belief system integrated into daily life. Spirits are believed to exist in both the natural and built environment, as well as a manifestation of one's ancestors, and must be propitiated with offerings.


In 1560, the construction of Wat Xieng Thong was initiated by King Setthathirath. Three years later, in 1563, threatening external political circumstances were the catalyst for the King's decision to officially move to Vientiane. Construction was initiated for a new Royal Palace, a Buddhist shrine known as Tat Luang, and Wat Pra Keo which would house the sacred Pra Keo image of the Buddha, which was taken to the new capital. In response to these developments, Muang Sua's name was officially changed to Luang Prabang (Royal City of the Pra Bang) in honor of the sacred Pra Bang image.


In 1707, decades of internal fighting for the throne led to the eventual breakup of the Kingdom of Lan Xang into Luang Prabane, Vientiane, and Champassak; a development that weakened all three and encouraged aggression from adjacent territories. As was often the case during periods of transition or aggression, significant Buddha images became tools to demonstrate power. The sacred images would subsequently be taken or captured from weaker centers by those more powerful, such as the case with the Pra Bang image when it was taken from Luang Prabang to Vientiane expediting the decline of Luang Prabang's status as a Royal City in the Process. Futhermore, in 1778, after a successful Siamese offensive destroyed almost everything in Vientiane, both the Pra Bang and the Pra Keo images of the Buddha were subsequently removed and enshrined several years later in Bangkok when it was designated as the official capital of Siam (Thailand) in 1781. Subsequent political upheavals and adverse events that transpired in Bangkok were in part attributed to the close proximity of the powerful spirits believed to inhabit the two images, and the Pra Bang image of the Buddha was therefore returned to Vientiane the following year.

		During the annual New Year festival, the Pra Bang image is ceremoniously moved to Wat Mai for aspersion rites.


Hostilities between Vientiane and Bangkok, however, continued for decades and, in 1828, the Siamese attacked and absorbed Vientiane into their territory. Once again, the Pra Bang image was taken to Bangkok where it remained for half a century before finally being returned in 1867 to its rightful home in Luang Prabang. The image was temporarily housed in the Royal Palace before being moved to its former home in Wat Visun where it remained until 1887 when Chinese Ho aggressors invaded Luang Prabang and destroyed many wats. The image was moved for safekeeping and later enshrined at Wat Mai in 1894 where it remained until 1947 before being moved to the dais inside the Royal Palace. Despite the subsequent impacts from neighboring political turbulence and aggression in the decades that followed, the sacred Pra Bang image of the Buddha is currently enshrined in the Pra Bang Room in the Luang Prabang Museum.