In Ban Rong Wua Daeng stands Wat Rong Wua Daeng, a Buddhist place of worship with a history dating back to 1760. The temple contains Buddha images described as being more than 700 years old. A local legend adds a story about a former streambed and red gaurs to these cultural references. The temple’s construction history, named images, and oral tradition thus give travellers three distinct points of connection: the religious site, its individual Buddha images, and the landscape described in the story. They should be understood as separate topics, not as a single timeline.
Year of construction and the connection to the name
Wat Rong Wua Daeng was named after the village of Rong Wua Daeng. This connection directly links the temple’s name to the place: Ban Rong Wua Daeng refers to the village, while Wat Rong Wua Daeng refers to the place of worship there. The distinction is useful when planning a trip, because a place name and the name of a specific temple do not mean the same thing. The year 1760 dates the temple. In the Buddhist calendar, the same year is given as 2303; these are two year designations for the same construction period, not two separate events. The age description of the Buddha images is a different statement. This makes it possible to distinguish the history of the building from the reported ages of the images.
Buddha images and their names
The Buddha images described as being more than 700 years old include Luang Pho Somprathana and Luang Pho Thanjai. Luang Pho Phra Phuttha Sihing, also called Phra Sing, is also mentioned. The two names Phra Phuttha Sihing and Phra Sing refer to the same image, so they should not be counted as two different figures. The names make the temple’s cultural significance more tangible: rather than speaking only of Buddha images in general, visitors can focus on three specific, named images. Those interested in the religious history of Wat can consider the individual names alongside the year of construction, without applying the images’ stated age to the building.
A local landscape tradition
Local tradition draws attention to an earlier state of the site. According to the story, the temple site was once a streambed running from the mountains to the Mae On River, and also a habitat and feeding ground for red gaurs. The legend thus connects a watercourse with mountains, a river, and animals. This account differs from the information about the temple’s construction: it does not describe the year it was built, but a landscape associated with the site. For travellers interested in culture, this offers a distinct perspective on Rong Wua Daeng, as a local tradition has a place alongside the Buddhist place of worship. The story should be understood as a legend. If you are planning a visit to Wat, check in advance whether visits are currently possible.
Discover more destinations: Mae Faek, Mae Sun, Mueang Len, Fang, Nong Han, Tambon Yang Piang, On Tai, Amphoe Chiang Dao
For the overview of the wider region: Chiang Mai.
