Thai. ‘Temple of the Auspicious Raised Mound’. Name of a historic Buddhist temple located in Chiang Mai and set in a lush tropical garden with plenty of artificial ponds and waterfalls (fig.), even the naga balustrades flanking some of the staircases are enveloped in lush greenery, their sinuous forms cloaked by creeping foliage, while small cascading waterfalls add movement and a gentle, tranquil atmosphere to the setting. The garden is scattered with Buddhist imagery, such as . The temple, formerly known as Wat Phra Chao Kon Keung (วัดพระเจ้าก้นกึ่ง), i.e. ‘Temple of the Half-Overturned Buddha’ Images, has no surviving formal foundation record; however, local oral traditions and Lan Na script evidence suggest that it may have originated during the reign of King Phra Chao Tilokarat (fig.). The earlier name reflects a period of abandonment, during which numerous Buddha images lay scattered within the temple compound, reportedly overturned by wild elephants, giving rise to the distinctive epithet. Following the decline of Chiang Mai during the Burmese incursions, the temple remained deserted for several centuries until the late eighteenth century, when King Chao Kawila (fig.) re-established Lan Na authority and initiated population resettlement. Communities relocated from Chiang Saen under the leadership of Phraya Chomphu, restored the site, renaming it Wat Sri Don Moon to reflect its elevated mound setting. From the early twentieth century onward, the temple underwent significant reconstruction and institutional development under successive abbots, including the construction of a wihaan, named Maha Wihaan Boon Barami, that houses its principal Buddha statue named Luang Pho Phet, which is seated in the maravijaya pose, depicting his victory over Mara, the destroyer and tempter. The walls are adorned with embossed silver and colourful bas-reliefs of mythological figures and characters from Buddhism, including of the demon Mara, the personification of evil, who is depicted riding an elephant. The back gable and wall of the temple's wihaan features a large staircase that descends from an heavenly abode and a Buddha statue standing in the pose of disclosing the worlds, which is known in Thai as pahng peut lohk (fig.). A plaque at the base reads: Maha Nakhon Sankassa (สังกัสส), referring to an ancient city in Buddhist tradition, renowned as the site where the Buddha descended from the Tavatimsa Heaven. In the centre of the compound stands a pedestal bearing a statue of Brahma (fig.) encircled by four four White Elephants, each carrying a different deity, including Bo Bo Gyi (fig.), Rahu (fig.), Phra Witsanukam (fig.), and Ganesha (fig.). Furthermore, the compound has a monastic school and associated religious structures, such as Chedi Kao Khanajaan (เจดีย์ ๙ คณาจารย์), i.e. the ‘Stupa of the Nine Revered Teachers’. Royal patronage is evidenced by the ceremonial consecration of the principal Buddha image and relic enshrinement attended by the Thai monarchy. In 1996, a traditional Lan Na-style monastic residence, named Kuti Song Lan Na Yanasangwararam (ญาณสังวราราม), which translates to ‘Wisdom and Restraint’, was established. In the contemporary period, Wat Sri Don Moon is recognised both for its historical continuity within the Lan Na religious landscape and as the residence of Kruh Bah Noi Techapanyoh (น้อย เตชปฺโญ), a prominent meditation monk associated with strict adherence to the Thai Forest Tradition. WATCH VIDEO. 回