On the south end of Luang Prabang sits a large concrete space on the east side of the main street which was, until recently, a very popular and beloved field for jogging, exercising, and sometimes even courting. Toward the rear, a whitewashed wall and some lofty spired old stupas are visible. Wat That Luang temple lies behind the former field in an elevated position where the king and important dignitaries could participate in and observe religious ceremonies.  Old photos show that the temple was much more visible with significantly less vegetation than what it has now.

The field was believed to be Souan Thaen, the divine garden where Nang Kang Hi (a prominent figure in Luang Prabang folklore) harvested her limes. It’s where many important cremations took place in the past, the last significant one being in 2008 when the abbot of Wat Sene passed away and was cremated on an elaborately constructed pyre. Many important dignitaries attended this ceremony and hundreds of monks from all the temples in Luang Prabang participated in the ritual. 

The village of That Luang contained many residences of the former aristocracy in the early part of the twentieth century and its temple has played a significant role in the former kingdom of Laos. Before the temple was built in its current incarnation there were two important temples on this site, Wat Keo Fa and Wat Passamam, whose relics have been found dating back to the twelfth century. Ties to the third-century Indian King Asoka via a Bodhi tree on the site have also been mentioned. 

Entering Wat That Luang (Monastery of the Royal Stupa) you pass under an ornate gate, through a shady garden with various Buddha statues under a grove, and a long row of gilded Buddhas greet you on the right-hand side. The main building to the left looks quite subdued as far as temples go. It has a double-tiered roof and the ordination hall is white-washed with no decorations or murals on its façade. On the grounds are two traditional longboats that compete in the Boat Racing Festival each year and a large tower with a buffalo skin drum that is beaten at 4 pm each full and new moon. In front of the temple is the large golden-tiled stupa containing the ashes of King Sisavangvong. Behind the hall, a second larger stupa is said to contain ancient Buddhist artifacts and is decorated with some dark blue glazed tiles. 

Recently, the temple has undergone renovations, with a new roof, floor, and altar on the cards. Mr. Vilasith from Ban Nasangveuy aged about 55, stands casually leaning against the altar of the temple of That Luang. With one hand on the hip of his white paint-spattered pants, and a cigarette dangling nonchalantly out of his mouth, he says that he learned his restoration skills in Vientiane. He’s the man to call for temple repairs such as ceilings, plasterwork, or any of the other nearly-forgotten skills needed for preservation. He even travels around the country to restore other Buddhist treasures. He is not a monk – and he never has been – he is just a layman who wants to teach his skills to the younger generation. 

At the temple, a young novice, aged about thirteen, is applying white plaster curlicues to the main altar of the Buddha. Vilasith feels it is important that his skills be passed on as he guides the restoration of the fragile plasterwork covering the finely detailed plinth. Using a 50-50 mixture of putty and latex he turns out molds of various designs filled with plaster that are then glued onto the altar. I wondered where they got the molds from, after all the temple was built in 1818, and the originals are likely long gone. The novice tells me that they make the molds from existing details on the altar, an ingenious way to work with what you have. Elsewhere in the temple, young novices with stencils are embellishing the black wooden shutters and columns, refreshing traditional Buddhist symbols with new coats of golden paint.

The black Buddha on the rear altar wears a shroud of orange cloth with hands held up in the “calling for peace” posture. This is the most valuable Buddha in the hall – even more valuable than the massive golden Buddha on the main altar, bought here from Wat Aham. 

Renovating and restoring a temple is often a joyous occasion with much laughter and camaraderie and shows the ongoing importance of the village temple to the local community. Still, an integral part of village life, when there is work to be done hands can easily be found. Women are also here to do their bit and are up and down planks with wheelbarrows taking cement to patch up the floor. 

Wat That Luang, though not often mentioned as much in tourist literature as some of the more popular temples in town, is a wonderful place to visit if you are interested in Lao history. Its novice population is one of the largest in town and the garden and surroundings are peaceful with some interesting corners to explore. Sometimes, it’s also possible to witness traditional skills in action, if the timing is right. 

Getting there: Lao Airlines has flights to Luang Prabang from Vientiane, Pakse, Hanoi, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Siem Reap