Wat Buppharam or Wat Meng also known as Wat Uppa, is located at 143 Thapae Road Chang Khlan Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai, opposite to Wat Saen Fang. It is a Maha Nikaya temple with its land area around 7,000 square meters. King Mueang Kaeo as the twelfth king of the Mangrai Dynasty of Lanna had built in 1496. In 1819, it was renovated by King Thammalangka. He had a small Lanna-style wooden Wihan built. Its finely-carved wooden tympanum has stucco work decorated with stained glass. Later, a larger Wihan was built with its Burmese-style carved wooden tympanum. The larger Wihan is where an approximately 400 yeas old copper Buddha image with the weight of 1 kot is hosted with a pair of Chiang Saen-style bronze Buddha images on both of its sides.
In Ho Montian Tham, the Dharma Hall, a teak wood Buddha image with a lap size of about 2 meters in width is hosted. It is approximately 400 years old. According to the history, King Naresuan the Great, along with his army, marched from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai to fight against invaders in 1604. The enemies were driven back to Haeng Town and Tuan Town. The king then took a rest after the battle and had Phra Buddha Naretsakchai Pairipinat as a Buddha monk image made.
Wat Buppharam is an important temple because it is where Somdet Phra Sangharaja Pussadeva, the ninth Supreme Patriarch of Thailand used to stay. Also, it is where the Buddha’s relics are hosted. The ceremony of watering the relics is held annually on the full moon day of Lanna’s sixth lunar month, Central Thai’s fourth lunar month or around February. The temple’s major structures include the small Wihan, the larger Wihan, Phra Ubosot or the main hall, the Lanna-style stupa, the sacred well, Ho Montian Tham, Wihan Phra Chao Thanchai and Wihan Kruba Srivichai.
How to get there:
To get to the temple, drive along Lampang-Chiang Mai Superhighway. Before reaching Chiang Mai’s city centre, turn left at the Poi Luang, or Nong Prathip, Intersection and drive along the street until you cross the bridge over the Ping River, called Nawarat Bridge, which is very well-known among the residents of Chiang Mai. Then drive along the street about 800 metres and the temple will be on the left side. Driving slowly is recommended due to one-way traffic or you’ll drive past the temple.
