Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, Bangkok Overview

Wat Mangkon Kamalawat is the biggest Chinese Buddhist temple in Bangkok. Also called the Dragon Lotus Temple or the Wat Leng Noei Yi in Chinese, it remains extremely crowded during any festivities or occasions in the Chinese calendar, especially the Chinese New Year. Set up in 1871, Wat Mangkon Kamalawat was the first one to be bringing in Mahayana Buddhism to Bangkok.

This grand Dragon Lotus Temple is beautifully decorated and its Ordination Hall is where the golden colored Buddha is seated. As you take rounds of the reverent sermon halls, you will come across the collections of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian shrines, where visitors constantly keep lighting incense. Here the oil in the altar lamps are kept filled at all times with the hope to keep the ‘Fire’ of the present life going on and moving towards ones’ afterlife. Wat Mangkon Kamalawat is must visit for all those who make a trip to Chinatown. Extremely peaceful and beautiful, it gives one the peace and calm away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Architecture of Wat Mangkon Kamalawat

Established as a Chinese temple, Wat Mangkon Kamalawat has been designed in that classic fashion decorated with floral, animal and Chinese dragon motifs. The temple is a low rambling formation with the requisite dragon playing with pearl on the sweeping tiled roof. On entering, you will find yourself amidst a labyrinth of courtyards and variously interconnected passage each of them leading to alters of Buddha and Taoist deities. The labyrinth is filled with the smoke from the constantly lighted incense. At the end of one courtyard, there are cases filled with gilded images of Buddha.

Best Time to Visit

The Chinese New Year or the Vegetarian Festival is the perfect time to visit Wat Mangkon Kamalawat. The temple actively engages in various kinds of religious ceremonies and interesting culinary activities. Especially during the Vegetarian Festival, there are different vegetarian dishes made of the occasion. At such times Wat Mangkon becomes the centre of festivities for Chinatown.

How to Reach Wat Mangkon Kamalawat

Wat Mangkon Kamalawat is located on the Charoen Krung Road in Chinatown. The place is easily accessible by boat, where one has to take the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Ratchawong Pier, from where it is a two-minute walk. One could also take a taxi ride. Usually, Wat Mangkon is included in the walking trips in Chinatown.

History of Wat Mangkon Kamalawat

Wat Leng Noei Yi or Dragon Lotus Temple was founded as a Mahayana Buddhist temple around 1871 by Phra Archan Chin Wang Samathiwat (also known as Sok Hen). King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) gave it its current name, Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, meaning "Dragon Lotus Temple"