Curious if our story about centuries-old statues in the middle of Bangkok is based on real sculptures? Check out the inspiration behind our beloved characters.
WAT PHO - BANGKOK
When visiting Wat Pho temple in Bangkok, you will notice many Chinese stone statues around the premises. The Wat Pho complex has 16 entrances and some of these carved stone statues are there to protect and guard the temple. Others only for decoration in the gardens.
Though beautiful and formidable, a question is raised: why are these Chinese statues in Thai temples? Where do they come from? Are they really from China? What are they doing here?
A BIT OF HISTORY
These Chinese statues came from China between the 11th and 14th centuries as ballast in empty Chinese merchant ships. And once the ships went back with the holds full of rice and products, the statues were left behind, abandoned. Thai people collected some of them for decoration in a few of the main temples. Among the categorized statues you will find Warriors with weapons, Chinese Ladies, Philosophers, Chinese Monks, Noblemen, and even four Marco Polo statues. The animal shaped ones are typically placed among plants and trees.
ANCIENT ART
These stone statues come in different sizes and shapes, they are resplendent with gorgeous detail. The wonderful art of stone carving gives the statues a spark of life, like they are going to wake up and walk away.
INSPIRATION
Wanchana “Vic” Intrasombat has spent a lot of time among them, being inspired by their personalities and imaging their stories.
UP CHAO MEANING
The word UP CHAO literally means gloomy or melancholic in Thai. Some say the reason they are given this moniker is because these statues were always kept at the darkest bottom of the ships - the ballast ground - never seeing the light of day.
And from this, our story is born. Read more about the details our feature film on our projects page!
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