Bayon
Bayon is built with the traditional levels of a Hindu temple but oddly has 54 stone towers with 4 gargantuan smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara (one of the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion) on each tower, 1 face at each cardinal direction, for a total of 216 faces. Like Angkor Wat it has pictorial battles and legends carved into its walls. However unlike Angkor Wat it also has scenes of daily life including people playing chess, a cockfight, women selling fish at the market, etc. There is also a panel of the Khmer circus with a strong man holding 3 dwarves, tightrope walkers, and a man on his back spinning a heel with his feet. This temple is another place held in great reverence to the Buddhists. There is a sizable contingent of monks throughout the complex and their orange robes are in stark contrast to the grey of the stone.
A word on the differences between the Khmer Buddhist and Hindu temples. The Hindu temples are built with several layers & towers while the Buddhist temples are built with only one layer and 1000’s of images of Buddha engraved throughout the temple walls. As the religion of Cambodia swung from Hindu to Buddhist and back, the temples were converted back and forth. Where this is really noticeable is where a Buddhist temple was converted to Hindu. The Hindu’s would remove all the images of Buddha which could mean chipping away thousands of small images that were carved into the walls, but whenever they missed one, it is now pointed out by the guides.
Read MoreA word on the differences between the Khmer Buddhist and Hindu temples. The Hindu temples are built with several layers & towers while the Buddhist temples are built with only one layer and 1000’s of images of Buddha engraved throughout the temple walls. As the religion of Cambodia swung from Hindu to Buddhist and back, the temples were converted back and forth. Where this is really noticeable is where a Buddhist temple was converted to Hindu. The Hindu’s would remove all the images of Buddha which could mean chipping away thousands of small images that were carved into the walls, but whenever they missed one, it is now pointed out by the guides.
