佛影下，岁月悠长

佛影下，岁月悠长

Ayutthaya, full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, sits on a vast stretch of plains divided by rivers. The capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350-1767) in ancient Thailand was home to a host of Buddhist stupas and Buddha statues, which have witnessed the rise and fall of the ancient city.

As we arrived at Ayutthaya, we were greeted by the warm glow of the setting sun across the Menam River.

The Menam River, or Chao Phraya River, is the largest of all rivers in Thailand, running from north to south through the country into the Pacif i c Ocean at Bangkok Bay. At one section in Ayutthaya, the river is embraced by a cluster of lofty stupas, which have put millions of visitors in search for what is behind.

Thais are very tolerant people thanks to the profound inf l uence of Indian, Chinese and Burmese cultures. Historically, the Burmese invaded Ayutthaya several times. The Thais absorbed elements of the Burmese culture as they fought against the invaders. A result was the construction of numerous Buddhist temples and statues in unique Khmer style.

The heart of Ayutthaya used to be the site of imperial palaces in different dynasties. It has witnessed the rise and fall of Thailand.

The old city was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong after his defeat of the Sukhothai Kingdom andwas given the name of Ayutthaya, which means“undefeatable” in Sanskrit. During the period of Ayutthaya being the Thai capital, 33 kings of different dynasties ruled the kingdom until it was almost completely burnt to the ground by the Burmese in 1767.

Instead of being rebuilt over the 200 years since, the ancient site was turned into a historical park and has been included in UNESCO's list of world heritage since 1991.

In its heyday, the metropolis housed three imperial palaces and more than 300 temples. Yet only the surviving Buddha statues really know what it was like in its golden era.

大城府（泰语阿育陀耶），是一片河道纵横的广阔平原。作为泰国历史中大城王朝的都城，这里众多佛塔和佛像见证了曾经的繁盛过往，仿佛时光匆忙的一瞥。

抵达大城府时，天色将晚，我们与湄南河的晚霞相遇。

湄南河是泰国第一大河，自北而南纵贯泰国全境，最后在曼谷湾注入太平洋。在大城府一段，河两岸矗立的佛塔吸引着旅行者去探索这里的历史。

大城府的中心区域，是泰国历史上大城王朝的古王宫所在地，这里，记载着泰国历史上一段从繁华到沦落的往昔。

1350年，乌通王战胜了素可泰王朝，在这里建设都城，以梵文“阿育陀耶”命名，语义为“不可战胜”，这美好的愿望传承了33位国王。1767年，缅甸的军队攻陷此城，用一把大火将完整的城市烧成一片废墟，终结了大城王朝。

此后200多年，泰国人没有修缮古城，而是辟为国家公园，供人凭吊。1991年，这里被联合国科教文组织列入《世界遗产名录》。

New Discoveries 新发现

AN ANCIENT CITY BLESSED BY BUDDHA

Text by Baihe Photos by Zhou Xingxing & CFP Translation by Leo

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