chinese Monk



Philosopher



Civil or Workman



Chinese Lady



Lion Mouthing a Ball

      Chinese rock giants and rockeries or ballast, another charm of Wat Pho Tour. Not only the charming Reclining Buddha, the beautiful rockeries and rock giants also fascinate the tourists. All Chinese stony or cement rock giants and rockeries found as gate guardians and in the parks, were ballast from the ancient trading travels to China. It was intelligence of the ancient Thai applying these ballast for decorations in many places of this monastery.


      “Lan Than” or Rock Giants with weapons represents nobleman warriors in Chinese opera style clothes. The giant with a looking down fierce-face, holding a weaponin one hand and wearing a tight suite of armor, can be found as gate guardians. They were both high-rank soldiers and combatants.

      Chinese Giants in European Clothes. They are Marco Polo, the first European visiting and introducing European tradition to China. There are 4 pairs of Marco Polo.



      Political Nobleman is smiling face rockery wearing a folded-end top-hat holding a book in one hand while another hand is on his beard as in deep thought. He wears a long cloak and shoes; and looks like an aristocrat.

      Chinese Monk is a happy and calm-face rockery in a long cloak and shoes, and wearing a string of beads on his neck.

      Philosopher is a good-humoured rockery wearing a folded-end top-hat. He looks like a young knowledgeable aristocrat, but without beard, wearing a long cloak and shoes, holding a fan or a book in one hand.


      Civil or Workman is normally a long-earded old man, wearing a straw hat and holding some tools in one hand, such as a net or a digging tool.

      Chinese Ladies can be found in many hairstyles, putting-up or covered with silk cloth. Their dresses are long cloaks and shoes.

      Lion Mouthing a Ball as a decoration at the stairs base can be found in many sizes. You can roll the ball in his open mouth, too.




      If you are obervant enough, there are both lions and lionesses. The lioness has small cubs in her chest and at her feet whereast he lion is standing with either a ball, a globe, or other auspicious items accourding to Chinese belief, in his paw.












      These Chinese Rockeries, both in human being shape and animals such as horses and cows, or objects such as stupas, drums, etc., decorating courtyards and all parks not only show the Chinese arts but there is also life philosophical attitude hidden in all works.