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That Dam (Black Stupa)

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That Dam (Black Stuppa)

  • July 2, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel
That Dam (Black Stuppa)

The Monument

The That Dam–or Black Stuppa–is one of the oldest structures in Vientiane, dating back to the 15th century. It is a classical Buddhist Stuppa, and its significance and strength are augmented by its humble size. It offers a sharp contrast to the That Luang (also in Vientiane – see separate entry) which is one of the biggest stuppas in the world.

Stuppas

Stuppas are designed to resemble the Buddha’s folded garments, inverted rice bowl, and walking stick arranged vertically, but they can also be interpreted as a symbol of the three different stages in the Buddhist spiritual development. The asymptotic approach of the temple to Nirvana at its top is especially meaningful and symbolic.

The Location

The That Dam hides in a short alley in front of the US Embassy in Vientiane. It is very close to the Namphou Fountain, the Lane Xang Avenue and to all the other main attractions in downtown Vientiane. It occupies the center of a roundabout and can thus be visited at all times.

The Legend

Over time a legend was attached to this old structure; a seven-headed Naga (mythological serpent of the Indian mythology) is said to live in a cave beneath the stuppa. The Naga exits it every time the inhabitants face a serious danger; it is said the Naga saved the inhabitants lives during the Thai invasion of 1828.

The History

In 1804 King Anouvong succeeded his brother in the Laotian throne. The 1828 destruction of Vientiane was a result of his revolt against the Thais, which included an attempt to recover the Emerald Buddha, a talisman taken from Vientiane in 1778 (see the Wat Ho Prha Keo entry in this journal and the Indiana Jones and the Emerald Buddha Journal for details). While retreating, the Thais destroyed much of the city and burned it; the That Dam (together with Wat Si Saket – see separate entry) was one of the few structures to survive. The black stains on the stuppa are a silent testimony of that fire that can be seen even nowadays.

The Name

That Dam’s common name refers to the dark scars left by that fire; however, moss adds a touch of green over the red bricks. The monument’s colors are a touching indication to the complexity of local history and are thus much more evocative than the usual gold-leaves attached on stuppas.

From journal Vientiane: the Second Sip

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