Welcome to Temple Tree

Snippet Below:

Both sides of Wualai Road -- the so called "Silver Street" -- are little alleys packed with silver manufactories. The sound of hammering comes here from every house. Men sit packed tightly, shoulder to shoulder, at small working benches, hammering, soldering, rolling and polishing. The silversmiths are neither a guild nor a caste, but are united by the traditional feudal master-servant relationship -- smiths receive room and board plus a small stipend -- and, for those established in business, intermarriage. They are united enough to undertake joint projects such as lobbying for government subsidies and Temple construction. This Temple is covered head to toe (except for its roof tile), both inside and outside, with hand wrought aluminum. The technique known in Thailand as "Lanna Silver" is really nothing but good old repoussé . It works even better with aluminum which is similar in color, far cheaper, softer, and does not need to be heated during hammering (unheated silver often cracks when hammered). Its only downside is that it does not tarnish with age, which is what some of the repousse designs call for, but this effect can be achieved by staining. Below is a wall panel from the Temple , showing half-life-size Rama leading the monkey army against Lanka. The panel is probably 2 meters high by 1.5 meters long. Here is a three-panel window blind with stories from the Jataka . Here is a Dutch silversmith (she works in one of the silver factories here) with the Temple minder and a bit of outside wall decoration. The peacock is a mystical symbol in many religions. In Christianity he represents the glory of life after death, in Buddhism the sudden unfolding of the mind at the moment of enlightenment. Here are two life-size heavenly guardians on the outside wall, each side of the window. They are wearing Burmese court dress (as only befits a city with such strong Shan influence). And here is the entrance to the Temple :