We’re in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the lush grounds of Cambodia’s Royal Palace. We’ve seen some beautiful buildings, but the most impressive is yet to come. Some people call it the Silver Pagoda. Others call it the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. C’mon… let’s go!
The buildings on the Royal Palace grounds are awesome. Bright yellows and golds stand out vividly against green, manicured lawns. Rooflines swoop up to the sky like those we saw on temples in Bangkok, but even more dramatically. Stylized trumpeting elephant trunks shoot up from the corners. So neat!
The Silver Pagoda
The Silver Pagoda isn’t the largest building on the grounds, but it’s the most revered. Cambodia’s king Norodom commissioned the original version in 1892 as a place for religious ceremonies and for Cambodian royalty to pray. It even looked cool back then.
In 1962, the temple underwent a major update and upgrade. No expense was spared. Inside, they covered the floor with silver tiles, hence the “Silver Pagoda’ name. (Not silver-colored tiles – solid silver floor tiles). Jewel-studded Buddhas and statuettes fill every available space. Priceless religious tapestries cover the interior walls.
Two items inside stand out above the rest: the Emerald Buddha and a life-size diamond-studded golden Buddha. The Emerald Buddha sits high up on a golden pedestal, gazing down on us visitors. There seems to be some debate about whether he’s made of crystal or jade. Staring up at it, I don’t think it matters.
Closer to where we’re standing, the solid-gold standing Buddha shimmers under the lights. It’s adorned with more than 2,000 sparkling diamonds. That’s some serious bling. Yikes!
Even though nothing could be more “Cambodian,” the Silver Pagoda somehow survived the reign of the Khmer Rouges. Apparently not even the Khmer Rouges were cold-blooded enough to destroy it. So where did the Khmer Rouges finally end up, anyway?
The Rest of the Story
In the previous entry of our mini-history of Cambodia, the year was January 1979. The Vietnamese Army invaded Cambodia, took Phnom Penh, and chased the remaining Khmer Rouges into hiding. (North and South Vietnam had been united for four years by this time). Vietnam installed its own leaders, (including a fellow named Hun Sen), and dubbed the new communist state the “People’s Republic of Kampuchea.”
The new leaders brought back religion, (Buddhism), education, law enforcement, and most other things we take for granted. Rebuilding had to start from scratch. Nearly every Cambodian had been forcefully displaced from their home and separated from family members. Who was dead and who had survived? No one knew.
Farms had become so unproductive that food remained in short supply for years. Utilities in Cambodia’s cities no longer functioned. The Khmer Rouge made a point of destroying schools and temples. Few survivors were equipped to be teachers. There were no companies, no businesses, and no jobs.
Meanwhile, the remaining Khmer Rouges fought a guerrilla war that went on for ten years, making rebuilding that much more difficult. They wanted the Vietnamese out of Cambodia. But to most Cambodians, even being occupied by Vietnam was preferable to the Khmer Rouges. (Of course, Khmer Rouges leaders were now saying that they had changed their ways).
A New Cambodia
In 1991, after years of negotiations, numerous countries made an agreement in Paris, France, regarding Cambodia. A new government was established. A new constitution made free elections and free-market principles law. The Vietnamese army had to leave. Everything came under the control of the United Nations, and UN member-countries would provide aid. The new name would be the “State of Cambodia.”
The new, (and current) Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy. Cambodia’s Prince Sihanouk was elevated to King. Newly established political parties competed in elections. In the first one, something like 90% of eligible voters exercised their right to vote. The year was 1993.
Time marched on. Believe it or not, it wasn’t until 2004 that the remaining Khmer Rouges stood trial for their deeds. (Pol Pot had died in 1998). In Cambodia, they held elections, but no matter what the outcome, Hen Sen – one of the original guys Vietnam put in charge way back in 1979 — came out on top. More than three decades later, he’s still the prime minister.
That’s the rest of the story. It’s time for us to leave the Royal Palace and head back to the reality, (or unreality?) of our wonderful boat. We’re learning so much on this trip. It seems that so much has happened in Cambodia that so many know so little about. We’re not quite finished yet, though.
To be continued…
