Wiki Phra Somdej International
维基顺德瓦拉康寺佛牌 by Lek Watruak

Somdej Toh (B.E.2331-2415), the creator and blesser

 

2405-2411年顺德瓦拉康寺 圣字背面 神圣部沛灰
Somdej Wat Rakang
Phim Yai, Sheng Back,
Nua PoonPetch,
B.E.2405-2411



Dimensions: 2.7 X 3.8 cm
Material(s): ground burned seashells + kaolin + Somdej Toh's holy materials
Item Ref: pp30578

This is a PAS Somdej Wat Rakang, Phim Yai, Sheng Back, Nua PoonPetch, created and blessed by Somdej Toh during B.E. 2405-2411.

Phim yai = big mold

Sheng = 圣/聖: holy, sacred, saint.

The word is short for 佛教圣/佛教聖 which means "Buddhism is sacred".

So many Chinese Buddhists who highly revered Somdej Toh participlated in making Somdej amulets of Chinese-character back. Please read details below.

Nua PoonPetch = a mixture of burned & ground seashells mixed with kaolin clay

Nua PoonPetch has its specific physical characteristics. It's rather hardly to make fake for this kind of content/texture.

Nua PoonPetch has very fine grain and white color like milk.

Generally, Somdej Nua PoonPetch have less or hardly to find holy materials, but this piece have some of them as appearing on the surface.

Enlarged pics of the surface from microscope, we will see Somdej Toh's holy materials:

- blue earth
- red-brown fragments of Kampaengpetch amulets
- yellow earth
- silvery, metalic, magnetic fragments
- translucent grey stones
- white opague stones

These are authentic features of the PAS Somdej Wat Rakang, Sheng back.

SOMDEJ WAT RAKANG (SWRs)
WITH CHINESE-CHARACTER BACK:

During the reign of King Rama IV, trade between China and Thailand prospered. Simultaneously, there was a significant influx of Chinese immigrants into Thailand. Both the Chinese and Thai people held great respect and reverence for Somdej Toh.

Somdej Toh had many Chinese disciples and merchants who played a crucial role in the thriving trade relationship between China and Thailand.

One of the most prominent Chinese disciples known as Luang WijahnJiaranai, whose Chinese name was Heng (兴). He was a most important carver of the popular molds of Somdej Toh's Somdej Wat Rakang (SWRs).

Chinese Buddhists in Thailand also highly revered Somdej Toh, much like the Thai people. They were very pleased when they had been given SWRs from Somdej Toh.

They profoundly felt that it's a great pleasure if the backside of SWRs have Chinese characters on it, allowing Chinese relatives and friends to understandly read and pay their respects to. Somdej Toh benevolently approved the idea.

Chinese Buddhists who had artisan skills carved Chinese characters with auspicious words, blessings words, and clan's names (Chinese surname) on wooden blocks and offered to Somdej Toh. Those without such skills wrote Chinese characters on paper and offered to Somdej Toh.

As the result, SWRs with Chinese-character back were created.

CHINESE RETURNED HOME WITH
CHINESE-CHARACTER BACK SWRs:

Some Chinese residents in Thailand at that time, after achieving success in trade and becoming wealthy, returned to their homeland - China.

These individuals carried SWRs with Chinese-character back with them to distribute among their relatives. They did so because they had direct experiences for the positive impact of SWRs which had helped them prosper in life, achieve success in trade, and enjoy safety and happy lives.

When distributing the Somdej Toh's SWRs with Chinese-character back to their relatives in China, these Chinese believers, who had once resided in Thailand and directly experienced with efficacies of SWRs, emphasizedly instructed their relatives to highly respect and pay homage to the SWRs for prosperity, good luck and safty in their lives.

This is why Somdej Toh's SWRs with Chinese-character back have long been existed in Thailand and why some of them were found in China as well. These SWRs have been passed down through generations in Chinese communities and on China land.

POPULAR ITEMS:
Today, SWRs with Chinese-character back are popularly sought after and revered by the Chinese people, not only in China but also in other countries with a significant Chinese population, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, as well as Thailand - the original source.