"Our ancestors spoke through symbols. It is up to us to read and understand the message they are trying to convey," said Somjet Wimonkasem of Nan's national museum.
Built in 1596 by the reigning king, Wat Phumin is unique with its four-portico single building which serves as the ubosoth (ordination hall), viharn (chapel) and the pagoda.
Four Buddha statues with their backs against one another are installed in the main hall facing the four directions. The doors are delicately carved in splendid designs by Lanna craftsmen.
Two Nagas guard the chapel's entrance, heads held high and their long tails extending to the back over four arched gates making the temple the only one of its kind in the kingdom.
"Their curved bodies make them look lively. That is why they are regarded as the most powerful Naga sculptures in the kingdom.
"The temple is built according to precepts of Buddhist cosmology. The pagoda in the middle represents Mount Meru surrounded by the four mythological continents and four oceans.
"Three lotus-shaped sculptures sit in the middle atop the roof, symbolising Buddha presiding over the cosmos," Somjet explained .
On the western and eastern entrance, the gables are beautifully decorated by mosaic Angwa mirrors in different colours, although their origin or sourcing remains a mystery. They don't reflect as much light as common mirrors and are known for their resilience: they can bend without breaking.
"The temple was influenced by Pagan art which is neatly camouflaged. More evident is the Nan or Lanna craftsmanship, but essentially the temple is a nice blending of the two styles," he said.
The different levels leading to the chapel represent the four oceans or kingdoms. Outside the temple's wall is the human world. Stepping inside, is the forest kingdom, and the elevated floor where the Nagas lie is the world of reincarnation, with the serpents there to assist the passage from this world to the other.
"Entering the Naga gate is like cleansing of the mind and soul," he said. Stepping inside the chapel visitors find themselves under thousands of golden stars shining from its red ceiling.
"There is infinite knowledge in this world, like the stars in the sky, that needs to be learnt. Knowledge will lead to nirvana and that includes the dhamma teachings of Lord Buddha.
In the middle of the chapel are four Buddha statues, their backs joined facing the four directions. According to Burmese belief, the images represent the four Buddhas who have already attained enlightenment and it requires of followers to keep practicing dhamma in preparation for the fifth coming of the Lord.
Besides the unique architecture, the chapel of Wat Phumin houses beautiful murals which were renovated only once, over a hundred years ago. They mirror the lifestyle and belief of the people of Nan going back several hundred years.
Somjet pointed to the painting of an elephant and said it was an illustration of Kanthana Kumara Jataka, a popular character in the Jataka folklore, admired by Lanna, Lao and even the people of southern China.
Kanthana Kumara Jataka is about one of the many incarnations of Lord Buddha. The boy Kanthana was born to a widow after she drank from a small dent in the ground left by the footprint of an elephant in which water had collected. The elephant was an incarnation of Lord Indra. The adventure begins with the boy leaving his home in search of his father.
According to Somjet, the mosaic in the former palace of Luang Prabang features this story as well.
It was fun learning Nan's history from these murals. Murals featuring the daily life of people show topless men wearing tattoes from the knee up to the navel and women smoking freely.
"A man with tattoos meant he could endure suffering. Without them he couldn't find a wife." he explained.
There is also a painting of Western people with the caption reading "Farang", most probably from the last century .
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