This is from a series of films by Global Television shot all over world, giving well photographed introductions to various places, of which we will be focusing on the ones of interest to Buddhists.
The films are quite light introductions to their subjects, mainly good photography, well chosen soundtracks, and a reasonable, but sometimes inaccurate, narration giving a cultural and historical introduction to its subject.
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This is a very good short introduction to the ancient Thai kingdom of Sukhothai (The Rising of Happiness) which flourished from the 13th-16th centuries and produced some of the most distinctive of Thai architecture and sculpture.
The film starts at Wat Mahathat (Great Relic Temple) which is one of the finest of the temples that have survived down the ages. It looks at many of the other temples that are preserved in what is now a Wolrd Heritage cultural park.
In contrast to the temples, and is often the case in Buddhist countries, the king’s palaces didn’t fare so well, and only the foundations are still to be seen. The temples were built of stone, the palaces of wood, and have mainly disintegrated by now.
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to see an album of stills click here