| WAT NANG CHI 2 (วัดนางชี) |
Wat Nang Chi or the “Monastery of the Lady Nun” as it was translated by Cushman,
was located off Ayutthaya's city island on the eastern main land in present Hua Ro sub-
district.
The temple stood at the confluence of Khlong Wat Pradu and the old Front city canal,
which became later the Pa Sak River. The monastery stood on Khlong Wat Pradu’s
north bank.
Wat Krajom was situated north of Wat Nang Chi, while Wat Yom lay south, all on the
main river bank. Wat Pradu stood to the east. In situ only traces of scattered bricks
were found.
Wat Nang Chi is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya as the location where
the Burmese set up one of their stockades with bastions, in which large guns were fired
off on the City of Ayutthaya during the Burmese-Siamese war of 1765-67 after they
completed the encirclement of the city. [1]
Engelbert Kaempfer, a German medical doctor working for the VOC in the 17th
century, mentioned the existence of a monastery off the city island, called Wat Nang Chi,
which was situated in a village were monks and nuns lived promiscuously together.
There are also Nuns among them, whom they call Nanktsij, or Bagins, who wear
such pieces of cloth like the Monks, but of a white color instead of yellow. These
nuns in former times lived among the Priests near the Temples, but it having
happened at a place a league above Judia, where the religious of both sexes lived
promiscuously together in the same village, that several of the nuns proved with
child, they have since been removed from the temples to particular houses, the
better to keep their vow of chastity. The temple of that place still bears the name
of Wad Nantsij, or the Temple of Nuns. [2]
The temple’s period of construction is not known.
A market was held near the temple in former times. “Talat Nang Chi” was one of the 32
land markets outside the City of Ayutthaya. [3]
Phraya Boran Rachathanin wrote in the late twenties of last century that Wat Nang Chi
was situated south of the bridge landing of Wat Pradu Rongtham, a still existing landing
today. He added that at that time the monastery had collapsed nearly completely.
There was a boat ferry between the monastery and a landing close to the mouth of
Khlong Ho Rattanachai connecting the city. (1) [4]
The monastery is indicated on a mid-19th century map and on Phraya Boran
Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926.
Footnotes:
(1) In Ayutthayan times there were twenty-two ferry routes. In the eastern area, the four
other crossings were: Tha Chang Wang Na to Tha Wilanda, north of Wat Khwang
Fortress to Wat Taphan Kluea, south of Wat Pa Thon to Wat Phichai and north of
Rachakrue Fortress to Wat Ko Kaeo. [4] See "The Boat & Ferry Landings of
Ayutthaya".
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 517 / Source:
Royal Autograph.
[2] The History of Japan, together with a description of the Kingdom of Siam -
Engelbert Kaempfer (1690-92).
[3] อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยากับคำวินิจฉัยของพระยาโบราฌราชาธานินท์
ฉบับชำระครั้งที่๒และภูมิสถนกรุงศรีอยุธยา (2007) - Explanation of the map of the
Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd edition
and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office - Nonthaburi
(2007) - page 94.
[4] Ibid - page 90.
was located off Ayutthaya's city island on the eastern main land in present Hua Ro sub-
district.
The temple stood at the confluence of Khlong Wat Pradu and the old Front city canal,
which became later the Pa Sak River. The monastery stood on Khlong Wat Pradu’s
north bank.
Wat Krajom was situated north of Wat Nang Chi, while Wat Yom lay south, all on the
main river bank. Wat Pradu stood to the east. In situ only traces of scattered bricks
were found.
Wat Nang Chi is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya as the location where
the Burmese set up one of their stockades with bastions, in which large guns were fired
off on the City of Ayutthaya during the Burmese-Siamese war of 1765-67 after they
completed the encirclement of the city. [1]
Engelbert Kaempfer, a German medical doctor working for the VOC in the 17th
century, mentioned the existence of a monastery off the city island, called Wat Nang Chi,
which was situated in a village were monks and nuns lived promiscuously together.
There are also Nuns among them, whom they call Nanktsij, or Bagins, who wear
such pieces of cloth like the Monks, but of a white color instead of yellow. These
nuns in former times lived among the Priests near the Temples, but it having
happened at a place a league above Judia, where the religious of both sexes lived
promiscuously together in the same village, that several of the nuns proved with
child, they have since been removed from the temples to particular houses, the
better to keep their vow of chastity. The temple of that place still bears the name
of Wad Nantsij, or the Temple of Nuns. [2]
The temple’s period of construction is not known.
A market was held near the temple in former times. “Talat Nang Chi” was one of the 32
land markets outside the City of Ayutthaya. [3]
Phraya Boran Rachathanin wrote in the late twenties of last century that Wat Nang Chi
was situated south of the bridge landing of Wat Pradu Rongtham, a still existing landing
today. He added that at that time the monastery had collapsed nearly completely.
There was a boat ferry between the monastery and a landing close to the mouth of
Khlong Ho Rattanachai connecting the city. (1) [4]
The monastery is indicated on a mid-19th century map and on Phraya Boran
Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926.
Footnotes:
(1) In Ayutthayan times there were twenty-two ferry routes. In the eastern area, the four
other crossings were: Tha Chang Wang Na to Tha Wilanda, north of Wat Khwang
Fortress to Wat Taphan Kluea, south of Wat Pa Thon to Wat Phichai and north of
Rachakrue Fortress to Wat Ko Kaeo. [4] See "The Boat & Ferry Landings of
Ayutthaya".
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 517 / Source:
Royal Autograph.
[2] The History of Japan, together with a description of the Kingdom of Siam -
Engelbert Kaempfer (1690-92).
[3] อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยากับคำวินิจฉัยของพระยาโบราฌราชาธานินท์
ฉบับชำระครั้งที่๒และภูมิสถนกรุงศรีอยุธยา (2007) - Explanation of the map of the
Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd edition
and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office - Nonthaburi
(2007) - page 94.
[4] Ibid - page 90.
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| Text, photograph & maps by Tricky Vandenbergh - May 2009 Reviewed April 2011 |
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| (Location view of former Wat Nang Chi) |
| (Extract of a begin-20th century map) |
| (Extract of a mid-19th century map) |