According to legend, a wealthy widow named Daun Penh, respectfully known as Grandmother Penh, was out on a stroll one day when she noticed a koki tree floating down the river. With the help of some of the local villagers she pulled the tree to the shore and discovered four bronze statues of the Buddha stored inside. They constructed a mound and erected a shrine to honor the sacred statues. Over time, the shrine became a temple and the village a city. Phnom Penh, the capitol city of Cambodia, is named in honor of Lady Penh, who serves as the city’s matron saint.
The pagoda, named Wat Phnom, or Mountain Temple, is the central point of Phnom Penh and serves as a sanctuary to visitors. The temple grounds are inhabited by tall trees that protect it from the intense tropical elements and din of the city. Merchants who, depending on their customer, speak English, French, Vietnamese, or Khmer, sell food and souvenirs. There are many benches and pleasant places to sit and relax. Two huge guardian statues of seven-headed snakes called nagas lead up the stairs into the temple’s entrance along with mystic, baton-wielding warriors and fierce lions. Inside a large bronze Buddha sits in the center towering over flowers, candles, and other religious effigies. The floors are beautifully tessellated with the walls and ceiling covered in murals that depict the life and times of the Buddha, known as the Jataka tales. Also illustrated is the Reamker, the Cambodian version of the Ramayana.
Main stariway leading to the temple’s entrance guarded by statues of baton-wielding warriors, nagas, and lions. Photo by Keith Lehman.
A flower clock is located at the south entrance of the temple grounds that is so big it can be read from a mile up in the sky. Installed in the 1960s, the clock was originally a gift from France but was replaced in 2000 as a gift from China. The computer-controlled clock is 20 meters in diameter, has an automated to a GPS timing system, and can run for 36 hours after losing power. During sun rise and sun set the clock plays the Cambodian national anthem. Overseeing the clock sits a life-size statue of the last Khmer emperor whose ashes are buried in the stupa further up the hill. The clock grounds are beautifully manicured and a must-see for the traveling horological enthusiast.
Flower clock at the south entrance of the temple grounds. Photo by Keith Lehman.
Lady Penh is considered a goddess and her shrine is located outside of the main temple. Because she is a widow, worshipers are discouraged to pray to her for blessings of love and couples shouldn’t hold hands on the temple grounds. It is even considered bad luck for wedding processions to parade in front of the temple. That is not to say Lady Penh isn’t a benevolent deity. Worshippers are encouraged to pray to her for health, wisdom, and good fortune.
During my trip to Cambodia I also visited Ankor Wat and Phnom Penh’s Royal Place. Despite the overwhelming and ancient majesty of Ankor Wat, Wat Penh had more impact. Cambodia has grown remarkably over the past 20 years yet it is a country still recovering from a brutal history. A quarter of its population was exterminated during the reign of Pol Pot. We toured over 500 miles of Cambodia and, until we reached Phnom Penh, saw only two factories. The rest was farmland, small villages, temples, and wide open country. I couldn’t help but wonder what the country would be like had all of those souls not been taken. The natural and man-made beauty, along with the rich, complicated, and tragic history of Cambodia seemed to live in this one place, and served to remedy my doubts and anxieties about the human condition.
Statue of Lady Penh located outside on the temple’s grounds. Photo by Keith Lehman.
Inside of Wat Phnom temple where a large bronze Buddha resides over religious artifacts and effigies. COURTESY OF JIPE7. LICENSED UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 2.0 GENERIC.
Before leaving, our tour guide directed our attention to a tree across the road. It was inhabited by a colony of nearly 1000 fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, chirping merrily away in broad daylight. Another wonder to add to the portfolio.
A tree in Siem Riep filled with a colony of flying foxes. COURTESY OF J. MAUGHN. COURTESY OF JIPE7. LICENSED UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 2.0 GENERIC.
The purpose of this article is not only to serve as an enjoyable and, I hope, inspirational read, but also as a thank you letter. I feel obligated to share this small piece of my trip to Southeast Asia because it would have never happened without you. Your membership not only helps educate the world in the art and science of timekeeping, it also offers NAWCC employees a wonderful opportunity to start lives, build careers, and share their passion for horology with the world. I have forged deep friendships and met with incredible people from all over the world because of the NAWCC―all here in my hometown of Columbia, PA. I met the love of my life here at the Watch & Clock Museum. In 2014 we happened to work in the same room together on Halloween. Quyen was interning for our Education Department and I was doing freelance work for the Museum. This year in June we traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia together where I discovered Wat Phnom. I am grateful that I work for this organization and deeply appreciate all it has given me. Thank you.
Photo of me and Quyen in the ruins of Ankor Thom.
What journeys have you taken that involved clocks, watches, or a horological discovery? We’d love for you to share. E-mail editor@nawcc.org with your story.
Bibliography
People’s Daily. “Flower Clock From China Settles in Phnom Penh.” People’s Daily. Accessed on August 10, 2018. http://en.people.cn/english/200004/06/eng20000406_38385.html
Kyne P. “Flying foxes Wat Phnom’s newest tourist attraction.” The Phnom Penh Post. Accessed on August 10, 2018. https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/flying-foxes-wat-phnoms-newest-tourist-attraction.
Phnom Penh Capital City Hall. “The origin of Phnom Penh.” Phnom Penh Capital City Hall. Accessed on August 9, 2018. http://phnompenh.gov.kh/en/phnom-penh-city/history/.