Ting (Tham)

DREYBRODT JOERG informations

Frédéric Urien - 23/06/2024

History: [5256] transformed into a Buddhist temple by King Setthadhiraj (1534-1572) King of Lane Na and Lane Xang. [5526] in list of cult caves, "Thing cave (die bekannteste höhle von Laos), hat angeblich mal 37.000 Buddhas beherbergt" Explo history: - 25.05.1867 visited by Commander Doudart de Lagrée, sketched by L. Delaport [3725], only cave PakOu cave mentioned, but from description and scatches it is clear that both caves were visited [3729], [3733] - 27.11.1883 visited by P. Neis [7428] - 1992 visited by C.Mouret (F) [3713] Cave description: Citation: Analysis: [3539]: list& development [3713]: descript, pics, [3721] old Buddhist cave, Mouret lists the "grotte de Vat Ping" in Kusch 1975 [67] as a sysnonym, but reading Kusch, his "Vat Tham" is Tham Ting [67] two hours upriver on the Mekong, opposite of the confluence of Nam Hu river and the Mekong. entrance hidden by rocks, but steep stairs leading up from river bank, many Buddha statues mostly in rows [3650]: two caves in the lower part of a limestone cliff, stuffed with buddha images of all sizes and styles (mostly classic Luang Phabang standing Buddhas), the lower cave, entered from the river by a series of steps, is called Tham Thing and can be easily seen by daylight. Stairs to the left of Tham Thing lead round to the upper cave, Tham Phum, which is deeper and requires artificial light [3652]: pics & subtitel only [4473] descript of a tourist visit [5448] only shown on map [6344]: descript of the conservation project [6887]: The history of the cave is use for religious purposes was at the time when the local population worshipped ghosts or the spirits of nature. It is said that the caves are associated with a river spirit. It is believed that the Lao people first entered the river valley in the middle of the eight century after moving southwards from south China. It was not until considerable later that Buddhism first spread the area from the west. By the 16th century Buddhism has been adopterd by the royal families of Laos and the caves received patronage from that time until 1975. Every year the King and the people of Luang Prabang made a pilgrimage to the caves as part of the New Year religious observances. Artisans were commissioned by the royal family to prepare sculptures. Many of the carvings in the cave date from between the 18th to 20th centuries. The more than 4000 sculptures of Buddha now found in the Tam ting caves have been placed there by worshippers [....] the mouth of the lower cave is a prominent landmarkvisible from the Mekong river. Paved pathways lead up to the cave as wall as to the upper cava [sic!]; some 60 metres above the river. Approximately 2500 sculptures are located in the lower cave. A local point for visitors is the altar closest to the entry where offerings of flowers, incese and candles are made. Lion figures guard the entry while a Ramayana sculpture of a "hermit" associated with forst medicines sites immidiatly above the lower entry platform. A large stupa like structure surmounts the hgighest platform. A smaller stupa on the cliff face to the south holds the ashes of a recently deceased villager. A small spring in the cave supplied holy water which was used during the annual New Year ceremony. [7428]: p. 94-95: The next day we arrived in Pak Ou, at the confluence of the Nam Ou, after having visited two beautiful caves opposite the confluence. One of them has been described by Francis Garnier; the other which is more difficult to enter, is situated fifty meters higher, in the flank of the mountain. The entrance, situated between two huge stalactites that form door posts, is closed by a door.One first enters a corridor forty meters long and seven meters wide, the arch of which rises as one proceeds inwards. The ground is quite level and the walls are covered with stalactites. Then one enters into a large hall thirty meters deep, the vaulted ceilling of which we could not see despite the six wax candles we lit. Everywhere, on the ground, in the crevices of the rocks and on an upper floor which forms a huge altar, there are Buddha statues in every shape and size, the largest made of brick and mortar, the others of wood, bronze or silver. The temperature was marvelous in this cave and we passed a considerable time in there producing echoes of our voices. We probably stayed too long, because at night, when we arrived in Pak Ou, I was seized by a stong attack of fever. if I again note this event here – too common alsa! in the whole of Laos – it is because Phya Hokong in consultation with the Thasean of Pak Ou, decided that this time it was surely the Pi of the cave which had entered my belly in order to punish me for having sung inside the cave. Thus, the next morning, they both crossed the Mekong and returned to the cave with a chicken and boiled rice in order to bring a sacrifice to appease this irritated divinity. Thanks to this offering and perhaps also due to a massive dose of quinine, I was able continue my journey on the Nam Ou by noon.” [8525]: only fauna records [8682]: The oldest Lao texts are perhaps the two very similar red ochre inscriptions found in two caves, Tham Nang An and Tham Ting (Pak Ou), both near Luang Prabang (Fig. 4). The writing is close to the Sukhothai script used in the fourteenth century. We know that the stele of Rama Khamheng mentions Muang Swa―which is the old name of Luang Prabang―and it is thus possible that the realm of this famous king reached the Mekong, and that a first form of script, coming from Sukhothai, was in very limited use among the Lao. These two examples are, however, not very useful for drawing firm historical conclusions. The text of the inscriptions is very short―it is a sort of autograph―and the form of the script could in fact be a late local survivor of a type of writing that elsewhere had already evolved [...] The rock inscription of Pak Ou cave, with a text very similar to that in the Nang An cave, was discovered more recently. It would be very enlightening if the cliff wall at Pak Ou could be examined in detail. My colleague Michel Ferlus made me aware of this wall, which, at heights that are today difficult to access, bears a good number of inscriptions and designs in red ochre. Some of these are drawings belonging to a prehistoric culture, while others are written texts which obviously come from the historical period. Nobody has yet managed to examine them however. [9004]: Since 1992, there have also been preservation efforts in the culturally important caves in the area around Luang Prabang, taking into account their natural and architectural significance as well as their archaeological importance. Work has been carried out in Tham Ting cave at Pak Ou, with expert support and Australian Government funding.[...] In the case of the Tham Ting caves, where only 10 per cent of revenues, or $1500, is reinvested every year, many tourists are voicing displeasure about the condition of the site. In this case reinvestment must be increased dramatically in order to ensure continued visits by tourists to the site. If deterioration continues and proper preservation does not occur tourists will simply stop visiting the caves. If such deterioration of sites occurs on a large scale it would affect the image of Luang Prabang and its attractiveness to its target market, which would obviously not be in the interests of the tourism industry of Luang Prabang.[...] Even more serious is the fact that no community-based dialogue has yet taken place in regard to the acceptable rate of social and cultural change in Luang Prabang. Likewise, little discussion has been carried out to determine an upper limit to the carrying capacity of the town’s historic core and other popular areas. It is clear however, that some sites, such as the Pak Ou caves, have already reached their visitor capacity limits. (Fretter & Qualitz 2011): Die Pak Ou Höhlen ... Die Höhlen bestehen aus zwei Hohlräumen, dem größeren und höher gelegenen Tham Phum und dem kleineren und tiefer gelegenen Tham Ting. Equipment: Remarks:[4928] From table: "Tourist attractions of Louang Prabang Province", Pos. Other = Pos. Of Ban Pak-Ou! --Düker & Monreal 2003 [4983] use "Tham Ting" as synonym for "Pak Ou Caves". They call the lower cave "Tham Loum", the upper one "Tham Theung" References: [3677]: Brouquisse, F., Gregory, A., Hedouin, M. & Preziosi, E. 1999: Catalogue of caves in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. - The International Caver 25: 13-16. [3725]: Gebauer, H.D. 1998: A note on early cave exploration in Laos. The International Caver 23: 32. [3729]: Garnier, F. 1996: Travels in Cambodia and Parts of Laos. The Mekong River Exploration Commission Report (1866-1886) - Volume 1 (ed. W.E. Tips) White Lotus Press, Bangkok. 346 pp + 1 map. [3733]: Delaporte, L. & Garnier, F. 1998: A Pictoral Journey on the Old Mekong: Cambodia, Laos and Yunnan. The Mekong Exploration Comission Report (1866-1868) - Volume 3 White Lotus Press, Bangkok [3713]: Mouret, C. 1997: Reconnaissances et explorations de 1992. In: Mouret, C., Brouquisse, F. & Vacquié, J.F. (eds.): Explorations speleologiques au Laos 1991-1996. Rapport de Presentation des Resultats. [3744]: Mouret, C. 1993: Echo des profondeurs: Laos. Reconnaissances et explorations de 1992. Spelunca 52: 4-6. [4928]: Sylavong, L., Tsechalicha, X. & Watling, D. 2000: Louang Prabang Province environmental inventory. Ministry of Communication, Transport, Post and Construction, Lao PDR & IUCN - the World Conservation Union. 78 pp. [4983]: Düker, J. & Monreal, A. 2003: Stefan Loose Travel Handbuch Laos. Du Mont Reiseverlag. 400 pp. [5256]: Saysanom, C.S. 2003: The reign of king Saysethadhiraj. URL: www.google.com/search?q=cache:UYewjPs9w88J:laohist… [5268]: Anon. undat.: La préhistoire lao. URL: perso.wanadoo.fr/laos/web6.htm [5448]: Anon. : Luang Prabang Environs. URL: www.ecotourismlaos.com/images/map/luangprabang/lpg… [5451]: Lao National Tourism Administration 2005: Caves. URL: www.ecotourismlaos.com/activities/act_caves.htm [5456]: Lao Embassy, Washington 1997: Luang Prabang Province. URL: www.laoembassy.com/discover/sites/luangprabang.htm [5457]: ETC Asia 2000: Luang Prabang - out and about. URL: www.visit-laos.com/where/luangprabang/outandabout.… [5458]: Anon. : Luang Prabang Province. URL: www.ecotourismlaos.com/images/map/luangprabang/lpg… [5513]: Rohweder, A. & Rohweder, M. 2004: World mapping project: Laos 1:600 000. Reise Know-How Verlag Peter Rump, Bielefeld. [5688]: Pongkhao, S. 2005: Tham Ting cave - tourist flagship. Vientiane Times Monday, 31 January 2005; URL: ? [5782]: Dimension Outreach Travel 2006: Northern Laos. www.dotcambodia-travel.com/l_northern_laos.htm [6288]: Asia-Discovery.com : Laos Travel Guide: Tourist Attraction in Laos. - URL: www.asia-discovery.com/Laosattractions.htm. downloaded 11.04.2008. [6344]: Egloff, B. 2003: Archaeology and the transformation of living heritage places. - Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Bulletin 23 (Taipei Papers, Volume 1), 173-186. [----]: www.showcaves.com/english/misc/showcaves/PakOu.htm… [6363]: Smithies, M. 1974?: The Monuments of Vientiane and Luang Prabang. - (probably Memoirs of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong Branch) p. 101-107. [6887]: Anon. 2008: Tham Ting Cave. - Discovery Laos. Travel and Business Magazine 2: 20. [7428]: Neis, P. 1997: Travels in Upper Laos and Siam with an Account of the Chinese Haw Invasion and Puan Resistance. - White Lotus Press, Bangkok. 157 pp. [7930]: Logunov, D.V. & Azarkina, G.N. 2007: New species of and records for jumping spiders of the subfamily Spartaeinae (Aranei: Salticidae). - Arthropoda Selecta 16 (2): 97-114. [8525]: Dreybrodt, J. & Laumanns, M. (eds.) 2010: The Unknown North of Laos (Part 3 - 2009-2010: Karst and Caves of the Provinces Houaphan and Oudomxay). - Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte 38. 94 pp + Annex. [8682]: Lorrillard, M. 2009: Scripts and History: the Case of Laos. - Senri Ethnological Studies 74: 33-49. [9004]: UNESCO 2004: IMPACT: The Effects of Tourism on Culture and the Environment in Asia and the Pacific:Tourism and Heritage Site Management in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. - Office of the Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO Bangkok & School of Travel Industry Management University of Hawai‘i, USA.. - Fretter, A.-S.; Qualitz, G. 2011: Lebensader Mekong – Inwiefern führt die Einbindung der Dörfer am Mekong in Wirtschaftskreisläufe zu Veränderungen der traditionellen Lebensweisen? Pp. 125–136 in: L. Suwala & E. Kulke (Ed..): Thailand / Laos - Bericht zur Hauptexkursion 2011. Arbeitsberichte Geographisches Institut Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 166