Inheritance of Khmer’s Architecture

Architecture existed unconsciously, or we have never cared about it, so it has

started since have animal in ancient; all the animals always need shelter to live. There
are two kinds of animal; the first kind is the animal that likes to do every thing the
same ways, and they’re never changing such as sparrows, pigeons, and bees. Because
they just get their instinct to make shelter, they used to making it thousand yeas ago.
By other kind of animal is human who like to use creativity to developing and
changing forever. Architecture can also affect to all people who live around the world
to show their achievements or call other word is bragging of scholar. Also, its game of
scholar who likes to use their idea, technical, intelligence, and they never care about
time, because they just think about quality and advantage to their nation. Architecture
is a mirror to show cultural, identification, economic, policy, leading, moral, belief,
and developing. In 6000 BC, Cambodian was original, who lived on this country, had
long history. They were never changing or immigration to other country.However,
430 BC, there were Mons(now we call Khmer-Mons people) and India came to live in
Cambodia. The meaning of architecture is an action that building something and
preparing put in to he space and under the sun and the moon. Now, there are lots of
architecture which is reserve from ancient and all people who live in this present
respect to this thing such as stone wall in China, Phiramit in Egypt, and Angkor Wat
in Cambodia. Recently, Cambodia add tell to the word about wonderful architecture is
Phreah Vehear temple .All of this things show about different identifications between
one country and other country. Also, we can not compare which one is better than
other .Have you ever known clear about traditional, cultural, and shelter of Khmer?
One part of Khmer’s architecture, which can also tell about a lot of thing of
Cambodian, is shelter. There are one story which can show you know some part of
Khmer‘s behaviour, Upon years ago, there was a old man who lived in the farm with
his son and his wife was a farmer. He built one house very high from soil may be 2 or
2.2 meters which there were 9 columns and under the main column of his house. He
put three golden coins in it; also, he told to his son about this thing .After years ago,
he was sick and slept on his bed; moreover, he could not move. Before he died, he
reminded his son “don’t forget about three golden coins in main column. After he told
his son already, he died. Not for a long time ,farmer’s son and his mother went to his
field two or three days .A man who is construction worker used to build farmer’s
house to asked for stay in this house two days when they came back ,he would left.
After he came back from farm, he asked to construction worker “when do you go to
your house?”Construction worker said” this is my house, why I have to leave”. All of
these two men went to sue to leader of village; therefore, he asked to two men “If you
are an owner house, could you tell me about sizes, columns, and boards of this
house?” The first man, who was farmer’s son, said Ï don’t know “; nonetheless, the
second man, who was construction worker, said right all answers no mistake; thus, the
leader of village rendered judgement this house to the second man. As for, farmer’s
son and his mother who were very upset because they didn’t have home o live. One
day, he dream about three golden coins in main column; after that he woke up, and he
was very happy. In early morning, after he said to his mom that “I’ll get my house to
come back”, he told to the leader of village again to called construction worker , and
farmer’s son asked one question to the bad man “What’s something in main
column” ,”If you said right, I’ll stop to get my house”. The bad man said “It doesn’t

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have anything in it”; however, farmer’s son said “It had, there are three golden coins
in it”.
The leader of village ordered to people to carry this house in order to see what something is in
main column. The farmer’s said right; hence, the leader of village rendered judgement this
house to owner. All of this thing , it shows about Khmer’s behaviours that like to build high
house as they afraid flood in rainy season ;furthermore , they get something put in to main
column such as silvers ,gold ,and money in order to note or sign of owner house. Moreover,
king likes to build royal palace on the top of the mountains, enter door on South, small ponds
a round temple. For example, Phreah Vehear temple, which has original name “Phnom Phrear
Vehear temple or SREY SE THA KE RI SVA RAK”, enter door on south and build on the
top of highest mountain(ORAL mountain)in Cambodia. If we are measure the height from the
base of mountain to staircase of temple may be 625 matters. This temple, which build by
“CHEY VOR ROR MAN II and YAK SOUNVOR ROR MAN I ”used for fulfilling a pledge,
pray, and sacrificed to the gods who are high power in that time .All Khmer’s celebration in
ancient such as weeding ,since they belief that this temple is sacred temple, they got water
from this temple .Also, the king who lived in this place look like god inasmuch as he wearied
gold cloth and carried gold sword, have a lot of people carried weapon around him .More
over, there were beautiful dancing girls, and his wife was beautiful look like angel coming
from paradise near him ;early morning ,there were foggy and cloudy around him. Because of
this reasons, they thought, it was not temple for human but was temple for god who got
promoting process and developing to people in country. As temple which builds for king to
show about power to their population, it’s also advantages about architecture too. It’s also
policy WIN-WIN between king and population that can good for controlling and managing in
country. In the future, this temple is a part of important tourism for kingdom of Cambodia,
which gets more profit to us.

This is the document that student in Pannasatra

university in Cambodia write in 2009.
DOEUN SREY RATH