Wat Nanchang

Wat Nanchang (Thai: วัดหนานช้าง) is a ruined 16th or 17th century temple in the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological complex near modern Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.

Excavated from 2002 to 2003, the temple primarily provides evidence of ancient flooding in the region, having been inundated by some 1.8 meters of sediment. It is speculated that it was built to face a now dried up route of the Ping River, a major transportation and trade route of historic periods.

Notably within the Wiang Kum Kam archaeological group, the site includes structures from two different historic periods that had been built directly on top of one another. It also faces north, whereas most of the other temples in the group face east.

A stucco of a makara (a mythical sea creature from Indian mythology, blending crocodile, dolphin and elephant features) with a nāga protruding from its mouth was found associated with a stairway. Under the middle of the main pedestal base for the main Buddha image in the vihara, three additional stuccos were found of a qilin (Chinese mythical creature), a hemaraj (an apparently either uniquely Thai or rare South Asian mythical lion/swan creature) and a lion.

Nanchang

Nanchang (Chinese: 南昌) is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. As of 2010, a population of 5,042,565 live in the prefecture, in which 2,357,838 live in the built-up area made up of all five urban districts. Located in the north-central part of the province, it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake. Because of its strategic location connecting the prosperous East and South China, it has become a major railway hub in Southern China in recent decades.

As the Nanchang Uprising in 1927 is distinctively recognized by the ruling Communist Party as "firing the first gunshot against the evil Nationalists", the current regime has therefore named the city since 1949 "the City of Heroes", "the place where the People's Liberation Army was born", and the most widely known "place where the military banner of the People's Liberation Army was first raised".

History

The territories encompassing modern-day Jiangxi Province—including Nanchang—was first incorporated into China during the Qin dynasty, when it was conquered from the Baiyue peoples and organized as Jiujiang Commandery (Chinese: 九江郡). In 201 BC, during the Han dynasty, the city was given the Chinese name Nanchang and became the administrative seat of Yuzhang Commandery (Chinese: 豫章郡), and was governed by Guan Ying (Chinese: 灌嬰), one of Emperor Gaozu of Han's generals. The name Nanchang means "southern flourishing", derived from a motto of developing what is now southern China that is traditionally attributed to Emperor Gaozu himself.

Nanchang (disambiguation)

Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province, China

Nanchang may also refer to: