Chinese Warrior Guardian at Wat Pho in Bangkok

A Chinese warrior figure made out of stone stands guard at the Wat Pho temple complex in Bangkok, Thailand.

If you have been around here at Burnsland for a while, you have probably seen some other photos of these stone figures at Wat Pho. Looking at the photos now, almost a year later, I am still impressed with how large these figures are, how intricately carved they are, and how old they are. Actually, I have not yet found out for certain just how old these are, but given the fact that they were used in ballast in Chinese trading ships, they must be rather old. Because I don’t think there are many Chinese trading ships out sailing the oceans looking for people to trade with these days. Instead, they just sell their things on Alibaba now. Who needs trading ships when you have the internet?

Anyway, these statues from the bygone days are really cool, and I think they make for some interesting photos, too. Definitely not something I get to see every day around here at home. And one of those wouldn’t really match our home decor, which is another reason not to see one every day, I suppose.

Here is a closer look at the detail in this guy’s belt and armor:

These statues are amazingly detailed. And they didn’t just 3d-print them, either. These were from back in the good old days when everything was done by hand. Really cool. I barely had the patience to make a simple space vehicle out of Legos (back when I would play with such things), and that was even with detailed instructions telling you exactly which piece to put where. So I can’t imagine the time and patience involved in creating something as complex as these figures are.

Considering all the time that went into making this guy, it almost seems a shame to just take a quick photo and move on. But that was what I did because there was so much to see at Wat Pho.

But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one. - 2 Thessalonians 3:3

About the Photo

I can’t exactly tell you why, but I like giving the photos of these Chinese statues a gritty, rough look. I suppose it seems to go well with the rough surfaces of the stone used to make them. A smooth, grain-free look just wouldn’t seem right for a subject like this.

Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Photoshop. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10
Lens: Olympus M.Zukio 25mm f1.8
Date: May 15, 2015
Location: Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand