Temple Ceiling Decoration

Burmese and Thai Buddhist temples feature abundance of gold leafings. Gold is the most expensive color and should be the best way to enshrine a holy place with respect and importance. The interiors of Buddhist temples are paneled with carved gilt wood inlaid with colored glass.Ceilings are decorated in concentric design with the center being the Dao-Phedan, or star. The star isn’t star shaped but alludes to the twinkling of the gold and glass created by the reflection of candle light.  Another element featured in ceilings of temples is the lotus flower, which can be quite abstracted and has to do with the lotus representing rising among hardships to achieve enlightenment, like the lotus which blooms in murky waters.

This beautiful decoration is a piece of a dao phedan from a Buddhist temple in Thailand, Burma, or the Sipsong Panna area in southern China. It is in good condition and mounted on a metal pole with a painted wood base.