Wat Sasar Muoy Roy – 100 Columns Pagoda

Located in Sambor district of Kratie province, Wat Sasar Muoy Roy is also known as the “100 columns pagoda” and Wat Sambor. It is a very beautifully kept monastery featuring a grand and very beautiful pagoda. At the pagoda’s northern end sits a grand and sacred stupa.

The site, and the greater area, are very interesting in terms of not only the pre-Angkorian heritage seen here in the stored relics but also for post-Angkorian history and that of the 16-19th century.

Apart from having “100 columns”, another quirk is that it’s built upon a north-south axis, traditionally, all pagodas sit on an east-west axis with the Buddha facing east. Interstingly, and explaining this pagodas axis, there were originally four pagodas in the wider area, arranged in cardinal directions. This and the nearby Wat Preah Vihear Kuk are still wonderfully maintained to this day and are some of the oldest pagodas in the country, if not the first as locals would have it.

Whilst there are records of activity in the 16th century, the pagoda we see today is believed to be the replacement of a wood-columned vihara originating in the early 1800s, with this mid-20th century pagoda having several refurbishments in its time. It is quite well cared for with pleasant grounds that lead across to the beautiful Mekong river on its western side. Popular folklore also surrounds the site, with the tale of the “Crocodile Nen Thon“, a tale that seemingly reappears downriver at Phnom Soporkaley.

On the topic of stupas, a French official of the 1900s, the famed Adhemard Leclere, noted a “remarkable” stupa in the area as being the tomb of King “Chey Chetta” and his son, who first moved to Stung Treng and then finally to Sambour after having been chased from his capital, Longvek, by the Siamese in 1588 (note the legend further below). Noting that there are a lot of old stupas along the Mekong and also old but much smaller chedi next door at Wat Vihear Kuk.

As for the grand stupa here at Wat Sasar Mouy Roi, Mak Phoun’s notes mention it as housing Princess Preah Mahaksatri (Nucheat Khatr Vorpheak), who was in fact the princess killed by a crocodile according to the legendary tale that surrounds the site, along with the ashes of her father, King Paramaraja IV (Srei Soriyopear) who died in Laos around 1594/5. Other notes mention it as also, or alternatively, housing a princess and several other members of royalty and having been built by King Ang Chan Reachea II.

All of that may seem a little confusing, and so goes the recorded history of the 16-19th c, but what is clear is that this was a very important site during that time along with being an important regional capital in earlier eras.

The chedi/stupa was refurbished in the mid-1900s and repainted in gold once again just recently. The achar at the site notes the base as being carved from solid stone, and not brick which is also quite interesting whilst the uppermost feature or spire is a modern addition.

Beside the stupa is a collection of relics from the ancient temple site including inscribed sandstone plinths/stele, an inscribed and decorated plinth, what may be a grinding stone, and a beautiful lion. The lion is perhaps one of the oldest still existing which is interesting, as is the graphic on one of the inscribed plinths.

There is also an inscribed stele held at the Guimet Museum and translated by Georges Coedes provides a date for the ancient site of 803 AD noting donations made to the temple and a queen, Jyestharya.

Continuing on the topic of relics, there is a characterful story by Adhemard Leclere in the early 1900s and his efforts to preserve bronze Buddhas that originated from this site. According to records in Phnom Penh at the time, in 1883 these objects were hidden in a tree by locals to protect them from ravaging Siamese forces.

In turn, these six statuettes known as “samrit” were rediscovered along with other notable relics such as small bronze cannons, a copper gong or “kon”, seven bronze “kon toc”, and a ceramic bowl called “kan-ton”.

He gives a detailed account of the items and notes that he believes they were to be deposited at the Wat Preah Keo (Phnom Penh).

It was believed that they were produced in a foundry nearby the monastery. That belief and the legend that surrounds them are so interesting. The following is translated from French.

As for the origin of these statues, it has its legend, perhaps its story, which I have heard told in the past and which has just been told to me again. Here it is in a nutshell. After the capture of Lověk by the Siamese in 1595, King “Prah bat samdec prah baram Hintaraca thirac Rama thipdei” fled to Laos with his wife, two eldest sons and daughters. He was followed by a large number of officials. Driven out of Stung-Trêng, he went down to Sambor and settled there with his family. It was he who built Wat Tasar-moroi, a few hundred meters from the old Vihar-Kök which, it is said, dates back to the earliest days of Buddhism in Cambodia.

Une campagne archéologique au Cambodge, Adhémard Leclère, 1904

The king mentioned by Leclere is assumed to be King Satha I, and as to “earliest days of Buddhism in Cambodia” perhaps referring to contemporary Theravadin practice and the formation of the Wat, as Buddhism had a presence in Cambodia (Mahayana predominantly), rotating in and out of favour with the state court, since at least 100 BC.

There is a photo, taken by Leclere and featured in Aymonier’s publication, Le Cambodge, of a wood-columned vihara in Sambor village. Notes for the image simply describe it as a temple in the village of Sambor meaning it could well be one of the other three pagodas of the village at that time but not likely Wat Sasar Muoy Roy as there are not enough columns. Regardless, it gives us an insight into the style of that time in the area.

Inscriptions

• K. 124 – stele (Guimet Museum) – 6 lines of Sanskrit and 18 lines of Khmer – IC III, p. 170 – 803 AD, noting donations to the temple and a queen, Jyestharya.
• K. 928 – unrecorded

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap. Rodney Charles L'Huillier has spent over seven years in Cambodia and is the author of Ancient Cambodia (2024) and Essential Siem Reap (2017, 2019). Contact via [email protected] - more..