By Ciyao / Tianhao
Bayon Temple sits in the heart of the royal city of Angkor Thom and is one of the major attractions of the Angkor Archeological Park in the Siem Reap Province of Cambodia. This unique monument is a mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism. The smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara bodhisattva are carved onto the top of each of the 54 four-sided stupas. These faces are the origin of the term “The Smile of Khmer.” The top floor of Bayon Temple is full of smiling stone carvings. Each pagoda has carvings of smiling faces on four sides, representing the spirit of the Buddhist Agama Sutra—mercy, compassion, joy, and equanimity. It is wonderful to be able to interpret and express through ink the beauty of one of the world’s cultural, historical, and religious relics.