Latest / The Khmer Empire: The Lost Civilization Behind Angkor Wat — Fexingo History
The Bayon's Stone Faces: Jayavarman VII's Enigmatic Smile
In this episode of the Khmer Empire series, Lucas and Luna explore the enigmatic Bayon temple at the heart of Angkor Thom. Built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century, the Bayon is famous for its towering stone faces — over 200 of them — each with a serene, enigmatic smile. But who do they represent? The standard theory says Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, but Lucas digs into the evidence: the temple's layout, inscriptions, and the king's own Mahayana Buddhist beliefs. He shares the story of how Jayavarman VII, after repelling the Cham invasion in 1177, embarked…
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