Asian Geographic - April 2018

(singke) #1

Made in


Chiang Mai


Chiang Mai was once a centre


of knowledge, architecture


and commerce, and attracted


settlers who brought with them


handicrafts like silverware,


umbrellas and woodcarvings


CRAFTY KINGDOM


Silverware-Making


Wualai’s beautiful silverware originates from


the time King Mangrai established Chiang Mai


in the 13th century as the capital of the Lanna


Kingdom. After negotiating with the city of


Bagan to bring Burmese craftsmen to Chiang


Mai to teach local townspeople the artistry


of silver-crafting, the city’s local silverware


industry was created and the skills have since


been carried down through the generations.


Almost every house had a small factory, and


people bought silver from Chinese merchants


in Chiang Mai’s downtown to forge silverware


for daily use and for sale: bowls, paddle


trays, and the like. Men moulded and forged


the silver, while women carved and sold the


finished pieces.


As trade with different areas progressed,


the raw material for silverware pieces grew


varied – from Burmese rupees to coins from


China’s autonomous region of Xishuangbanna


Dai. Today, silver accessories and decorations


are also popular, featuring prominently on the


roofs of temples like Wat Sri Suphan – also


known as the Silver Temple.


WHEN
9am–5pm daily

WHERE
Wualai Walking Street,
Wualai village

HOW
From Chiang Mai
International Airport, it’s a
15-minute taxi ride

EXPERIENCE


SILVERWARE-
MAKING

Text and Photos


Tourism Authority of Thailand


CHIANG MAI


Wualai
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