Chau Say Tevoda, A pinnacle of Khmer architecture and symmetry

Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

A very magical place

3.5

Introduction

The Chau Say Tevoda temple is an Indian Hindu temple built in the mid-12th century, located east of the great Angkor city, belonging to the style of small Angkor architecture. It is dedicated to the gods Shiva and Vishnu. The name of the temple "Chau Say Tevoda" translates to "God of the Say King" in Chinese, but the identity of the Say King is still unknown. It may have been built in honor of Suryavarman I or related to some kind of traditional ritual. Although it is not large in scale, Chau Say Tevoda is one of the temples being repaired by the Chinese working team. Among the nine surviving individual buildings, the West Gopura is well-preserved, while the other eight buildings are severely damaged. However, after years of effort in restoration, they have reached the level of the sister temple Thommanon. The beautifully carved lintel can be seen being restored at the north gate of the temple. In March 2000, the Chinese government provided free aid of 10 million yuan for the restoration of the temple, marking the first time that China participated in the restoration of foreign relics and historical sites. The restoration project was divided into two phases, the first phase lasting two years, including archaeological environmental investigations and research on architectural and stone preservation. The formal restoration project began in April 2000 and was expected to be completed by the end of 2006. In conclusion, although Chau Say Tevoda is not large in scale, it has historical and cultural significance and serves as a representative case of China's involvement in international cultural preservation.