Wiki Phra Somdej International
维基顺德瓦拉康寺佛牌 by Lek Watruak

The bell-line rolling in confirms the SWR's high age


Huang (黄) Back



A writing style in Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)


A writing style in Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD)


A writing style in Qing Dynasty (1636-1912 AD)
































Somdej Toh (B.E.2331-2415), the creator and blesser

2405-2411年顺德瓦拉康寺 凯撒模 黄字背面
VHTF Somdej Wat Rakang
Phim Kaiser, Huang Back,
Nua PoonPetch
B.E.2405-2411



Dimensions: 2.3 X 3.4 cm
Material(s): ground burned seashells + kaolin + Somdej Toh's holy materials
Item Ref: pp24531

This is a very hard to find, PAS Somdej Wat Rakang (SWR), Phim SianBart (Kaiser), Huang (黄) Back, Nua PoonPetch, created by Chinese Buddhists and blessed by Somdej Toh, between B.E.2405-2411.

Phim Kaiser: it's socalled after the name of German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, please see details below.

Pim Kaiser represents Maitreya Buddha, which the Chinese call 弥勒佛. It is popularly depicted as a fat, plump Buddha. This amulet is popularly sought after and carried by people because it is believed to bring wealth and good fortune.

● 黄 was inscribed or written this way since the ancient China. Please see details below.

● Nua PoonPetch = a mixture of burned & ground seashells mixed with kaolin clay

Nua PoonPetch has its specific physical characteristics. It's rather hardly to make fake for this kind of content/texture.

Nua PoonPetch has very fine grain and white color like milk.

Enlarged pics of the surface from microscope, you will see Somdej Toh's holy materials mixed (see above pics):

- red-brown fragments of Kampaengpetch amulets
- green earth
- yellow earth
- silvery, magnetic ore
- black, magnetic ore
- white holy stones
- grey holy stones

These are authentic features of the PAS Somdej Wat Rakang, Phim Kaiser, Huang back.

SWR PHIM KAISER:

In the year B.E. 2440, during the reign of King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn), he made a long journey visiting many European countries.

During his visit to Germany, he met with Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II.

While they were conversing, Emperor Wilhelm II noticed a luminescent object on the uniform's upper pocket of King Rama V and asked what was in the pocket, curious about the luminescent lights.

King Rama V then took out the object from his uniform's pocket and presented it to Emperor Wilhelm II for taking a look, explaining that it was a holy amulet of Siam (Thailand).

The Emperor, showing interest on it, was presented with the Somdej SianBart by King Rama V.

Since then, the holy Somdej SianBart gained another specific name as SWR "Phim Kaiser".

SOMDEJ WAT RAKANG (SWRs)
WITH CHINESE-CHARACTER BACK:

During the reign of King Rama IV, trade between China and Thailand prospered. Simultaneously, there was a significant influx of Chinese immigrants into Thailand. Both the Chinese and Thai people held great respect and reverence for Somdej Toh.

Somdej Toh had so many Chinese merchant disciples who played a crucial role in the thriving trade relationship between China and Thailand.

One of the most prominent Chinese disciples known as Luang WijahnJiaranai, whose Chinese name was Heng (兴). He was a most important carver of the popular molds of Somdej Toh's Somdej Wat Rakang (SWRs).

Chinese Buddhists in Thailand also highly revered Somdej Toh, much like the Thai people. They were very pleased when they had been given SWRs from Somdej Toh.

They profoundly felt that it's a great pleasure if the backside of SWRs have Chinese characters on it, allowing Chinese relatives and friends to understandly read and pay their respects to. Somdej Toh benevolently approved the idea.

Chinese Buddhists who had artisan skills carved Chinese characters with auspicious words, blessing words, and clan's names (Chinese surname) on wooden blocks and offered to Somdej Toh. Those without such skills wrote Chinese characters on paper and offered to Somdej Toh.

As the result, SWRs with Chinese-character back were created.

CHINESE RETURNED HOME WITH
CHINESE-CHARACTER BACK SWRs:

Some Chinese residents in Thailand at that time, after achieving success in trade and becoming wealthy, returned to their homeland - China.

These individuals carried SWRs with Chinese-character back with them to distribute among their relatives. They did so because they had direct experiences for the positive impact of SWRs which had helped them prosper in life, achieve success in trade, and enjoy safety and happy lives.

When distributing the Somdej Toh's SWRs with Chinese-character back to their relatives in China, these Chinese believers, who had once resided in Thailand and directly experienced with efficacies of SWRs, emphasizedly instructed their relatives to highly respect and pay homage to the SWRs for prosperity, great luck and safty in their lives.

This is why Somdej Toh's SWRs with Chinese-character back have long been existed in Thailand and why some of them were found in China as well. These SWRs have been passed down through generations in Chinese communities and on China land.

POPULAR ITEMS:

Today, SWRs with Chinese-character back are popularly sought after and revered by the Chinese people, not only in China but also in other countries with a significant Chinese population, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, as well as Thailand - the original source.




Ancient Chinese character 黄


The oldest script 黄 as on the evidence shown is a Clerical script in Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)




The name of the Yellow Emperor (黄帝) as depicted in a tomb from the mid 2nd century AD. (cr: wikipedia.org)


A writing style in Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)


A writing style in Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD)


A writing style in Qing Dynasty (1636-1912 AD)



CHARACTER HUANG(黄):

The character Huang 黄 first emerged during the Shang Dynasty 商朝 (1600-1046 BCE), etched into oracle bone script, one of the earliest known forms of Chinese writing.

Later, the surname of the Yellow Emperor (黄帝) as depicted in a tomb from the mid 2nd century AD is "黄".

The inscription reads: "The Yellow Emperor created and changed a great many things; he invented weapons and the well-field system; he devised upper and lower garments, and established palaces and houses."

HUANG (黄) SURNAME:

Huang 黄 is the 7th most common surname in China. The population of Huangs in China and Taiwan was estimated at more than 35 million in 2020.

It was also the surname of more than 2 million overseas Chinese.

Many Chinese communities worldwide like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand also share the same surname.

The surname Huang was derived from the Chinese character ‘huang’ (璜), which refers to arc-shaped jade artifacts that were worn as pendants in ancient China.

The roots of the Huang family stretch far and wide. Most Huang descendants can trace their ancestry back to one of three Huang Kingdoms (黄国) that reigned during the Xia (夏), Shang (商) and Zhou (周) dynasties. 

MEANING OF (黄):
黄色 - yellow color
Short for 黄帝 - Yellow Emperor
Short for 黄河 - Yellow River

*** 黄帝 (Yellow Emperor) is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero considered one of the most important figures in Chinese history. He is traditionally credited with introducing numerous innovations and laying the foundation for Chinese civilization.

Ancestor of the Chinese People: Many Chinese people consider themselves descendants of the Yellow Emperor.

PRONUNCIATION:
Mandarin: Huang
Cantonese: Wong
Hokkien: Ng
Teochew: Ng (Ung)
Hakka: Vong/Wong