“A long time ago, in a faraway land…”

Do you know any Cambodian folk tales?

Mt. Krom in Siem Reap,

Kratie – where the Mekong runs through,

Oudong – the former capital,

and the ethnic minorities of the Rattanakiri region.

An introduction to 4 local tales passed down through the generations.

The Dragon’s cave and the Great Buddha of Mt. Oudong

A folklore from Kampong Speu Province

Oudong is about 40kms north of Phnom Penh. It is the former capital and houses the tombs of royals. Long long ago, China sent a delegation to Indochina, and they visited Oudong, and climbed Mt. Oudong. One

Feng Shui diviner on the delegation made an amazing discovery; he found there were 2 dragon caves in the mountain.The magical dragon caves could be used by a dragon to enter and exit the mountain, an act which was believed to bring great prosperity. The Chinese delegation was not keen on Cambodia becoming more prosperous. They were concerned if a dragon came, China would become a weaker nation than Cambodia – and deliberated on a way forward. A member of the group visited the Oudong people, “What god do the people of this land believe in?” The people answered, “We are all Buddhist, we follow Buddha’s

teachings. So the delegation decided to build them a great Buddha. The statue was built at one of the openings to prevent a dragon from passing through. The statue was completed and the Oudong people were

most pleased. The Chinese delegates were also relieved that they did not need to worry about being intimidated by the Cambodians, as the cave had been closed off to dragons. They returned to China and this is how the great Buddha came to be.

Let’s visit the area in the story!

Oudong is the ancient capital of Cambodia. The capital was here for 250 years from 1618 to 1866, Mt. Oudong was at the center of the town. The kings around this area built many temples – some of which remain to this day, and several stupa (pagodas) house the tombs of kings. All in the area have heard this story. The great Buddha of the story is said to be the one that originated at a temple built by King Sisowath in 1911 in the area. The great Buddha was badly damaged in the civil war and has since been repaired. A temple that was once reduced to pillars now has a roof, and the Buddha has a gold exterior, attracting many pilgrims. Today many foreigners and Cambodians travel here to see the summit temple, stupa and great Buddha.

ACCESS

● From Phnom Penh

Take National Highway 4 north for about 40kms. It takes about 1 hour by car – the most convenient way to go.

Upper : The cave is stil under this Buddha…!?

Lower : The Oudong mountain

Elder Krong Yong’s Cave and Stone Field

The Hidden Dolphin of the Mekong River

General Hanuman and the Upside-down Mountain