Pua City

Terrain

General Condition

Pua City is located in Ban Pua District. (Currently, it is the area of ​​Ban Kaem, Village No. 5), Pua Sub-district, Pua District, Nan Province, which is in the north of Mueang Nan District. It looks like a plain alternating hills on the west side of Doi Phu Kha. on the hills of Luang Prabang a narrow lowland between the longitudinal valleys of the Pua River Basin that flows through it. making the area suitable for agriculture

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Nan River, Pua River, Khing River, Yao River, Yao Yao River, Yang River, Koon River

Geological conditions

Pua District Doi Phu Kha is the source of many important rivers such as the Nan River and the Pua River. This area used to be a sea before. before the movement of the two land under the sea together make the earth rise The underground sea water evaporates, leaving only salt ores. as found in Bo Kluea District and the discovery of a 200 million-year-old sea shell cemetery on Doi Phu Wae at Ban Khang Ho, Sakat Sub-district, Pua District. has a scientific name Paleocardita Species, 195-205 million years old, are classified as Late Triassic.

Pua fault line

The fault line that appears to the east of the Pua District basin has a landscape triangular cliff This is evident from aerial photographs. and from field surveys All of them are parallel to the fault line. There is an inclination angle between 40-60 degrees, especially at the base of the cliff that still looks like a straight line. which indicates that the fault is not very old In addition, it was found that another important glacial feature that indicates a powerful fault is wine glass valley Such features show that there is a vertical fault movement (Nan Provincial Geological Learning Site. 2011)

In Pua District, there are many mineral deposits such as lignite, chromite, colomite and magnesite, which are large enough for investment. (Documentation and Archives Committee, 2001, 10)

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Scientific age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

Prehistoric Pua

in the area of ​​Pua District There have been human settlements since prehistoric times. From the discovery of stone tools from the Late Middle Paleolithic to the Neolithic terrazzo tools (about 5,000 -3,000 years ago), the stone axes have shoulders and no shoulders. It is distributed in Mueang District, Wiang Sa District, Pua District, Chiang Klang District, Pua District, Mae Charim District and Bo Kluea District. Found a large stone tool production site at Khao Hin Kaeo, Khao Chompoo. and Doi Pu Kaew in the district of Du Tai Mueang District and at Doi Phu Thok, Ban Thung Pha, Wiang Sa District (Committee for Documents and Archives. 2001, 35-36)

Pua historical period

Initially, the construction of Muang Pua and Mueang Nan was started (late 18th Buddhist century - 1992). Around the year 1825, there was a group of Thai people in the leadership of Phraya Phukha. has occupied the upper plains of Nan Province Set up an administrative center in Muang Yang. (It is believed that on the southern bank of the Yang River near the Doi Phu Kha mountain range in Ban Hat Siew, Yom Subdistrict, Tha Wang Pha District) because traces of the community were found in the condition of a ditch city ​​walls stacked Later, Phraya Phukha expanded its territory. by sending two adopted sons to build a new city East on the left bank of the Mekong River Let Khun Noon the elder go to build Chanthaburi (Luang Prabang) and let Khun Fong the younger go to build Wora Nakhon or Mueang Pua, which is about 5,000 wa away from the Nan River.

When Khun Fong passed away the nine wild His Royal Highness ruled Nan. and when Phraya Phukha passed away Nine barbarians ruled the city instead. and let his wife, Thao Kampin, take care of Pua instead. Nan in the initial period was founded in Pua. Around the 19th Buddhist century and is close to Luang Prabang. As a sister city

Phaya Ngam Muang, the governor of Phayao, has expanded its influence to occupy Nan. Queen Mae Thao Khambin fled to Ban Huai Rang. and gave birth to a son named Chao Khun Sai. When he grew up, he became a nobleman with Phaya Ngam Muang. and was established as the lord of the ranks to rule the city of Prat Later, when there was more strength, he struggled until he escaped the power of Phayao. and was established as Phaya Phanong ruled the city of Pua during the years 1865 - 1894, thus Piralai Chao Sai, the youngest son, ruled the city for three years later, then Piralai, Phaya Phanong, another son of Phaya Phanong, ruled the city of Pua (Environmental Conservation Unit). Nan Province Local Arts, 1990; Nan Old Town Community Map, 2009, 7; Ministry of Culture. 2012, 77)

The shape of the city From the aerial photographs, it was found that The shape of this ancient community is elongated. It is approximately 500 meters wide and 800 meters long (measured from aerial photographs by comparison).

The number of floors of the moat is one-tiered. Some documents mention the ditches and embankments of the city walls that appear today. Located in the area with Wat Phra That Beng Khat as the center From the survey found only traces of the ditch line next to Wat Phra That Beng Jat. On the south side, about 500 meters (in the area behind the present Pua District Office), there is no trace of the brick wall built in any way. As for Wat Phra That Beng Jat itself, no traces of the ditch or ridge line of the city wall were found. This may be due to survey time limitations. Or maybe there are some physical changes? For example, an embankment ditch may be shallow or plowed to adjust the area.

In the part of the ditch, the earthen ditch was found, which was probably the southern moat line. or southwest of the ancient community of Pua The size of the moat is about 3 - 4 meters wide and 2 - 3 meters deep. The embankment is probably only slightly visible and has a low height.

Archaeological evidence found The survey found no evidence other than the traces of the ditch line on the southwestern side of the ancient community. and the area believed to be the center of this former community. is Wat Phra That Beng Jat, which in this temple has an important archaeological site. The chedi is believed to contain the Buddha's relics. and a indigenous viharn with an arch decorated in Lao Lan Chang art style. But the buildings and artifacts inside the temple are nothing as old as the period specified in the Nan chronicles. That is, around the beginning of the 19th Buddhist century.

From the survey, 4 ancient communities were found in Pua District. is the ancient community of Pua and Ban Suan Dok Ancient Community, Pua Sub-district, Ban Sala Ancient Community, Silalang Sub-district, and Ban Doi Thung Kwang Community (Thung Kwao), Ngaeng Sub-district. Characteristics of the four ancient communities have similar characteristics, namely There is a ditch in the shape of a rounded circle. or an oval with a diameter of about 400-600 meters (Environmental Conservation Unit Local arts in Nan Province, 1990)

From the shape of the community from aerial photographs, it was found that the shape of the community was quite round. One layer of ditch was found, but the traces of the kan doo were not very clear. The area where the ditch was found did not show any evidence. to help study or hypothesize about this ancient community However, from the discovery of the ancient remains known as "Wat Nan" located on the western side of the area where this ditch was found It may be evidence of the old community in this area, including the discovery of a metal Buddha image. Lanna Art (Nan Phase 2) during the second half of the 21st Buddhist century, the base of the Buddha image engraved with Thai Phak Kham characters (Committee for Documents and Archives, 2001, 87-89)

Related inscription

(1) Inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng, 1st digit (SorThor.1), Thai Sukhothai script, 1835 B.E.

On the 4th side, lines 24-27 refer to the territory of Sukhothai. north side covers Muang Pua or Muang Phlua as follows:“Below the foot of the sleeper, escape the city of plae, the city of Man, the city of Na.. The city of Phlua, past the shores of Java” (Inscription of Pho Khun Ramkhamhaeng, 2003)

(2) Inscription of Wat Khao Sumonkoot (SorThor.9), Thai Sukhothai script, 1912

The third side, lines 19-20, refer to the northern territory of Sukhothai during the Phraya Lithai period. To the Nan Muang Phlua city of Phraya Phakong as follows:“Above the Nanthi River, the Chao Phraya Phakong, the Chao Phraya Phakong, the Nan Muang Phlua…beneath the Nanthi River, the Chao Phraya River”(Inscription of Wat Khao Sumonkoot, 2003)

(3) Inscription of Grandfather Khun Chit Khun Chod, Sor. 15, Thai Sukhothai script, 1935.

He didn't mention the city of Plua directly, but the message was consistent with the inscription of Grandfather Sob and Grandson. showing the alliance between Sukhothai and Nan is Phra Maha Thammaracha III (Thai occult), who is a grandson made an oath of friendship with Phaya Khamtan of Nan The noble person is a grandfather (Inscription of Grandfather Khun Chit Khun Jod, 2003)

(4) Inscription Nang Saen Plua built a reclining Buddha image (Nor. 5), B.E. 2129

The first side, lines 8-11, mentions the word "Plue" in the name of the Buddha's creator as follows:"Maha Upasika Nang Saen Plua, composed of faith, built this Buddha image as a place of worship for the people of the Lae people." (Inscription Nang Saen Plua built a reclining Buddha image, 2003)

(5) Inscription of the words Grandfather Sop Than (Nor.1), Thai Sukhothai characters, B.E. 20

The first side, lines 13-14, refer to Muang Phrae, Muang Ngao, Mueang Nan, and Mueang Pua or Muang Phlua. that it is a city in the territory of King Nan as follows:"One of our nations, both (d) and Phrae Muang Ngao P…(Na) Muang Phlua Grandfather Phraya looks aloud. Danger exists in our ratchasima. Grandfather Phra "(Inscription of Grandfather Sop. 2003)

Relevant local legend

The legend of Wat Phra That Beng Jat (Chaiyawut Bunanek 2005 :30)